The estate carried its usual rhythm, the footsteps of guards shifting in rotation, the quiet hum of the kitchen in the early hours, the occasional bark of orders from Luke as he organized his men. But beneath the ordinary cadence, an undercurrent of tension pulsed steadily.
Damien felt it every moment.
He stood in the study, maps and scattered files stretched before him. His sharp eyes scanned reports detailing sightings of Valcov’s known associates. One name kept recurring: a broker operating near the docks in a nearby coastal city, a man said to arrange shipments under Valcov’s orders. If that was true, then perhaps just perhaps, it was a trail that could finally lead to Sera.
Luke entered quietly, carrying a fresh report. His usual confidence was overshadowed by weariness. He tossed
