Chapter 16 - Shadows on the Horizon
Peace, however, in a world forged by decades of war, is always a delicate and fragile glass.
Three weeks after the restructuring of the council, a rider arrived at the citadel gates covered in dust and blood, bearing urgent dispatches from the southern maritime provinces.
Rhys called an emergency meeting in the war room. The massive map table in the center of the room was illuminated by dozens of glowing magical lanterns, highlighting troop movements along the southern coastline.
“Malrec had co-conspirators,” Rhys announced, slamming a heavy iron gauntlet onto the wood. “We assumed his network died with his arrest, but southern privateers flying under a false flag have just seized three merchant galleys carrying winter grain reserves to the capital.”
Lord Vane leaned over the map, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. “If we lose those grain shipments, the lower districts will face severe shortages before the first snow hits. And if we deploy our main army south to clear the ports, the western loyalists might use the distraction to launch a guerrilla campaign.”
Sera stepped up to the table, her eyes scanning the tactical markers. She placed her finger directly on a narrow coastal inlet marked on the map.
“They aren't just seizing grain to starve the capital,” Sera pointed out, her voice steady and analytical. “Look at the topography here. This inlet is a hidden smuggling route that connects directly to the old catacombs beneath Carrow’s estate.”
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Rhys looked up, surprised and deeply impressed by her strategic insight. “You think the remaining loyalists are regrouping underground?”
“I know they are,” Sera nodded. “When I lived in the slums, we used those smugglers' tunnels to move goods past the tax collectors. If Malrec had a secret escape route, his surviving officers are using it right now to stockpile weapons for a final strike.”
