Chapter 319
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Travis jumped and whirled around at someone suddenly speaking behind him. "Who are you?!"
Blanche raised a brow at his jumpiness. "Alec's big sister. Blanche Rothschild." She held out a hand to Travis.
Travis' etiquette kicked in and he lowered his head over her outstretched hand, making sure that his lips didn't touch her.
"Travis Ross. Lovely to make your acquaintance."
Blanche nodded at him before she coolly took back her hand, looking at Alec. "Is there a reason why you are late to our appointment?"
Alec inclined his head, smiling. "I believe we've found a lead. Travis' aunt supposedly was going to sell him off to slave traders."
Blanche's eyebrows shot up. That was some fantastic luck. Being able to find a lead in a place like this, where they were just relaxing? It couldn't have worked out better.
It was indeed when you expected it the least when things worked out for you.
"Also, we disposed of a few annoying people-"
Blanche's face didn't change, but she almost seemed to pout hearing Alec's words. She obviously wasn't happy that she'd missed out on the action but seemed to accept it with good enough grace.
Alec didn't understand how she could look like that when not even a single iota of her face changed angles. Was it the eyes? Could he do that too?
"Do you know where she is?" Blanche directed at Travis while Alec was lost in thought.
This time, it was Travis who raised his eyebrows. So, they had been looking for more information on the slave traders that were going around. No wonder Alec said that he'd heard about them.
Then, Travis' eyes twitched when he took in Blanche in all her glory. He almost took a breath in shock, his eyes widening. "Wait… aren't you that new Meister? Everyone's heard about you!"
Well, 'everyone' meaning those who had connections to the upper ranks themselves, who had spread the news of a new Meister who had enough power to kill another Meister.
The only reason why Travis knew about this news was because they sent someone from the clan to him every time there was news he should know about.
At that thought, he felt a bit bitter. He should have taken that chance to let the messenger know that there was something off about his situation.
Then he came back to himself and realized that both Blanche and Alec were staring at him.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Bring us back to your clan together, won't you?"
Travis didn't even have to think about it before he nodded.
If even his *aunt* could turn her back on him, who else would as well? Besides his own mother, he didn't know who else in the clan he could trust.
After going through that ordeal with Alec, he trusted him. Blanche was just there as an added on.
Since she was a Meister, the clan wouldn't turn her away. In fact, they'd be very respectful, and his standing in the clan would probably rise when it was known that he was in connection with a Meister.
However… Travis already owed so much to Alec that he wouldn't be doing anything of the sort. He'd send for his mother from outside the clan compounds.
-
Alec stared at the clan's headquarters that was supposedly located in the middle of a city.
Even from such a distance, the people who were entering the city could see the tall, sky-high building in the middle of the city that stuck out.
It almost seemed like a beacon.
The Ross Clan controlled Rosier City, and they were the leading clan in the city.
While there were a few other, smaller clans here, they were the minority.
Alec was more than surprised to see such a thing. From what he knew about clans back on the Kaoriht continent, most of them were hidden away so that no one could find them.
Here, the clans were proudly on display. There was the Ross Clan crest on buildings that were controlled by them, and people who walked around with the crest on the back of their shirts.
It was a completely different scenery from the one he was used to.
Alec wondered what other differences there were when you had to add in people that constantly came in and out that weren't completely under your clan's jurisdiction.
Travis looked sharply at the gatekeeper, whispering something to him.
The gatekeeper looked surprised, but nodded obligingly, nonetheless. He wasn't obliged to report that young master Travis was back.
The three of them changed into cloaks, which drew a few looks, but not many. There weren't many people who used cloaks in this city due to the pride of the clan crest, but it wasn't that uncommon either.
Soon enough, no one paid them any more attention.
While the headquarters of the Ross Clan was in the middle of the city, the real clan compounds were on the outskirts of it to prevent any sabotage, as well as to ward off people who attacked to ensure that there weren't any civilian casualties.
