The council chamber was built from the same white stone as most of the Upper Castle, but over the years of service the walls had darkened from the soot of the torches that lit the long oak table in the center of the hall.
At the far end stood a middle-aged man, whose short but well-kept brown hair and beard were mixing with the grey coming through. This was Ulrich Thorne, whose emerald aristocrat's uniform harmonized well with the silver stag on his right pauldron — the mark of the Hand, which gleamed faintly in the half-dark.
To his right stood Alistair Sterling. Polished steel plate with fine patterns on the gorget and pauldrons reflected the lamplight, while a dark green cloak hung at his back, a bronze clasp shaped like a bear's head with long saber teeth adorning his figure. Brown beard combed neat, a scar on his left cheek white against a tanned face, and his two-handed sword stood beside his chair, leaning against the wall.
The Intelligence Intendant, Valeria Sallow, had settled slightly apart from the main axis of the table, a stack of rolled papers in front of her, untouched.
The remaining officials occupied the sides: Trade Intendant Julian Morland sat straight and tapped a finger on the table in a rhythm known only to himself; Economics Intendant Beatrix Holloway squinted with fatigue, ink stains darkening her wrists; Tobias Grendt, Intendant of Resources, did not move at all, staring into the space before him with stony indifference; Silas Vancroft, acting Intendant of Infrastructure, and Elena Rowley, Intendant of Provisions, were quietly discussing their own topics on the other side of the table.
And finally, with his back to the hall, stood the queen's bodyguard and sword, Sir Aurey Dane, his gaze fixed on the night city through the western window. Among all the council members he was the youngest, with sharp features, smooth pale skin, and a cold, calculating gaze.
The matte black plates of his armor reflected the light faintly, and a heavy black cloak fell from his right shoulder, while waves of blue-black hair touched his pauldrons. When the door opened, everyone present turned.
Edith entered without preamble, walking at an even pace while all the intendants rose from their seats and inclined before her. Her gaze swept the table once as she stopped at the far end of the long table, standing before her bodyguard.
"Aurey."
He raised his head, looking at Edith with grey-blue eyes that held no shadow of relief at her arrival.
"My queen" — a quiet voice, stripped of intonational ornament.
"Were you able to find out anything?" — the queen asked.
Aurey pressed his lips slightly and gave a short nod after a brief pause, then approached the table.
"On arriving at the Forest Watch tower, Sir Bram was already waiting for me. As it turned out, he had personally inspected the borders of the Forest and the western grove. And at their intersection, he found the site of a brutal massacre."
Thorne leaned forward slightly. Sterling did not move.
Aurey removed a leather satchel from his belt and placed two objects on the table: a rolled sheet with a wax seal, and a compass in a brass casing with a monogram on its lid, covered in dark stains of dried blood.
"It was found eighty paces from the main site. There were also tracks of one of the horses there, which lead along the western grove and are lost at the river. One of the hunters had likely managed to leave on horseback, which was later confirmed by one of the tower's watchmen."
He unfolded the paper. Several rough diagrams of body positions.
"Seventeen bodies found within an area of approximately five hundred paces. Five are missing — no bodies, no equipment."
Morland stopped tapping his finger.
"Type of damage?" — asked Edith.
"Tearing. Massive chest trauma from a powerful impact. The bodies of several fighters are torn apart, apparently by brute force, while others were crushed flat. Most have drawn blades, many snapped in half. Two warriors' swords shattered to pieces."
"They all had ordinary blades?" — Alistair asked, surprised.
"For better or for worse, all the blades had runic engravings" — answered Aurey.
Holloway placed both palms on the table. Sallow continued to look at her folded hands.
The Hand ran his fingers slowly through his beard.
"Tracks?"
"That's where it gets more interesting" — Aurey indicated one of the diagrams.
"A wide stride. Within a single movement cycle — six pressure points, arranged in pairs. And the size... approximately 120 centimeters, with a width of 70 centimeters." — he paused briefly, while most of those seated at the table straightened and exchanged glances.
"The tracks lead back into the depths of the forest, beyond the inner boundary."
A silence settled over the hall, arising less from an absence of words than from a shared thought that no one wishes to speak aloud.
"Did Sir Bram say anything?" — asked Alistair.
"He did" — Aurey raised his eyes to the head of the Order.
"He had seen these tracks before, when he was still a young assistant to the previous watch commander. According to him, whoever left these tracks had never before come out past the inner boundaries of the Great Forest."
The gazes of Aurey and Alistair met, while the latter visibly tensed.
Thorne looked at the diagram with its six-point tracks. Then raised his eyes to Edith.
The queen stood straight, holding the compass in her fingers and looking at the monogram. Then she raised her head slightly.
"There should be two more in the forest."
Aurey turned to her.
"My queen?"
"The Trade League." — Edith placed the compass on the table.
"Magister Kyle said he sent three of his people into the forest. Not one of them returned by the deadline."
Aurey looked at her for several seconds with incomprehension.
"We detained the Magister for violating the laws of the kingdom and placed him under arrest, immediately after one of his people arrived in Ockhaven on the horse of one of our warriors" — Alistair added.
The queen's sword lowered his gaze to the table, sinking into thought.
"So the one who escaped on horseback was her, the missing count is six of ours and two from the Trade League" — Aurey replied, thinking it through.
The hall grew even quieter. Morland exchanged a quick glance with Holloway.
"Then this compass..."
"Belongs to the survivor." — Edith returned the compass to the satchel and held it out to Aurey.
"Who is not yet able to speak. She was found at the gates on the edge of death, but the Magister managed to save her with his restorative magic. She is currently unconscious and under the Archiater's care."
Aurey took the satchel without a word.
Sterling sat down in his chair, placing his palms on his knees and looking at the tabletop.
---
The pause stretched long enough that Morland, Intendant of Trade, decided to speak.
"My queen" — his voice was tense but even.
"The guests are still in the city. Merchants, hunters' families, the delegation. By morning, rumors will fill the streets faster than we can explain anything. People know that not everyone came back. And they will be waiting for something. If there is nothing to wait for, they will begin to invent it themselves."
"By morning they are already inventing" — Grendt, Intendant of Resources, said evenly, without changing his posture.
"That is precisely why" — Morland continued,
"We need to give the city something in place of the void. A tournament. Knights take the field, the Order honors tradition, people see order and strength, not closed gates and silence."
Sterling raised his eyes.
"Using the lists as cover..."
"He may be right" — Silas Vancroft, Intendant of Infrastructure, cut in.
"The tournament is part of the festival. No one has cancelled the festival."
"Twenty-three people did not return from the forest" — Alistair answered, just as evenly.
"That is precisely why those who remain need something to look at."
For several seconds no one spoke.
Edith looked at the table before her, where the compass had lain a moment ago, and then she raised her head.
"I will agree with Julian, the tournament will proceed. Thorne, the announcement tomorrow morning in my name."
"As you command, my queen" — the Hand answered with a short nod.
"Have Vellard await my arrival by tomorrow morning" — Edith added, moving toward the door.
"Yes, my queen" — answered Thorne.
The door closed behind her without a sound, while no one moved from their place.