CHAPTER 160
The council chamber opened again the next morning under a dull sky. Clouds pressed low over Alagascar, heavy and gray, but the kingdom below still carried its usual rhythm, merchants setting up stalls, guards changing shifts, and the faint toll of bells marking the new day. Inside, the air was tense with quiet purpose.
Grace sat at the head of the table, already reviewing the pile of reports brought in by Mathew Sterrn. The chamber's tall windows caught thin light, glinting faintly on the polished floor and the metal crests mounted along the walls.
"This came from the merchant district, King," Mathew began, laying a folded letter before her. "A trader who once worked under Robert's commission, he claims to have records of the missing funds."
Grace didn't move to touch it. "Is he trustworthy?".
"He's old," Mathew replied. "Not powerful enough to lie with gain. But he's afraid. He said those who dealt with Robert either vanished or left Alagascar entirely."
