Chapter 13: Hello, Secrets…
Back at the inn, Kael sat cross-legged on his narrow bed, staring at the ceiling beams while his mind churned through everything he’d learned.
The room was small and cramped, with two beds separated by a wooden partition that had seen better decades.
Helga occupied the other bed, methodically sharpening her weapons with the focused intensity of someone who found peace in preparation for violence.
The inn’s common room below buzzed with late-night chatter, but Kael barely heard it.
His thoughts were consumed by the puzzle pieces scattered before him, each one more intriguing than the last.
"Alright," he muttered, sitting up and running his hands through his hair. "Let’s think about this logically."
Helga paused her sharpening. "Talking to yourself?"
"Sometimes I’m the only one smart enough to keep up," Kael replied absently.
"First piece: the Sky Sword Sect stages a fake recovery of their stolen token. Classic misdirection either to keep the real thief from running while they hunt in secret or to make the real thief run when they want and how they want. "
He began pacing the small space between the beds. "Second piece: Borin the merchant is clearly involved, but he’s terrified. Not just nervous, genuinely terrified."
Kael stopped, his eyes narrowing. "Third piece: the village head confirms there are other parties involved. ’Complicated’ groups, he said."