The group of three checked into an inn instead of heading to the clan compounds immediately and breaking in. As much as Travis wanted to go incognito, if it came out that he was the one that brought a Meister into the clan without any warning, it was very possible that they might order his execution despite him being the first young master of the Ross Clan.
Potential embarrassment at the clan's expense was always taken seriously, but more than that, it was the fact that he had endangered the Clan by letting in a Meister that could cause catastrophic damage.
Once they were there, Travis quickly sent word back to his mother and for her to come out to meet him.
He also included their current location and knew that she would come by the moment she read the letter.
Sure enough, a scant thirty minutes later, a similarly hooded person arrived at their doorstep. She had come alone, knowing how serious her son's tone was in his letter to her.
Talisha swept back her hood, sweeping her son into a hug regardless of their company.
She half expected the boy to leave for years on end, only sending her the occasional letter, and communication had been scarce, leaving her worried.
"Travis!" Talisha said with a smile. She beamed, squeezing her son's cheeks. "You've grown thinner," she said disapprovingly.
Travis' face pinked. "Mom," he complained with embarrassment, his eyes darting to his company.
"Stop that," she scolded. "Let me get a good look at you."
Despite himself, Travis felt a smile creep up on his face. He'd missed her, and she had obviously missed him.
After settling down, Talisha politely greeted both Alec and Blanche.
Blanche sized the other woman up. She quite liked that Travis' mother didn't gawk at her though she already knew that she was a Meister.
She could also tell that the affection Talisha held for Travis was genuine, but she also didn't really like Travis, so she remained indifferent.
"So, what's this all about?" Talisha asked her son. She smirked. "I know for sure you wouldn't return just for a visit. Not when you're still in the middle of your journey. Bringing a Meister along with you, no less? What have you been up to?"
Talisha's face turned serious. "Are you in trouble?"
Travis steeled himself. He'd just blurt it out without any tact whatsoever. This was his mom, after all. "Mom, is it possible that Aunt Diane harbours murderous intentions towards me?"
Talisha looked shocked. "What?" She looked at Alec and Blanche suspiciously. "Did those two tell you that?"
Travis shook his head. "No. You know the three men that hung around me last time?"
Talisha's eyes darkened at the mention of the three men. She never liked them, despite their seemingly innocent presentation of themselves. There was just something about them that set her off, yet her son had been so set on bringing them around that she could hardly disagree.
"I do."
"I killed the three of them," Travis admitted point-blank. "Before one of them died, they told me something disturbing. About Aunt. But I'm not sure whether or not I believe them completely. She was apparently involved in the slave trade."
Talisha looked at Travis seriously. "Tell me more."
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Travis jumped and whirled around at someone suddenly speaking behind him. "Who are you?!"
Blanche raised a brow at his jumpiness. "Alec's big sister. Blanche Rothschild." She held out a hand to Travis.
Travis' etiquette kicked in and he lowered his head over her outstretched hand, making sure that his lips didn't touch her.
"Travis Ross. Lovely to make your acquaintance."
Blanche nodded at him before she coolly took back her hand, looking at Alec. "Is there a reason why you are late to our appointment?"
Alec inclined his head, smiling. "I believe we've found a lead. Travis' aunt supposedly was going to sell him off to slave traders."
Blanche's eyebrows shot up. That was some fantastic luck. Being able to find a lead in a place like this, where they were just relaxing? It couldn't have worked out better.
It was indeed when you expected it the least when things worked out for you.
"Also, we disposed of a few annoying people-"
Blanche's face didn't change, but she almost seemed to pout hearing Alec's words. She obviously wasn't happy that she'd missed out on the action but seemed to accept it with good enough grace.
Alec didn't understand how she could look like that when not even a single iota of her face changed angles. Was it the eyes? Could he do that too?
"Do you know where she is?" Blanche directed at Travis while Alec was lost in thought.
