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Chapter 56 — Silent Currents
The sun was sliding low, casting a bronze glow over the estate courtyard when Kairo returned from the docks. His coat was dusted with river wind, his jaw set tight — a sure sign to anyone with sense that he was in no mood to be approached.
Celeste waited by the archway. She didn't speak until they were alone in the corridor.
"You found nothing?" she asked lightly.
"Not nothing," Kairo said, voice clipped. "Someone was there. Someone Vale didn't want alive. But they escaped."
Celeste folded her arms, watching him with sharp interest. "And you think this mysterious person is working for Vale?"
Kairo glanced at her, reading between her words. "Or against him. Either way, they're reckless. If I find out someone's moving against me inside my own territory…" His tone darkened, leaving the threat hanging.
Celeste forced a smile, masking the twinge of unease. He didn't see the skiff. He doesn't know. "Careful, Lord Seo. You're starting to sound paranoid."
"Paranoia keeps you alive," he muttered, striding away.
---
In her chambers, Elira was laying out the damp parchments across her writing desk. The ink had bled in places from the river spray, but the names were still clear. Aiden Marrow — Kairo's guard captain — and three others linked to Vale's shipments.
She traced the routes on the smuggler's map with her fingertip. South docks at dawn, east road by night… Vale's network is bigger than we thought.
A soft knock startled her. She shoved the papers beneath a leather ledger before opening the door. It was one of Kairo's attendants.
"Lord Seo is calling for everyone to report tonight," he said. "Mandatory."
Elira's stomach tightened. If he suspects someone… and Aiden is there…
"Thank you," she said calmly, dismissing him. When the door closed, her hands trembled briefly over the hidden papers. She would have to move faster than planned.
---
That night, the great hall filled with Kairo's inner circle — guards, advisors, Celeste leaning casually against a column, eyes watching everyone. Kairo stood at the head of the room, silent until all had gathered.
"There was an attack on the docks this morning," he said at last. "No casualties. No stolen cargo. Which means it wasn't about goods — it was about information." His gaze swept the hall like a blade. "Someone in this room knows more than they're saying."
A ripple of unease passed through the men. Aiden Marrow stood straight-backed, expression neutral.
Elira kept her face calm as well, though every muscle in her body tensed.
Kairo's voice was quiet, lethal. "I will find out who. And when I do… pray I'm still in a forgiving mood."
---
The meeting broke apart in tense silence. Men filed out of the great hall with stiff shoulders and downcast eyes, as though Kairo's gaze had burned through each of them.
Celeste lingered, her arms still folded as Kairo turned away from the long table. "You're tightening the noose," she said softly. "Do you really think it's one of your own?"
"I know it is," Kairo replied without looking at her. "Vale doesn't move shipments through my ports without help."
"And when you find your traitor?" she pressed, her voice almost playful.
His glance cut sharp. "I'll make an example."
Celeste's smirk didn't reach her eyes. "You always do."
---
Elira waited until the corridors emptied before slipping out of the great hall through a side passage. She shadowed Aiden from a distance as he walked toward the barracks, his stride as confident as ever. No sign of guilt — but the documents didn't lie.
When the hallways grew quiet, she quickened her pace and ducked into a side door, coming out near the training yard. From behind the stone arch, she watched Aiden speak in low tones to a courier who passed him a sealed note.
Elira's fingers itched to intervene — but Kairo had ordered every move to be reported directly to him. If she stepped forward now, she'd expose herself as the one who had been at the docks.
The courier vanished into the night. Aiden turned sharply, scanning the shadows. For a moment, his gaze swept past her hiding spot, and Elira's breath caught — but he kept walking, unaware of her presence.
I need to see where that note is going, she thought, stepping lightly into the alley.
---
Meanwhile, Kairo stood alone in his study, staring at the map spread across his desk. Vale's routes, Vale's safe houses… the picture was still incomplete. Something about the morning attack gnawed at him. Whoever disrupted it hadn't left a trace.
A knock came at the door. Celeste leaned casually against the frame. "You're brooding again," she said with a hint of a smile. "Should I be jealous of whoever has your attention?"
Kairo gave her a cold look. "Don't push your luck."
But Celeste stepped into the room anyway, closing the door behind her. "Last night wasn't a mistake," she said quietly.
Kairo's jaw tightened. "We're not talking about that."
"Fine," she murmured, her lips curving. "But you will."
---
Outside, in the lantern-lit streets, Elira followed Aiden at a distance as he crossed into the lower city. The sealed note now rested in his cloak pocket. Every turn, every shadow made her pulse jump.
Finally, he ducked into a warehouse by the river — one with Vale's mark etched faintly into the doorframe. Elira pressed herself against the cold wall outside, straining to hear. Voices murmured inside.
"…tomorrow night… the estate gates… Lord Vale expects—"
The door creaked suddenly. Elira sprang back into the darkness as Aiden stepped out, scanning the street again. He didn't see her — but his hand rested on his sword, ready.
Tomorrow night, she thought, her heart hammering. Whatever they're planning… it's happening inside the estate.
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