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A slight smile played at his lips. "Exactly."

We worked in comfortable silence for a while; the only sound was the rustling of parchment and the scratch of Raven's pen as he made notes. I'd grown to appreciate these quiet moments with him. His steady presence, his careful attention to detail.

"I lived in Draxon for a while, you know." His voice was gentle, still focused on his notes. "I worked as a carrier. Wemaintained communication channels across the Southeastern territory."

I set down the map I'd been studying.

"Things changed slowly at first," he continued. "So slowly you almost didn't notice. Messages started getting intercepted. Certain communications were... altered." His pen stilled against the parchment. "Then people began disappearing. Other communicators. Merchants. Anyone who spoke against the changes happening in the region."

"When did you leave?"

"After the network collapsed." He looked up, and something in his expression seemed haunted. "But I should have left sooner. Should have seen what was really happening. The signs were there, in the fear that started creeping into people's eyes, in the way they'd hurry inside when his men passed by." He shook his head. "Sometimes I dream about the ones who vanished. Wonder if I could have warned them somehow."

"You couldn't have known," I said quietly.

"Neither could you." His response was gentle but firm, and I realized this was why he was telling me now. Not to burden me with his past, but to tell me I wasn't alone in what I'd survived.

We returned to our work, the silence now comfortable in a different way. Raven's pen scratched against parchment as he made more notes about the mining tunnels. I was studying a detailed section of the Eastern border when he suddenly stopped writing.

"Oh, and nobody knows about—" He trailed off as footsteps echoed through the archives.

"No. Not yet." I kept my voice low as Raven slid two compacts across the table. I barely had time to slip them into my pocket before the doors burst open.

Three Sentinels strode toward us, their expressions grim beneath their darkened eyes.

"We will be escorting you to General Urkin's office immediately."

My stomach dropped.

Fuck. We're too late.

"For what purpose?" Raven's casual demeanor had vanished, replaced by something sharper.

They ignored him completely, rough hands grabbing my arms as I stood. For a moment, I considered reaching for my web, for my shadows—anything to break their grip.

"Your accomplice is already waiting."

Aether.

I let them lead me into the empty street towards the Citadel, through its winding corridors, their fingers digging into my arms with unnecessary force. Even from a distance, Urkin's voice carried through the stone walls, each word dripping with fury.

The door opened, and suddenly I was falling, shoved forward with enough force to send me sprawling across the floor. Before I could even catch my breath, there was a blur of movement and a sickening crack.

Aether had the Sentinel pinned against the wall, his hand locked around the man's throat. The Sentinel's eyes rolled back as he slumped, unconscious. The other guard retreated instantly, pulling the door closed behind him.

"Have you gone mad?" Urkin's voice boomed through the room.

"Have you?" Aether's earlier rage had vanished, replaced by something colder, more controlled. His face was a mask of perfect neutrality as he turned from the unconscious Sentinel and offered me a hand. The gesture sent warmth coursing through me as I let him pull me up, my hand lingering a beat too long in his.

"You murdered a Lord of Umbrathia." Urkin slammed his fist on the desk. "Do you have any idea what you've done? The entire realm will burn for this."

"We found something," I said, straightening my clothes. "If you'd just listen?—"

"Listen?" He let out a bitter laugh. "To more of your schemes? Yourtheories? While Draxon's forces gather at our borders?"

"We're going about this war in the wrong way—" I started, but he cut me off.

"We will continue as we have been doing. It's the only way to end this war." His voice cracked with an emotion I hadn't heard from him before. "I lost my son to these monsters. Watched him die defending our realm from Sídhe. And now you want me to consider another way?" He slammed his fist on the desk again. "There is no other way."