A few people shifted at her blunt admission, but Kiara paid them little attention. She had not brought it up to embarrass Gerrad or expose the workings of his intelligence network. She was simply stating what she knew.
"And I didn't mind," she added with a casual shrug. "If keeping an eye on my store gives the Imperial Court some peace of mind, then I'm happy to let them do their job. As long as they don't interfere with my business, I have no reason to complain."
For a moment, Gerrad said nothing.
Then he looked at her more carefully, his earlier stillness giving way to genuine surprise.
"You knew?"
Kiara shrugged, as though Gerrad's surprise was nothing worth worrying about.
