Kael’s POV

Reports reaching me, minor breaches, misrouted patrols, false alerts. Every line, every note gnawed at the edge of my mind. The Hollow Claw hadn’t struck directly yet, but something inside Blackridge was wrong. Too many details were slipping. Too many plans had failed without explanation. I had trained my instincts to detect weakness; now they screamed betrayal.

I gathered my inner circle without announcing suspicion. Their eyes flicked, a mixture of respect and caution. I ...