Chapter 428
Chapter 429 The Silenced Prisoners
Finished
The video feed cut off the instant the rebel starship vanished completely from sight.
Staring at the black screen, the men froze. They scrambled to reopen the connection and send a new call.
But a virus had been pre–installed inside the Star Brain, and the device had crashed beyond use.
Back aboard the rebel ship, August called out in a director–like tone. “Cut p>
Lyra shot him a sharp look. She tore the gag–cloth from her mouth and stood up on her own.
“I need to speak to those prisoners alone p>
Reid nodded. “All right p>
Lyra grabbed a nearby jacket, threw it over her shoulders, and headed for the exit.
August trotted after her, grinning. “That’s my coat you’re wearing, Guide p>
Lyra dropped it onto the floor the very next second.
August hurried to pick it up, shook it out, and draped it back over her shoulders.
“Come on, you can’t take a single joke…” His voice trailed off under Lyra’s impatient glare.
He touched his mask, his eyes crinkling, and fell silent,
The ship touched down. As soon as Jasper stepped out, he spotted Lyra waiting outside with the rest of the
group.
“Well, what an honor to be greeted personally by the Guide p>
Lyra glanced at him once, then shifted her gaze toward the ship’s rear.
“Strutting like a peacock and flattering yourself.” August mocked him.
Jasper glanced over at the taunting man and descended the ramp unhurriedly.
“How bold of you to say. No one peacocks harder than you do p>
Lyra paid no mind to their bickering. All her attention stayed fixed on the ship’s hatch.
When the familiar faces of the captives appeared, rage flared inside her, and she started lunging forward.
Reid grabbed her arm. “Don’t do it here p>
Lyra halted. She glanced around.
Many local residents watched the scene with curiosity, small children standing beside the adults.
Her fury cooled.
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Reid let go of her and signaled for the prisoners to be taken elsewhere.
Once the head of the Legislative Council and the other men had been thrown into the windowless dark room that had been used for staging their photograph, Reid led the rest of the rebels outside.
Lyra was left alone with her old acquaintances.
She stared at the captives, bound hand–and–foot and crumpled on the floor, and picked up a whip from beside the wall.
Dried blood stained their bodies; no one knew what abuse they had endured during their capture.
When the men laid eyes on Lyra, alive and unharmed, their eyes went wide. They understood everything
at once.
She had been working with the rebels all along.
The whole ordeal had been a cruel ruse to fool everyone.
Beneath the head of the Legislative Council’s burning hatred, Lyra pulled the gag strips from each man’s mouth.
Crack!
The whip snapped hard against the floor, echoing like thunder.
She got straight to the point.
“Who else was involved in Hadrien’s death, besides you people p>
Every prisoner stared back at her, some shocked, some furious. Not a single word escaped their lips.
Lyra’s expression darkened.
Crack! Crack!
Again and again the whip bit into their flesh. They shuddered in agony, yet they held their tongues, letting out nothing more than muffled grunts.
At first, Lyra thought they simply had thick skin.
Then she realized. They had been manually “silenced p>
No wonder there was blood even on parts of their bodies without visible wounds.
It felt like punching soft cotton. All her effort had been wasted. She dropped the whip and stormed out of
the room.
August and the others stood not far away, chatting.
They turned and walked over with smiles when they saw her emerge.
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Jasper said, “That was quick p>
August chimed in, “Are you worn out, Guide? Want me to take over p>
Finished
Lyra’s face was cold as she turned toward Jasper, who had brought the prisoners back. “Who cut their tongues out p>
Jasper’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.
“Their tongues are cut out? I never noticed. I brought them back exactly as we received them. They already had gags tied over their mouths, so I assumed it was just to keep them from shouting p>
Lyra stood on the staircase and leaned down toward Jasper, trying to read whether he was lying behind his
mask.
Jasper showed no trace of guilt. He leaned forward until the cold surface of his mask brushed against her skin. “Did you detect something, Guide p>
Amusement colored his voice. His pitch–black eyes were deep, bottomless pools, holding a clear reflection of Lyra’s figure.
Lyra straightened her posture. “It truly was not you p>
Jasper looked at her, amused. “Why would I go out of my way to do that p>
“What if you feared they would spill secrets damaging to your faction?” Lyra pressed.
Jasper spread his hands helplessly. “If that were my goal, I could have arranged an accident. Dumped them mid–flight and claimed Core Prime forces ambushed our transport p>
Lyra kept her gaze locked on him.
“Suspicion breeds coldness, trust breeds warmth, Guide,” Jasper said.
Reid spoke up. “Perhaps it was Core Prime. They would not want us learning secrets from these men. They once held powerful positions, after all, and know countless confidential truths p>
Lyra could just barely accept that reasoning.
She turned to head back inside to interrogate them by other means when someone caught hold of the hem of her shirt.
It was Jasper.
“You wrongfully suspected me, Guide. That stings. Are we just going to let it pass p>
The other men stayed quiet, waiting to see how she would respond.
Lyra tugged her clothing free from his grasp.
“I can grant you one purification session, if that settles it p>
Specter froze in place.
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A glint flickered across Jasper’s eyes. “Would that not be too much trouble for you p>
“Forget it if it’s going to be a hassle,” Lyra replied.
Jasper dropped his fake polite act at once. “No trouble at all, none whatsoever p>
August caught wind of the offer and hurried over. “Guide, suspect me too p>
Lyra stared at him blankly.
Reid shook his head.
Jasper spoke in a teasing tone. “Hush, what nonsense. The Guide does not hand out suspicion so casually p>
Lyra said nothing.
Avery dragged the over–eager August back. “Quit distracting the Guide from her real work p>
Lyra shot the group one glance, then stepped back into the dark room.
Knowing the prisoners could no longer speak, she held out a Star Brain, ordering them to write out their confessions.
The head of the Legislative Council grabbed the device, turned his back toward her, and intended to broadcast the truth of Lyra’s treasonous alliance with the rebels straight back to Core Prime.
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.