"That’s the point. Thornwick survives by being unremarkable. The kind of place ships stop for supplies and repairs, then forget about the moment they leave." She nodded toward the cliffs. "The local lord hasn’t paid tribute to the Imperial capital in three generations. The Empire could crush him easily, but why bother? He keeps the trade routes open and doesn’t cause problems."
"Which makes it perfect for someone running illegal operations."
"Exactly. No oversight. No inspections. No questions asked as long as the coins keep flowing."
The ship bumped gently against the dock, and the captain’s crew scrambled to secure the mooring lines. Nacho waited until the gangplank was lowered before descending, his boots meeting solid ground for the first time in three days. The stone beneath his feet felt strange after so long on the water, too stable, too predictable.
Sera followed a moment later, carrying a small traveling bag that contained most of their supplies. The rest sat in Nacho’s inventory, invisible and weightless, ready to be summoned at a moment’s notice.
"The merchant district is in the middle tier," she said, already walking. "Corvus and Sons should be somewhere near the central square. We’ll start there."
They made their way through the morning crowds, two unremarkable travelers among dozens. The streets were narrow and winding, paved with cobblestones worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic. The air smelled of fish and smoke and something spicier that Nacho couldn’t identify, maybe a local cooking style he’d never encountered.
His Mind Fortress brushed against the surface thoughts of everyone they passed, skimming for anything useful.
—prices are too damn high this season—
—if that bastard thinks he can cheat me again—
—heard the Consortium’s moving people through the north road—
That last one caught his attention. He slowed his pace slightly, trying to identify the speaker, but the thought had already faded into the background noise of a hundred other minds.
The Consortium’s moving people through the north road.
People. Not cargo. Not goods. People.
"Did you catch that?" he asked quietly.
Sera’s eyes flickered. "The thought about the north road?"
"You heard it?"
"I have my own ways of gathering information." She didn’t elaborate, just kept walking. "It confirms what Meredith told us. This city is a waypoint for their operations. Corvus must be handling the logistics for whatever they’re moving through here."
The merchant district opened up around them as they climbed higher into the city. The buildings here were newer than those near the docks, their facades freshly painted and their windows clean. Shop signs hung from iron brackets, advertising everything from spices to textiles to something called ’essence crystals’ that Nacho made a mental note to investigate later.
Corvus and Sons occupied a corner lot near the central square, a two-story building with a green awning and a brass plaque beside the door. The windows displayed samples of what appeared to be high-end trade goods, bolts of silk and jars of exotic ingredients and a collection of carved wooden boxes that probably cost more than most people earned in a year.
"Doesn’t exactly scream ’criminal enterprise,’" Nacho observed.
"The best covers never do." Sera stopped across the street, her eyes scanning the building with professional interest. "Front entrance is too exposed. We need to find another way in."
"Or we could just walk through the front door."
She turned to look at him, one eyebrow raised.
"Think about it," he continued. "Corvus is a businessman. He deals with traders and merchants all day. Two more strangers walking in won’t raise any red flags, especially if we look like we have money to spend."
"And when we start asking questions about his illegal operations?"
"We don’t. Not at first." Nacho smiled, the expression predatory rather than friendly. "We play the long game. Establish ourselves as potential buyers. Get him comfortable. Then, when his guard is down..."
"You charm him with your tentacles."
"I prefer to think of it as aggressive negotiation."
Sera was quiet for a moment, considering. Then she shook her head, the ghost of a smile playing at her lips.
"Your methods are unorthodox."
"But effective."
"I suppose we’ll find out." She adjusted her cloak and started toward the building. "Let me do the talking. I know how to speak to these people."
They crossed the street and pushed through the front door, a small bell chiming to announce their arrival. The interior was exactly what Nacho had expected from the exterior, expensive and tasteful, with display cases arranged to show off the merchandise to best advantage. The air smelled of sandalwood and something citrusy, probably some kind of imported fragrance designed to make customers feel wealthy just by breathing.
A young woman looked up from behind a counter near the back, her smile professional and welcoming.
"Good morning! Welcome to Corvus and Sons. How may I assist you today?"
Sera stepped forward, her posture shifting subtly into something that spoke of old money and casual authority.
"We’re interested in discussing a potential trade arrangement. Something substantial. Would it be possible to speak with Master Corvus directly?"
The clerk’s smile flickered, just for an instant, before returning to its professional brightness.
"I’m afraid Master Corvus is quite busy this morning. Perhaps I could help you with—"
"I understand. But the matter we wish to discuss is rather delicate, and we were given his name specifically by an associate in Valdris." Sera paused, letting the implications sink in. "I believe Master Corvus would want to hear what we have to offer."
The name Valdris seemed to carry weight. The clerk’s expression shifted from polite dismissal to something more calculating.
"I see. May I ask the name of this associate?"
"Lady Thorne."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees. The clerk’s smile vanished entirely, replaced by something harder and more wary.
"Please wait here. I’ll see if Master Corvus is available."
She disappeared through a door at the back of the shop, leaving them alone among the display cases. Nacho took the opportunity to examine his surroundings more closely, his Apex Senses probing for anything out of place.