Kael chatted with Gerard and Lira for nearly an hour.
Gerard spoke. He had served the Fourth Branch for twelve years before Cassandra's acquisition — logistics coordination, household management, and discreet intelligence gathering. Lira was quieter. She had worked in the administrative wing for five years, handling correspondence that passed through dozens of hands before reaching its destination.
Both were quite competent. Neither asked questions they shouldn't.
When they finally took their leave, Gerard handed Kael a sealed letter.
"From Lady Margaret, my lord. She asked that you read it in private."
Kael waited until the door closed before breaking the seal. Inside, a small metal disc rested on folded paper — the disc inscribed with a rune pattern of extraordinary complexity. Margaret's elegant script covered the paper beneath.
