Damon kept his hand on Lysandra's shoulder as he watched her silently. There was no hurry in his expression, nor explicit anger. What existed within him was sothing more uncomfortable: calculation. He asured her breathing, the movent of her eyes, the firmness of her posture even kneeling in the dust. Desperate people trembled. Trained people lied calmly. Lysandra clearly belonged to the second group.
"When did you leave?" he asked.
"Last night," she replied without hesitation.
"Destiny."
She smiled again, almost amused. "If I knew, do you think I would tell you?"
Damon tightened his grip on her arm. The muffled sound of her joint clenching made Cherry smile with imdiate satisfaction.
"He asked about the destination," Cherry said, leaning in front of her. "Try to keep up."
Lysandra closed her eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and looked back at them.
"I know the point of exchange. Not the final destination." Ester arrived beside them, wiping the short blade on a cloth. "That's enough for now."
Ingrivid approached soon after, dragging one of the still-living escorts by the collar. The man was bleeding from the eyebrow and could barely stand.
"This one talks less," Ingrivid comnted. "But he groans a lot."
Cherry pointed to Lysandra. "I prefer this one."
Damon slowly released her arm, only to grab her by the nape of her neck and force her to lift her face.
"Exchange point."
Lysandra realized that too much playing around was over. "Old customs post on the east road. Noon. Always using small convoys."
Ester frowned. "East road? That's too close to the city."
"Exactly," Lysandra replied. "Less suspicious. Caravans co and go all the ti."
Cherry kicked the dust beside her. "How many guards?"
"Depends on the volu."
"Today."
"Quite a few."
Damon stood up and pulled Lysandra along as if she weighed nothing. "Let's go back."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you taking to your house?"
Cherry grimaced. "Our house is more upscale than yours."
Ester picked up the briefcase that had fallen to the floor and quickly opened it. Coded papers, small sealed coins, and a list of abbreviated nas.
"I'll take this too."
"Everything," Damon replied.
The return to the mansion was quick and silent. Lysandra's hands were tied, but she walked without resistance. At no point did she beg, complain, or show clear fear. Morgana awaited them in the main room when they entered, as if she knew exactly the minute they would arrive.
She looked first at the prisoner, then at Damon.
"Nice capture."
Lysandra smiled. "And you must be Morgana."
"And you must be more replaceable than you think."
Elizabeth appeared right behind, drawn by the sound of the movent. Upon seeing Lysandra, she narrowed her eyes.
"I know that face."
"Ducal court," Cherry replied. "Walking decoration."
Lysandra tilted her head slightly. "They always underestimate the right people."
Elizabeth approached until she was a few steps away. "Great. Then perhaps you will be useful."
Aria appeared carrying a tray of tea and stopped mid-way upon seeing the bound woman.
"Shall I prepare a cup for the guest or do we continue in this hostile atmosphere?"
"Hostile," Cherry and Elizabeth replied together.
Aria nodded. "I figured."
Morgana sat down and crossed her legs. "Begin."
Damon threw the briefcase onto the table. Ester spread the docunts out next to the existing maps.
"Next shipnt left yesterday," Damon said. "She knows the next exchange point."
Elizabeth imdiately pulled out paper and pen. "Where?"
"Old customs post on the east road. Noon."
She began to write. "If it left yesterday, it arrives early today. Little rest. Exchange at noon. Continues in the afternoon."
"Aggressive pace," Ester comnted.
"Aggressive desperation," Morgana corrected.
Lysandra chuckled softly. "You think you know too much."
Cherry took a step forward. "Want to lose teeth?"
"Cherry," Morgana said calmly.
"I'm just participating."
"Participate sitting down."
Cherry huffed and threw herself onto the sofa.
Elizabeth looked up at Lysandra. "Who ordered the shipnts to be expedited?"
"Orders co from above."
"Na."
"I don't accept nas."
"Lies."
"Routine."
Damon approached her again. "Which mask do you fear?"
For the first ti, sothing small changed on Lysandra's face. Not complete fear, but caution.
Elizabeth noticed. "Interesting."
Morgana smiled discreetly. "So there's soone above who doesn't like the spotlight."
Lysandra remained silent.
"Good," said Elizabeth. "That's an answer."
She turned to everyone. "If we intercept the exchange, we get another link. If we follow discreetly, maybe we'll get further."