This time, it was Travis who raised his eyebrows. So, they had been looking for more information on the slave traders that were going around. No wonder Alec said that he'd heard about them.
Then, Travis' eyes twitched when he took in Blanche in all her glory. He almost took a breath in shock, his eyes widening. "Wait… aren't you that new Meister? Everyone's heard about you!"
Well, 'everyone' meaning those who had connections to the upper ranks themselves, who had spread the news of a new Meister who had enough power to kill another Meister.
The only reason why Travis knew about this news was because they sent someone from the clan to him every time there was news he should know about.
At that thought, he felt a bit bitter. He should have taken that chance to let the messenger know that there was something off about his situation.
Then he came back to himself and realized that both Blanche and Alec were staring at him.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Bring us back to your clan together, won't you?"
Travis didn't even have to think about it before he nodded.
If even his *aunt* could turn her back on him, who else would as well? Besides his own mother, he didn't know who else in the clan he could trust.
After going through that ordeal with Alec, he trusted him. Blanche was just there as an added on.
Since she was a Meister, the clan wouldn't turn her away. In fact, they'd be very respectful, and his standing in the clan would probably rise when it was known that he was in connection with a Meister.
However… Travis already owed so much to Alec that he wouldn't be doing anything of the sort. He'd send for his mother from outside the clan compounds.
-
Alec stared at the clan's headquarters that was supposedly located in the middle of a city.
Even from such a distance, the people who were entering the city could see the tall, sky-high building in the middle of the city that stuck out.
It almost seemed like a beacon.
The Ross Clan controlled Rosier City, and they were the leading clan in the city.
While there were a few other, smaller clans here, they were the minority.
Alec was more than surprised to see such a thing. From what he knew about clans back on the Kaoriht continent, most of them were hidden away so that no one could find them.
Here, the clans were proudly on display. There was the Ross Clan crest on buildings that were controlled by them, and people who walked around with the crest on the back of their shirts.
It was a completely different scenery from the one he was used to.
Alec wondered what other differences there were when you had to add in people that constantly came in and out that weren't completely under your clan's jurisdiction.
Travis looked sharply at the gatekeeper, whispering something to him.
The gatekeeper looked surprised, but nodded obligingly, nonetheless. He wasn't obliged to report that young master Travis was back.
The three of them changed into cloaks, which drew a few looks, but not many. There weren't many people who used cloaks in this city due to the pride of the clan crest, but it wasn't that uncommon either.
Soon enough, no one paid them any more attention.
While the headquarters of the Ross Clan was in the middle of the city, the real clan compounds were on the outskirts of it to prevent any sabotage, as well as to ward off people who attacked to ensure that there weren't any civilian casualties.
The group of three checked into an inn instead of heading to the clan compounds immediately and breaking in. As much as Travis wanted to go incognito, if it came out that he was the one that brought a Meister into the clan without any warning, it was very possible that they might order his execution despite him being the first young master of the Ross Clan.
Potential embarrassment at the clan's expense was always taken seriously, but more than that, it was the fact that he had endangered the Clan by letting in a Meister that could cause catastrophic damage.
Once they were there, Travis quickly sent word back to his mother and for her to come out to meet him.
He also included their current location and knew that she would come by the moment she read the letter.
Sure enough, a scant thirty minutes later, a similarly hooded person arrived at their doorstep. She had come alone, knowing how serious her son's tone was in his letter to her.
Talisha swept back her hood, sweeping her son into a hug regardless of their company.
She half expected the boy to leave for years on end, only sending her the occasional letter, and communication had been scarce, leaving her worried.
"Travis!" Talisha said with a smile. She beamed, squeezing her son's cheeks. "You've grown thinner," she said disapprovingly.
Travis' face pinked. "Mom," he complained with embarrassment, his eyes darting to his company.
"Stop that," she scolded. "Let me get a good look at you."
Despite himself, Travis felt a smile creep up on his face. He'd missed her, and she had obviously missed him.
