Chapter 209: Where is Denea?

Elliot covered the displeasure quickly, let out a heavy sigh and nodded, drowning his shot in one go. "Fair enough, but my mother was right to worry if someone like you is patronizing them. If more wealthy people patronize them, then Apex Scavenging Industries is about to go down the drain. We need to find the source of these high-tech supplies soon. Technology can be dangerous in the wrong hands."

Achilles sighed, giving his cousin a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Sounds like you’ve really got your work cut out for you, dude. I wish you luck. Give me a call when you find them because I would like to acquire some things that I missed out on acquiring."

Elliot set his empty glass down hard on the counter, sucking his teeth in frustration. His eyes darkened as his mind drifted to family matters. "So, is my dear brother still hiding like a coward? I mean, look at me, I became half a man because of him, and he has not returned home since then."

Achilles smacked his lips, putting on his best poker face. He looked Elliot dead in the eye and said with absolute deadpan serious energy, "At this point? Hunter could very well be dead. The guy is nowhere to be found." He leaned towards his cousin. "Be honest, did you kill him and dump his body somewhere? I won’t tell. You can trust me."

Elliot’s lips twisted into a cold, cruel smile. "I wish," He sneered, motioning to the bartender for another heavy pour. "If I had killed him, his head wound be mounted on my wall. Anyway, I hope he is dead. It will save me the trouble of doing it myself."

Achilles was not shocked by those words; Elliot had always had a deep hatred for Hunter since childhood. Sabrina was the biggest reason why.

More people poured into the lounge room, filling every corner until the chatter turned into a noisy buzz. Suddenly, a screech pierced through the noise, loud enough to rattle the walls. "SABRINA! You dirty bitch!"

Silence dropped over the room instantly. Nobody dared to breathe, drink, or even blink. Sabrina, who had been huddled in a corner whispering and plotting with her allies about the upcoming clan meeting, froze mid-sentence. She knew that voice. It was Alessa.

Across the room, Achilles set his wine glass down on a table with a quiet click. He rubbed his temples, muttering under his breath, "Here we go again." He stepped forward, following his mother as she marched like an angry ghost straight toward her sister.

Alessa stopped right in front of Sabrina, her face red and breathing heavy. "Where is Denea?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "I have looked everywhere and she is not here! You argued that no one could look after her than you so where is our sister!"

Sabrina slowly rolled her eyes, flicking her manicured fingers in the air as if shooing away a pesky fly. "How should I know where that lunatic is? Am I her nanny?"

Before Alessa could explode, a heavy cough echoed from the back of the room. The crowd parted like the sea to let two old men through_ Grand Elder Simon Finkle and the Grand Patriarch himself. Grand Elder Simon stroke his chin, his sharp eyes narrowing at Sabrina. "Now hold on a moment, child," the old man said, his deep voice carrying through the quiet room. "I distinctly remember you declaring, puffing out your chest and promising everyone that you would personally take care of Denea. It is not wrong that Alessa would seek you out to find Denea’s whereabouts."

Sabrina didn’t even flinch. She puffed out her chest again and bowed then she said, "And I did! I spent a fortune! I hired the best doctors and the most expensive nurses in the whole region to look after her. What more do you people want from me? It’s not my fault that she got her wires crossed."

Alessa began pacing in frantic circles, her heels clicking angrily against the floor. She looked like a teapot about to boil over. "Then where is she right now, Sabrina? Tell me! Did you kill her? You are the only Kaelion I know who is thirsty for the blood of her kin."

Gasps swept through the room.

"Watch you tone Alessa." Sabrina snapped at her sister. "I resent your accusations. The last time I heard about Denea, her caretakers were driving her to Neemchester, but the heavy storm caused a sudden flood on the main road and cut them off. She is a Kaelion, I am sure she is safe and sound." She lied blatantly about the caretaker part. But she believed the Kaelion one. Her crazy sister was probably laughing like a fool in one of the bunkers.

To prove her point, Sabrina pulled out her phone, dialed the lead nurse, and tapped the loudspeaker setting so the whole room could hear. "Tell everyone. Is Denea safe?"

There was a long, painful pause over the receiver. The nurse on the other end stammered, "U-mm_ ma’am_ Denea_ went missing before the flood came. I tried to report to you, but you didn’t take my calls. We found her shoe at the lake bank and her favorite doll was floating in the water. We think she drowned! It was a terrible accident, we couldn’t_ "

"What?!" Sabrina shrieked, instantly cutting the nurse off. Her face transformed into shock and horror. "You useless trash! How could you let her drown?! I paid you a mountain of energy stones! I will deal with you worthless dogs personally!" She slammed the phone off, dabbing a fake dry tear from her eye.

The room gasped. Alessa’s mind went blank. The shock was too much, her grief boiling over into pure, unadulterated rage. Without warning, she stepped up and landed a resounding slap right across Sabrina’s left cheek.

The sound echoed off the walls. Onlookers gasped so hard they nearly choked on their own spit. Sabrina’s head snapped to the side, her eyes wide with total disbelief.

Achilles quickly stepped in front of his mother. "Aunt Sabrina..."

Sabrina shoved him aside. "Fuck off kiddo, your mother is a big girl." She stared at with burning anger, "Alessa are you asking for a sparring match! Because I would love that very much!"

Alessa smirked, "With a murderer like you! You killed Denea, you nearly killed Derek. Who is next on your hit list? Is it me? Is it our brothers Asaph Lemuel or our youngest sister Tirzah?" She shoved Sabrina back. "Out with it killer, who else are you going after? Will you stop after you are named heir?"

Horas frantically rushed out from the crowd, waving his hands around like a wingless duck. "Calm down! Please, everyone, calm down! We are a first-class citizen; we must show decorum_"

Alessa didn’t even look at him; she just swung her hand back and slapped Horas clean across the face too, sending him stumbling sideways into a nearby flowerpot.

Nearby, Elliot leaned against a pillar, took a slow sip from his glass, and chuckled quietly into his wine. Ah, family gatherings, he thought, never a dull moment.