"Following discreetly takes ti," replied Damon.
"Breaking everything also limits information," countered Elizabeth.
"It works."
"Not always."
Cherry raised her hand. "Can I vote for breaking everything?"
"No," said Damon and Elizabeth again.
Aria handed a cup to Morgana and another to Ester. "Keep arguing while you're fed."
Ingrivid leaned against the wall, observing the room. "An ambush at the customs post is simple. Following the convoy afterwards requires a fast horse and disciplined people."
"We have both," replied Ester.
"We have half," Ingrivid corrected, looking at Cherry.
"I heard that."
"That was the intention."
Morgana took a sip before deciding. "We'll follow the convoy. We'll only attack if they notice."
Damon crossed his arms. "Acceptable."
Elizabeth pointed to Lysandra. "She's coming with us."
Lysandra raised an eyebrow. "As an unwitting guide?"
"As eventual bait," Elizabeth replied.
Cherry laughed loudly. "Now I like it."
The next morning arrived quickly. Damon was already ready in the courtyard when Esther appeared, adjusting her weapons belt.
"Do you ever sleep?"
"Enough."
"Annoying answer."
Cherry ca right behind, dressed for the trip, with her usual overconfidence.
"Before you say no, I'm already ready."
"No," Damon replied automatically.
"Ridiculous."
Morgana appeared on the staircase. "She's going."
Damon looked at her.
Morgana held his gaze. "If you know faces at court, you can recognize contacts."
He thought for a second. "Stay behind."
Cherry smiled. "I love consistency."
Lysandra left, escorted by Ingrivid, her hands tied in front this ti.
"What an honor," she comnted dryly.
Elizabeth appeared last and handed a folded piece of paper to Esther.
"Codes found in the records. If matching marks appear on the boxes, prioritize."
Esther put it in her pocket. "Understood."
Aria handed out provisions to everyone. "Return whole, or at least organized."
"Impossible promise," said Cherry.
They set off on two horses and a discreet cart to transport the prisoner. The eastern road was busier than the northern one, full of rchants, peasants, and travelers. This required discretion. Damon hated prolonged discretion, but tolerated it when useful.
Upon sighting the old customs post, they slowed their pace. The stone building had been officially abandoned for years, but it still stood solid. There was enough shade to conceal movent and space for wagons to stop without drawing attention.
Ester observed from afar. "We already have n in position."
"How many?" asked Damon.
"Four visible. Then eight useful."
Ingrivid nodded. "Perhaps more."
Cherry pointed discreetly. "That one over there worked at the Duchess's receptions."
"Confird," said Lysandra. "They call him Brann."
Damon looked at her. "He's cooperating."
"I'm alive. It encourages practical choices."
They left the wagon hidden among low trees and took up positions. Damon and Ingrivid to the south. Ester and Cherry to the east among the stones. Did Lysandra remain tied up under Morgana's watch? Wait, Morgana isn't present. We need consistency. She stayed back. So, under Aria? But Aria also stayed. We need to adjust: under one guard absent. Let's fix: under Ingrivid's earlier but current positions. We need soone with a prisoner. We'll use Ingrivid initially, then tie to the tree? Better not. Let's continue with Lysandra tied to the axle of the cart within Ingrivid's line of sight.
Lysandra remained tied to the axle of the cart, hidden and visible to Ingrivid.
The sun rose slowly until near midday. Then the convoy appeared: two dium-sized carts, six horsen, and a coachman at the front wearing an unmarked gray cloak. Disciplined movent, no idle chatter.
"It's them," murmured Cherry.
The carts entered the outpost and stopped. Brann ca out to greet them. There was a quick exchange of greetings, followed by a checking of boxes.
Elizabeth would have hated not to be there.
Esther signaled to wait.
Damon watched the man in the gray cloak. He didn't work as a rchant. Straight shoulders, economical steps, dominant hand always near the inside of his cloak.
"Local boss," he said softly.
"Or main escort," Ingrivid replied.
When one of the boxes was opened, Esther saw the symbol described by Elizabeth.
She raised two fingers.
Priority confird.
Damon smiled for the first ti in hours. Small. Bad for everyone present.
"Now," he said.
And he ran down before anyone else needed to repeat it.