After settling down, Talisha politely greeted both Alec and Blanche.
Blanche sized the other woman up. She quite liked that Travis' mother didn't gawk at her though she already knew that she was a Meister.
She could also tell that the affection Talisha held for Travis was genuine, but she also didn't really like Travis, so she remained indifferent.
"So, what's this all about?" Talisha asked her son. She smirked. "I know for sure you wouldn't return just for a visit. Not when you're still in the middle of your journey. Bringing a Meister along with you, no less? What have you been up to?"
Talisha's face turned serious. "Are you in trouble?"
Travis steeled himself. He'd just blurt it out without any tact whatsoever. This was his mom, after all. "Mom, is it possible that Aunt Diane harbours murderous intentions towards me?"
Talisha looked shocked. "What?" She looked at Alec and Blanche suspiciously. "Did those two tell you that?"
Travis shook his head. "No. You know the three men that hung around me last time?"
Talisha's eyes darkened at the mention of the three men. She never liked them, despite their seemingly innocent presentation of themselves. There was just something about them that set her off, yet her son had been so set on bringing them around that she could hardly disagree.
"I do."
"I killed the three of them," Travis admitted point-blank. "Before one of them died, they told me something disturbing. About Aunt. But I'm not sure whether or not I believe them completely. She was apparently involved in the slave trade."
Talisha looked at Travis seriously. "Tell me more."
Travis jumped and whirled around at someone suddenly speaking behind him. "Who are you?!"Blanche raised a brow at his jumpiness. "Alec's big sister. Blanche Rothschild." She held out a hand to Travis.Travis' etiquette kicked in and he lowered his head over her outstretched hand, making sure that his lips didn't touch her."Travis Ross. Lovely to make your acquaintance."Blanche nodded at him before she coolly took back her hand, looking at Alec. "Is there a reason why you are late to our appointment?"Alec inclined his head, smiling. "I believe we've found a lead. Travis' aunt supposedly was going to sell him off to slave traders."Blanche's eyebrows shot up. That was some fantastic luck. Being able to find a lead in a place like this, where they were just relaxing? It couldn't have worked out better.It was indeed when you expected it the least when things worked out for you."Also, we disposed of a few annoying people-"Blanche's face didn't change, but she almost seemed to pout hearing Alec's words. She obviously wasn't happy that she'd missed out on the action but seemed to accept it with good enough grace.Alec didn't understand how she could look like that when not even a single iota of her face changed angles. Was it the eyes? Could he do that too?"Do you know where she is?" Blanche directed at Travis while Alec was lost in thought.This time, it was Travis who raised his eyebrows. So, they had been looking for more information on the slave traders that were going around. No wonder Alec said that he'd heard about them.Then, Travis' eyes twitched when he took in Blanche in all her glory. He almost took a breath in shock, his eyes widening. "Wait aren't you that new Meister? Everyone's heard about you!"Well, 'everyone' meaning those who had connections to the upper ranks themselves, who had spread the news of a new Meister who had enough power to kill another Meister.The only reason why Travis knew about this news was because they sent someone from the clan to him every time there was news he should know about.At that thought, he felt a bit bitter. He should have taken that chance to let the messenger know that there was something off about his situation.Then he came back to himself and realized that both Blanche and Alec were staring at him."What?" he asked, confused."Bring us back to your clan together, won't you?"Travis didn't even have to think about it before he nodded.If even his *aunt* could turn her back on him, who else would as well? Besides his own mother, he didn't know who else in the clan he could trust.After going through that ordeal with Alec, he trusted him. Blanche was just there as an added on.Since she was a Meister, the clan wouldn't turn her away. In fact, they'd be very respectful, and his standing in the clan would probably rise when it was known that he was in connection with a Meister.However Travis already owed so much to Alec that he wouldn't be doing anything of the sort. He'd send for his mother from outside the clan compounds.