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Chapter 58 — Beneath the Same Shadow
Elira moved like smoke through the lower city, every instinct sharp. The messenger was heavier than expected as she dragged him into an abandoned stall, binding his wrists and ankles with coarse rope. A quick check confirmed he was still unconscious.
She crouched, examining the satchel again — the key, the parchment with its three cold words. Open. Wait. Kill.
"This isn't just infiltration," she whispered to herself. "It's an assassination order."
The parchment had Vale's seal pressed faintly in red wax. That alone was enough to damn Aiden Marrow, but showing it to Kairo now would ignite the very war Vale wanted. Kairo would confront Aiden openly, and the attack would shift into something bloodier.
Elira shoved the satchel into her cloak and slipped away, blending into the dusk as the first lanterns flickered to life along the streets.
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At the estate, Kairo leaned on the shadowed balcony of the watchtower, eyes fixed on the gates below. His men were in perfect formation — too perfect. Precision this clean meant someone was trying not to be noticed.
"Aiden Marrow left on errand again?" he asked quietly when his lieutenant appeared behind him.
"Yes, sir. Said it was to meet an informant. He returned before sundown."
"And you believed him?"
The lieutenant hesitated. "He's always been loyal."
Kairo's jaw tightened. "So was the last man Vale bought." He turned sharply, cloak sweeping behind him. "Double the guard on the east gate. And I'll take the north corridor myself tonight."
Unspoken: If there's a traitor, I'm catching him with my own hands.
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Elira reached the estate just as twilight deepened. She used the old servant's entrance, climbing the narrow stairwell two steps at a time. The satchel felt like it was burning through her cloak — evidence too dangerous to carry, but too valuable to destroy.
A voice drifted from the main hall. Kairo's. Close.
She pressed herself into a recessed arch, heart hammering as his footsteps approached. He passed within arm's reach, his expression unreadable, gaze sharp as ever. For one terrible second, his eyes flicked toward the darkness where she hid.
Then he moved on.
Elira exhaled slowly and slipped away before the echo of his boots faded. She made it to her chambers, sliding the satchel under a loose floorboard just as a knock rattled the door.
"Elira?" It was Celeste, her tone casual but curious. "You missed dinner."
"I wasn't hungry," Elira answered evenly, forcing her voice steady.
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Meanwhile, Kairo crossed the courtyard alone. Something was wrong — he could feel it like a storm building in his bones. At the east gate, the torches burned low, their light catching on damp footprints leading toward the inner path. He crouched, fingers brushing the print. Fresh. Someone had passed here moments ago.
His gaze hardened. Someone is moving in secret under my roof.
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The estate had gone unnaturally still by the time the moon rose high. Patrols moved with military precision, but there was an undercurrent of unease.
From her window, Elira watched the courtyard below, memorizing the guards' rotations. The satchel was hidden beneath her floorboard, but its weight lingered in her thoughts. If I remove Aiden's key before Vale's men reach the gate, I can stop this without anyone knowing.
She slipped out again, silent as a shadow. Her cloak blended into the stone corridors as she moved toward the east gate.
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Elsewhere, Kairo circled the inner walls, his steps quiet, his senses sharp. He had ordered double watch, but trusted no one tonight. The fresh footprint from earlier still nagged at him — small, light, someone moving alone.
If it's Aiden, I'll catch him in the act.
If it's not… then who?
He passed a narrow hall and paused. A faint movement — the whisper of a door closing. Kairo followed, every muscle tense.
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Near the gatehouse, Elira reached the inner passage leading to the armory, where she expected to find Aiden storing the key before changing shifts. Sure enough, his voice echoed low in the corridor, speaking to another guard.
"…east gate opens only when I give the order. Understand?"
"Yes, Captain."
When Aiden left, Elira waited, counting heartbeats, then slipped inside. A small iron box rested on the table. She picked it open with a hairpin, just as she had done to countless locks before. Inside — the estate key with a fresh-cut edge. Vale's access.
She pocketed it, closed the box, and turned to leave — only to hear approaching boots.
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At that same moment, Kairo entered the opposite end of the corridor. His gaze swept the passage just as a shadow darted out of sight. He quickened his pace.
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Elira pressed herself against the wall, heart pounding as Kairo's silhouette appeared at the far end. If he saw her now, everything would collapse — he'd know she was moving behind his back.
Kairo's voice was low, dangerous. "Who's there?"
Elira slipped through a narrow servants' door, barely breathing, and vanished up a stairwell before he reached the corner. When Kairo opened the door moments later, the passage was empty — but a faint trace of perfume lingered in the air. Not Celeste's. Not any of the servants he knew.
His jaw clenched. Someone inside is playing a dangerous game.
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In her chamber again, Elira hid the stolen key beside the satchel. Her fingers trembled only once before she forced herself calm. Tomorrow night, Vale's attack ends before it begins. Kairo will never have to know.
But in his study, Kairo poured over guard logs, his suspicion narrowing like the edge of a blade. Whoever moved through that corridor tonight… I will find you.
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