Warlock Ch 344. Conspiracy
They were cloaking their presence.
Selena leaned in slightly, voice barely above a breath. "Did you see that?"
Cedric gave the smallest nod. "Yeah."
Alric frowned. "That's not one of ours."
No.
It definitely wasn't.
Whoever it was, they had followed Marven here just as they had. But were they an ally—or soone sent to make sure Marven didn't leave this eting alive?
Cedric wasn't sure which answer he preferred.
The cloaked figure hesitated for only a second before slipping into the alley after Marven, their steps impossibly light.
Cedric exhaled through his nose.
"We move," he decided, shifting his weight. "Now."
Selena and Alric nodded, and in a practiced motion, the three of them dropped down from their vantage point, silent as the night itself.
Their landing was smooth, boots barely making a sound as they hit the damp cobblestone below. The alley ahead was dark, but Cedric barely needed the limited light to navigate.
They pressed against the wall, moving in tandem as they followed the path Marven had taken. The sounds of the city dimd behind them, replaced by the slow, deliberate footsteps of their target echoing further ahead.
Then— Voices.
Cedric halted, signaling for Selena and Alric to stay back as he inched forward.
The alley opened up into a secluded courtyard, surrounded by towering stone buildings. A single enchanted lantern flickered weakly on the far wall, casting jagged shadows across the cobblestones.
And in the center of it all— Marven stood stiffly, arms crossed over his chest as he faced a hooded figure.
Not the one who had followed him.
Soone else.
Cedric barely had a mont to process before the cloaked figure from before materialized from the darkness, stepping up behind Marven like a second shadow.
No one flinched.
Because they were expecting him.
Cedric's heart pounded.
This wasn't just a eting.
It was a goddamn conspiracy.
Marven exhaled sharply, voice laced with frustration. "Do you have any idea the shitstorm we're dealing with?"
The hooded figure across from him chuckled, voice low and amused. "Oh, I think I do."
Marven scoffed, shaking his head. "Everything's unraveling. The Sanctum was supposed to keep things contained, but now the fae are breathing down our necks, the trials are under investigation, and those damn warlocks—"
He cut himself off, exhaling sharply.
The cloaked figure beside him—the one who had followed him—tilted their head. "You're nervous, Marven." Their voice was smooth, casual. Amused. "I thought you were so sure of your position?"
Marven turned sharply, scowling. "I don't need your comntary."
The first hooded figure stepped forward slightly, amusent never leaving their tone. "Then let guess—you ca begging for insurance, didn't you?"
Marven's jaw tightened. "I ca for confirmation."
Cedric narrowed his eyes, barely daring to breathe.
This was big.
Who the hell were these people?
Selena leaned in slightly behind him, whispering against his ear. "They're talking about the trials."
Yeah.
And it was starting to sound like Marven was more pissed than in control.
The hooded figure in front of him chuckled again, the sound echoing slightly against the stone walls. "You're not in a position to demand anything, Marven. You followed our orders. The trials were ant to serve a greater purpose."
Marven's scowl deepened. "You think I don't know that? But now we have fucking royals digging into everything. The fae prince is already suspicious, and if anyone traces the poison back to us—"
The cloaked figure beside him sighed. "If you're so concerned," they murmured, "we could always clean up loose ends."
The air grew colder.
Marven hesitated. "What—what do you an?"
The figure smiled under their hood. "I an you don't have to worry about the fae prince… if he never makes it back to his palace."
Selena tensed.
Alric's fingers twitched toward his sword.
Cedric felt sothing dark settle in his chest.
They were already planning his murder.
Marven let out a slow breath, clearly considering it.
The first hooded figure tilted their head. "Or… perhaps you'd rather let things escalate? Let the Sanctum fall apart completely?" They took a step forward, voice dropping. "You do realize that if this all collapses, you won't survive the fallout, don't you?"
Marven's face twisted. He knew it.
He was stuck.
And Cedric knew exactly what he would choose.
His expression hardened.
Cedric's pulse thrumd in his ears. He forced himself to breathe evenly, to listen, even as the fury coiled in his gut like a living thing.
Marven exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "You want to assassinate the fae prince now?" His voice wavered with barely restrained disbelief. "Killing the princess was already pushing it, but this—this is suicide."
The first hooded figure chuckled, stepping forward slightly. "Oh, co now, Marven. Let's not act like you have morals all of a sudden."
Marven scowled. "This isn't about morals—it's about consequences. If we kill the prince, it will trigger war with the fae race. None of us will survive that."
The second figure scoffed, leaning against the alley wall. "You're thinking too small."
Marven shot them a glare. "Enlighten , then."
The first hooded figure tilted their head, amusent laced in their tone. "We have a scapegoat, don't we?"
Marven frowned.
A pause.
Then his face twisted in realization.
"…You an that warlock."
Cedric felt his heart slow to a heavy, calculated beat.
Damian.
They were talking about Damian.
The second hooded figure let out a soft laugh, low and sinister. "Of course. That new S rank warlock. He's already made waves. The rumors about him are everywhere—suspicion clings to him like a curse. He's powerful, unpredictable, and aligned with the wrong kind of people." A slow smirk. "He's perfect."
Marven exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "There's a problem with that."
The first hooded figure humd, feigning curiosity. "Oh?"
Marven huffed. "He has an alibi." His voice lowered. "He and his little entourage have been holed up inside Cassius's estate for weeks. He hasn't made a single move. If anything happens, people will know it wasn't him."
A beat of silence.
Then— The second hooded figure's smirk widened.
"Then why stop at just the prince?" they murmured.
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