-Alec stared at the clan's headquarters that was supposedly located in the middle of a city.Even from such a distance, the people who were entering the city could see the tall, sky-high building in the middle of the city that stuck out.It almost seemed like a beacon.The Ross Clan controlled Rosier City, and they were the leading clan in the city.While there were a few other, smaller clans here, they were the minority.Alec was more than surprised to see such a thing. From what he knew about clans back on the Kaoriht continent, most of them were hidden away so that no one could find them.Here, the clans were proudly on display. There was the Ross Clan crest on buildings that were controlled by them, and people who walked around with the crest on the back of their shirts.It was a completely different scenery from the one he was used to.Alec wondered what other differences there were when you had to add in people that constantly came in and out that weren't completely under your clan's jurisdiction.Travis looked sharply at the gatekeeper, whispering something to him.The gatekeeper looked surprised, but nodded obligingly, nonetheless. He wasn't obliged to report that young master Travis was back.The three of them changed into cloaks, which drew a few looks, but not many. There weren't many people who used cloaks in this city due to the pride of the clan crest, but it wasn't that uncommon either.Soon enough, no one paid them any more attention.While the headquarters of the Ross Clan was in the middle of the city, the real clan compounds were on the outskirts of it to prevent any sabotage, as well as to ward off people who attacked to ensure that there weren't any civilian casualties.The group of three checked into an inn instead of heading to the clan compounds immediately and breaking in. As much as Travis wanted to go incognito, if it came out that he was the one that brought a Meister into the clan without any warning, it was very possible that they might order his execution despite him being the first young master of the Ross Clan.Potential embarrassment at the clan's expense was always taken seriously, but more than that, it was the fact that he had endangered the Clan by letting in a Meister that could cause catastrophic damage.Once they were there, Travis quickly sent word back to his mother and for her to come out to meet him.He also included their current location and knew that she would come by the moment she read the letter.Sure enough, a scant thirty minutes later, a similarly hooded person arrived at their doorstep. She had come alone, knowing how serious her son's tone was in his letter to her.Talisha swept back her hood, sweeping her son into a hug regardless of their company.She half expected the boy to leave for years on end, only sending her the occasional letter, and communication had been scarce, leaving her worried."Travis!" Talisha said with a smile. She beamed, squeezing her son's cheeks. "You've grown thinner," she said disapprovingly.Travis' face pinked. "Mom," he complained with embarrassment, his eyes darting to his company."Stop that," she scolded. "Let me get a good look at you."Despite himself, Travis felt a smile creep up on his face. He'd missed her, and she had obviously missed him.After settling down, Talisha politely greeted both Alec and Blanche.Blanche sized the other woman up. She quite liked that Travis' mother didn't gawk at her though she already knew that she was a Meister.She could also tell that the affection Talisha held for Travis was genuine, but she also didn't really like Travis, so she remained indifferent."So, what's this all about?" Talisha asked her son. She smirked. "I know for sure you wouldn't return just for a visit. Not when you're still in the middle of your journey. Bringing a Meister along with you, no less? What have you been up to?"Talisha's face turned serious. "Are you in trouble?"Travis steeled himself. He'd just blurt it out without any tact whatsoever. This was his mom, after all. "Mom, is it possible that Aunt Diane harbours murderous intentions towards me?"Talisha looked shocked. "What?" She looked at Alec and Blanche suspiciously. "Did those two tell you that?"Travis shook his head. "No. You know the three men that hung around me last time?"Talisha's eyes darkened at the mention of the three men. She never liked them, despite their seemingly innocent presentation of themselves. There was just something about them that set her off, yet her son had been so set on bringing them around that she could hardly disagree."I do.""I killed the three of them," Travis admitted point-blank. "Before one of them died, they told me something disturbing. About Aunt. But I'm not sure whether or not I believe them completely. She was apparently involved in the slave trade."Talisha looked at Travis seriously. "Tell me more."
