The archives.
The missing shipment records.
The suspicious officer.
The secret meeting.
The cultists.
---
The room grew quieter with every sentence.
Then he reached the ending.
The crossbow bolt.
The silence afterward felt heavy.
Akshay slowly sat back down.
His expression dark.
"Captain Harlow."
Kai nodded.
"You knew him?"
"Of course."
The king looked away.
"He served this city for years."
There was disappointment in his voice.
And anger.
Mostly anger.
Andre crossed his arms.
"So now what?"
Akshay immediately answered.
"We arrest everyone connected to him."
Kai hesitated.
"It's not that simple."
The king looked at him.
Kai hated what he was about to say.
Because he knew how it sounded.
---
"We don't actually have proof."
The words hung in the air.
Akshay didn't reply immediately.
Because he knew Kai was right.
The cultists escaped.
The documents were gone.
The witness was dead.
Everything pointed toward a conspiracy.
Yet nothing could be proven.
---
Not officially.
Not publicly.
The king slowly rubbed his forehead.
---
"I hate politics."
Andre nodded.
"Same."
For completely different reasons.
A knock interrupted them.