Chapter 18: Missing Pieces
The following morning, Yggdrasil awoke to rain.
Cold droplets slid down stone walls and rooftops.
The mountain city looked gray beneath the clouds.
Kai hadn't slept well.
The ritual chamber lingered in his thoughts.
The branded cultists.
The symbol.
The mention of Oheyo.
None of it sat right with him.
A servant knocked on his door.
"His Majesty requests your presence."
Kai immediately knew something was wrong.
The servant's expression gave it away.
He quickly got dressed and headed toward the royal meeting chamber.
The moment he entered, he saw the problem.
Akshay looked furious.
Several officers stood around a table.
Vice was present.
Andre was eating breakfast.
Somehow.
And the documents from the ritual chamber were nowhere to be seen.
"They're gone."
Akshay slammed both hands onto the table.
"Every single one."
The room remained silent.
Kai frowned.
"What do you mean gone?"
"I mean gone."
The king pointed toward an empty lockbox.
"They were secured here."
"Only a handful of people had access."
Andre swallowed a piece of bread.
"So somebody stole them."
Akshay looked at him.
"Brilliant deduction."
"Thank you."
"It wasn't a compliment."
Andre took another bite.
"Still counts."
Vice rubbed his forehead.
"The lock wasn't broken."
Kai immediately understood.
Whoever took the documents didn't force their way inside.
They had access.
Someone inside the palace.
Someone trusted.
The realization settled heavily over the room.
Akshay slowly exhaled.
"I hate traitors."
Nobody argued.
A knock echoed through the chamber.
The doors opened.
Commander Jack entered.
The military officer looked between everyone.
Then immediately noticed the atmosphere.
"Something happened."
Akshay folded his arms.
"The documents are gone."
Jack's expression hardened.
"When?"
"Sometime during the night."
The commander approached the lockbox.
Examining it carefully.
No signs of damage.
No signs of tampering.
Jack stood silently for several moments.
Thinking.
Then he looked toward Akshay.
"We should limit knowledge of this."
Vice nodded.
"Agreed."
"Panic helps nobody."
Jack continued.
"If word spreads that evidence disappeared from the palace itself, confidence in the government will drop."
The officers around the table nodded.
Reasonable.
Logical.
Practical.
Exactly the sort of thing a commander should say.
Kai watched him closely.
Everything about Jack felt right.
Maybe too right.
The thought immediately annoyed him.
Because he had no reason to distrust the man.
None.
And yet...
Something felt off.
Before Kai could think further, another officer entered.
This one looked terrified.
"Your Majesty."
The room immediately became alert.
"What now?"
Akshay asked.
The officer swallowed.
"There was an attack."
Silence.
Then Andre groaned.
"Again?"
The officer nodded.
"A military convoy was ambushed outside the western gate."
Akshay's eyes narrowed.
"Casualties?"
"Several."
The king cursed.
The attacks were becoming more frequent.
More organized.
More aggressive.
Jack stepped forward.
"I'll handle it."
Akshay looked at him.
"You sure?"
The commander nodded.
"I'll take a detachment and investigate personally."
For the first time all morning, Akshay seemed relieved.
"Thank you."
Jack saluted.
"As always."
Kai noticed something then.
A brief exchange between several officers.
A look.
Nothing more.
Gone almost instantly.
But it happened.
And Kai wasn't sure why it bothered him.
Jack turned toward the door.
The officers followed him out.
Within moments the room became quieter.
Akshay dropped into a chair.
Tired.
Frustrated.
Angry.
The king stared at the rain beyond the window.
"Something is happening."
Nobody responded.
Because everyone already knew.
The real question was:
What?
And more importantly—
Who?
Outside the palace, rain continued to fall across Yggdrasil.
Somewhere within the city, hidden among soldiers, merchants, and civilians alike—
A traitor smiled.
And the trap slowly tightened.