Book 8, The Ten Thousand Kilometer Journey – Chapter 20, The Summer Inferno

This had been a peaceful night. The miserable screams of the people of Holmer’s clan being slaughtered were thus all the more jarring to the ear. Those sounds had travelled very far. Even Jenne and Keane, who were within the castle, could hear them.

“What is that?”

Keane ran out dressed in his sleepwear, while Jenne came out with her hair undone. The two siblings curiously walked out towards the direction of the castle gates. As for the extremely cautious old servant, Lambert, he had run to the castle gates already.

“By the Madame’s orders, no one is permitted to leave the castle at night.”

Two castle guards standing at the gate formed a cross with their spears, forbidding entry, as they spoke coldly to Lambert.

“What is going on? The two of you, move!” Keane snapped at them.

Seeing that Keane and Jenne had come, the two castle guards exchanged glances. Everyone in the castle knew that Keane was the successor to the governorship, but at the same time, Madame Wade wasn’t going to easily give up her power.

“Young master Keane, Miss Jenne. We are very sorry, but the Madame has ordered that no one is to leave the castle at night. Please go back and rest.” The taller of the...