The Radagan messenger swallowed desperately when he saw the Sovereign's anger rising to the surface, and he gathered his courage and quickly stammered out his earlier statement once again.
"T-The Phantoms. I w-went to their campsite like you instructed me, b-but… I wasn't able to see any signs of life. They had all been slaughtered and their bodies were piled together like cattle."
The murmuring from the nobles around the throne began once more. They leaned into each other conspiratorially, and their voices weren't that difficult to hear.
"The Phantoms are dead? Do you think it was Riyala?"
"No, that girl isn't strong enough to do something like that."
"Isn't Riyala just a healer? There's no way she could kill those assassins."
"Then, do you think there was someone helping her? Some sort of benefactor?"
"I think it is divine retribution. The Dragon gods are angry with us."
