Ragnar took the sealed letter from the servant's outstretched hands without a word. The wax seal bore Jayran's personal crest, twin hawks entwined mid-flight.
He stared at the envelope in his hands, his jaw tightening.
"Who brought this?" he asked.
"A rider, Your Highness," the servant replied quickly.
"Did he come alone?" Ragnar asked suspiciously, eyes still on the envelope.
"Yes, Your Highness. He said it was urgent. He's still waiting in the courtyard for your response."
Ragnar gave a brief nod. "Tell him he can leave."
Once the man scurried off, Ragnar broke the seal and unfolded the parchment. He found a short note penned on the back. It was unmistakably Jayran's weeping scrawl.
"Do with this information as you please," the note read.
Ragnar turned it over to see what was actually written on the parchment. It appeared to be an intercepted correspondence from someone within the eastern rebel faction, and their current location was briefly mentioned in the letter.
