Chapter 15 - 14. The Council Of Ash
When Leo stepped into the café, he paused.
There was someone inside — a second customer.
He hadn't been informed. No signal, no alert from his network, not even a whisper through the usual channels.
Frowning, he stepped back outside. The door clicked shut behind him as he walked a few steps away, just out of range. From his coat pocket, he pulled out a small, dull-gray box about the size of his palm.
The box was simple — made of cheap alloy and reinforced with some wood pulp material. A few worn symbols were etched around the edges, barely glowing. A Whisperglass Casket.
It didn't look like much. And that was the point.
Whisperglass Caskets were cheap, practical communication tools that had once been expensive and rare. But after the Spark Empire's war, a flood of military leftovers and black-market knockoffs turned them into everyday items. These days, even a minor clan could afford a few for their servants.
Leo's was older, slightly modified — but not special.
He popped it open with a click.
Inside was a shallow layer of colored sand — purple and blue grains, slightly warm to the touch. Pressed into the lid were small slots holding tiny glass vials, each labeled with smudged runes and initials.
He pulled out one vial, uncorked it, and sprinkled a pinch of sand into the box.
Immediately, the colored sand inside began to shift.