Chapter 195
Chapter 196 Departure From the Black Spire
Lyra had no interest in idle small talk and turned straight to Hadrien
Finished
Reading her intention, Hadrien spoke up. “The Guide is worn out. She should head straight to her quarters to rest. Have food delivered there as well”
The smiles froze on Yannis and Lior’s faces. Sesing Zev did not object, they nodded reluctantly.
“That works. ”
The two men walked ahead. Lyra and Hadrien strode side by side in the middle, with Zev bringing up the rear to secure their group.
As the party boarded the colossal starship, the escorting Sentinels from Core Prime moved swiftly and orderly to their assigned frigates following instructions.
Lyra took in the vessel’s lavish interior, far grander than any passenger craft she had traveled on.
It reminded her of an ultra–luxury ocean liner on Earth. Every surface and fixture screamed one word: wealthy.
The private quarters section was immaculate and opulent. Crystal–like ornaments hung overhead, glinting brightly. Flooring so spotless it mirrored every figure passing over it; boot heels clicked sharply against the smooth surface.
One section served as a lounge for high–ranking guests. The other held cold, utilitarian combat hardware.
She glanced toward the Sentinels‘ duty stations as they settled into position. That area was more compact than the passenger zone, lined wall–to–wall with unfamiliar machinery.
An attendant fitted in a tailored uniform led her to a doorway.
When the door slid open, Lyra stared into another expensively furnished suite and stepped forward, only to hear Hadrien’s voice.
“Rest well. I’ll stay right outside p>
She glanced back.
It was not exhaustion driving her wish to withdraw. She simply had no patience for Yannis and Lior’s endless bureaucratic formalities.
Hadrien understood that, yet he guessed leaving Black Spire weighed on her. She might need space to process her thoughts.
He volunteered to stand guard outside, a duty expected of any personal guard.
Lyra gestured for him to come inside.
The suite was enormous, easily spacious enough for a dozen people.
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Chapter 196 Departure From the Black Spire
The voyage back to Core Prime would not take long, and she still had questions to ask him.
Hadrien hesitated briefly they agreed,
“All right p>
Finished
The entry opened into a wide lounge. Behind the sofa stretched a massive horizontal viewport offering unobstructed sight of outer space. Several sleeping chambers branched off to the left and right.
Lyra did not explore further. She flopped onto the sofa and leaned forward, gazing toward Black Spire.
The starship powered up.
The place she had grown familiar with shrank steadily, swallowed by the endless dark of the costnos, until it blurred into one tiny pinprick among countless stars.
She pulled her gaze away.
Hadrien stood a short distance behind her.
“Why don’t you sit p>
Hadrien fell silent before choosing a seat far enough to give her room, yet close enough to respond quickly.
Lyra shifted her posture and questioned him. “You’re coming with me. Who will oversee Black Spire now p>
“The cabinet will assign a replacernent. Lower–ranking staff inside the facility will cover duties temporarily until the new administrator arrives p>
She nodded softly, then asked, “What about Jessa? Will she remain locked up there p>
Hadrien shook his head. “Jessa stands accused of acting as a rebel informant. She will be transferred to the Judiciary for official interrogation p>
“Also on Core Prime?” Lyra asked.
Hadrien gave a quiet hum of confirmation.
Before she could speak again, he added, “Once she is in custody, no one may visit without authorization from the Judiciary investigators assigned to her case p>
Lyra pressed her lips together. She had hoped she might get a chance to see Jessa again once they reached Core Prime.
“ If Jessa refuses to surrender her secrets, will they keep her imprisoned indefinitely p>
Hadrien paused.
Very few spies who entered the Judiciary for review held out for long.
The facility housed brutal interrogators and endless methods of coercion.
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Chapter 196 Departure from the Black Spire
Anyone refusing to cooperate faced fresh torment each day.
Even those who finally broke would be broken beyond repair.
Finished
Those interrogators, hardened by constant exposure to violence and instruments of torture, knew exactly how to drive a person to terror and despair.
Prisoners there faced agony without the mercy of death.
He chose not to burden Lyra with those grim details.
“Perhaps. I do not know the exact protocols p>
Lyra turned the Judiciary over in her mind. From what she gathered, it was the division tasked with investigating major crimes.
“Are all Judiciary staff Sentinels p>
Hadrien nodded. Doctors served there as well.
“Zev once worked for the Judiciary,” he told her. “He was reassigned later to the Oversight Council p>
The reason for his transfer was simple: far more rebel suspects died under his interrogation than those who confessed.
The higher–ups decided he possessed ruthless drive but lacked subtle interrogation skills, making him unfit to continue working there.
Sensing Lyra already forming another question, Hadrien shared what he knew.
Hearing that, Lyra pursed her lips.
Zev …
“Will I cross paths with Judiciary personnel regularly p>
“Unlikely. The three branches operate independently and occupy separate facilities. Judiciary staff only interact with the Legislative Council for official business. They keep to themselves and rarely mingle with others. ”
Hadrien continued to brief her on general conditions across Hophrin.
As she listened, Lyra slowly pieced together a clearer picture.
If the Judiciary was the sharp blade, the Legislative Council formed the shield that wrote all rules. The cabinet, along with Hophrin’s highest leader, merely wielded both tools.
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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.