Chapter 948

Leroy snapped back to reality and bolted down the stairs. Several guards in uniform stood by the lobby counter on the first floor, speaking with a messenger who had arrived to report. Leroy's heart skipped a beat. He'd only seen the shopkeeper and a waiter upon his arrival—no guards. When had they appeared?

The messenger was Michael, accompanied by three others. Upon seeing Leroy, his face twisted with fury.

"Mr. Stellwyn, what is the meaning of this?!" he snarled. "Did you try to assassinate Commander Sinclair?"

Leroy glanced around, not seeing Carissa. Anger flared across his face. "Impossible! Don't slander us with baseless accusations!"

Icarus couldn't have failed! His group of over ten outnumbered their opponents (only three). There was no way the plan, carefully set, could have failed. Even if they were prepared, Icarus's skill would have prevented only mission success, not capture.

It had to be a setup. Carissa had been taken, and now they were framing Westhaven. This was a trap to make Leroy slip up.

Fury building, he turned sharply to Rafael. His voice, cold and seething, snapped, "Hell Monarch, what's the meaning of this? Are you staging an act to frame us? Trying to gain leverage at tomorrow's negotiations? Don't be so despicable!"

Rafael ignored him, turning to Michael. "You said Carissa was injured. Is it serious?"

"It's not too bad, just an arm wound. She's at Arcane Sanctum for treatment. Afterward, she'll go to the Supreme Court," Michael replied.

A brief flash of concern softened Rafael's eyes. How had she been injured? He quickly regained his composure. "Are you certain the assassin is Icarus Mendez from Westhaven?"

"Yes. Him, and a dozen or so other men in black. Commander Sinclair killed several; the rest were taken to the Supreme Court. They tried to commit suicide with poison, but Commander Sinclair extracted it from their mouths."

"Impossible! If you keep making baseless claims, there won't be any need for negotiations tomorrow!" Leroy snapped.

A chill settled over Rafael's expression. His tone icy, he said, "Why are you so anxious, Mr. Stellwyn? Why not go to the Supreme Court and see for yourself?"

Leroy glared. "Impossible! Commander Icarus could never have attacked your princess consort!"

Rafael sneered. "Is it that he could never attempt to assassinate my wife, or that he could never fail and be captured? When confidence crosses into arrogance, Mr. Stellwyn, it leads to downfall. Overconfident people often stumble."

Leroy remained defiant, though his bravado lacked conviction. "In any case, it's impossible."

"Then come with us," Michael said.

"Fine, let's go!" Leroy's voice was cold.

He refused to believe Icarus could fail. This was a deception.

They went outside and mounted their horses. The route to the Supreme Court passed Arcane Sanctum. Rafael spoke. "Let's stop by Arcane Sanctum and pick up Carissa."

Leroy's eyes flickered with suspicion. He knew Arcane Sanctum wasn't far from the Supreme Court. If they were deceiving him, why not go directly to the Supreme Court? It was farther; they'd have more time to test him. But going to Arcane Sanctum made seeing Carissa impossible. Wouldn't that reveal their deception?

Leroy's gaze shifted to the Hell Monarch, riding ahead with a straight back, holding the reins firmly. Leroy tightened his grip, his fingers trembling slightly. Something was wrong, though he couldn't pinpoint it.

Their plan to abduct Carissa was a well-kept secret. While not perfectly planned, Leroy had trusted Icarus to execute it carefully. The operation wasn't hasty.

If they had to choose the easier part of the plan, it would have been deceiving the Hell Monarch, the lead negotiator for tomorrow's talks. It was natural for him to assess the situation beforehand.

Icarus and his suicide soldiers couldn't have lost to Carissa and two servants, unless someone had tipped them off, allowing an ambush.

This operation had been so secret that Icarus only learned of it during the palace banquet. After receiving the order, he hadn't left Leroy's sight. Icarus wouldn't expose himself unless desperate.

Suddenly, it struck Leroy—if the operation failed, the only person who could have betrayed them was Harvey. Was he pretending to ally with Westhaven to get close to them?

Leroy's mind raced, but he refused to believe the mission had failed until he saw Carissa.