Morning brought a city already buzzing with rumor. Mercer heard it from three different runners before he'd finished his first cup of tea in Isla's office, each version wilder than the last. Councilor Hale had fled the city entirely. Councilor Hale had been seen boarding a ship at the eastern docks. Councilor Hale had vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a collapsed grain mill and a council chamber full of unanswered questions.
"None of it's confirmed," Isla said, pouring her own cup with hands that hadn't fully steadied since yesterday. "But Priest sent word this morning. The council's calling an emergency session at noon. They want to know exactly what happened at the mill, and they want to hear it from you directly, Elena."
Elena sat propped against pillows in the small