Lysandra remained kneeling among the stones, breathing heavily, but still maintaining that crooked smile that irritated more than intimidated. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and yet she seed satisfied to have managed to deliver bad news at the right mont. Damon remained before her, motionless, holding her arm tightly enough to remind her that any wrong move would have imdiate consequences.
Cherry was the first to lose her patience. She took two steps forward and pointed her short sword at the woman's face.
"Speak properly. Where did you go?"
Lysandra only turned her eyes in her direction, showing no fear.
"If I knew every entire route, I wouldn't be here collecting reports."
Cherry clenched her teeth. "I hate people who answer without answering."
"You hate a lot of things," Ester comnted, approaching while wiping the blade on a cloth. "But she only lied halfway."
Damon didn't take his eyes off Lysandra. "Explain."
Ester crouched beside the prisoner and began to examine her clothes, internal seams, hidden pockets—the kind of inspection soone accustod to finding secrets in obvious places would do.
"She's not the main person in charge. That's clear. She ca with a small escort, received docunts and instructions. A disciplined interdiary." Ester pulled out a small tal tube hidden in Lysandra's sleeve. "But soone like that always knows enough to remain useful."
Cherry snorted. "Great. Then make her useful soon."
Ingrivid descended from her elevated position with her usual calm, carrying one of the repurposed arrows. She looked around, checking the bodies and fallen guards before speaking.
"Two alive. Three dead. One limped south."
Damon replied emotionlessly. "He won't get far."
"Even so, he'll carry news," said Ingrivid.
"Then we'll be quicker," retorted Damon. Lysandra chuckled softly.
"Admirable confidence."
Damon pulled her up by the collar and forced her to stand.
"Last chance to cooperate without unnecessary pain."
She held his gaze for a few seconds.
"You say that as if pain were a refined tool."
"To , it's just a tool."
Cherry smiled slightly. "That was a good one."
Ester ignored them both and opened the briefcase recovered from the fallen ssenger. Inside were sealed papers, two small coin purses, and a sheet of paper folded several tis.
"We have sothing better than threats," she said.
Damon released Lysandra just enough for Ingrivid to hold her from behind. Ester carefully unfolded the sheet. There were numbers, tistamps, and three crossed-out nas.
Cherry approached quickly.
"Can you read it?"
"I can," Ester replied. "It's a coded schedule, too simple to be a main docunt. Made for a ssenger."
Damon stepped forward. "Summarize."
She scanned the lines.
"Shipnt left yesterday at dusk. Final destination marked as 'Grey House.' Exchange scheduled for tomorrow night. There's also a reference to reinforced escort."
Cherry frowned. "Grey House doesn't an anything."
Lysandra smiled again.
"It ans sothing to those who care."
Damon turned to her.
"Where is it?"
"I don't know."
The slap ca quick and sharp, not to knock her down, but to cut the ga short. Lysandra staggered and straightened up thanks to Ingrivid's grip.
Ester continued looking at the papers.
"She may not know the real na. But she knows the symbol."
Lysandra was silent for the first ti.
Cherry noticed.
"Ah. So we've got sothing right."
Damon moved closer until he was just inches from her.
"Show ."
After a few seconds, Lysandra spat on the ground and spoke.
"A house drawn with three vertical lines on the door."
Ester imdiately pulled another docunt from her briefcase and compared it.
"It's here too. In two old shipnts."
Cherry crossed her arms. "And where do we see this?"
No one answered imdiately. The wind started blowing again among the stones, raising fine dust from the quarry floor.
Then Ingrivid spoke.
"Old warehouses in the north zone used symbols painted on the doors. Stylized houses to indicate owners. Three lines… a rchant family extinct for years."
Ester turned to him. "Location?"
"Old industrial district, near the dry canal."
Cherry slapped her forehead. "I know that area. Half collapsed, half beca a hideout." Damon was already moving toward the trail.
"Then let's go."
Lysandra let out a tired laugh.
"No rest? No celebrating the capture?"
"You mistook us for amateurs," Cherry replied.
Ester folded the docunts and put everything in her bag. "We need to decide what to do with her."
Damon looked over his shoulder.
"Take her."
Cherry pointed to herself. "Take her how? She tried to kill indirectly."
"Tie her up and complain on the way," Damon said.
"Authoritarian again."
"And efficient," Ester replied, repeating the old argunt.
User Comments
0 comments from readers