Chapter 32
The following morning, the atmosphere at the Moretti estate was thick with unspoken apprehension. Bruno and the security teams were placed on elevated alert, patrolling the manicured grounds with heightened vigilance. Rachel sat in the library, the sun streaming through the reinforced windows, analyzing the Aethelgard shipments with relentless focus.
"They aren't moving weapons or narcotics," Rachel explained to Gabriel, who was pacing the Persian rug. "The containers are filled with high-end commercial electronics and luxury textiles. It's perfectly legal on the surface."
"That's how they operate," Gabriel growled, his hands shoved into his pockets. "They flood a market with legitimate goods, undercutting local businesses until they control the economy. Once they have the financial stranglehold, they introduce the illicit trade. It's a slow suffocation."
Before they could formulate a response, the heavy oak doors of the library swung open. A young, nervous guard stepped inside, holding a small, velvet-lined box.
"Boss," the guard said, his voice trembling slightly. "A courier dropped this at the main gate. He said it was a gift for the new matriarch."
Gabriel stepped forward, intercepting the box before it could reach Rachel. He opened it cautiously. Inside rested a single, exquisitely crafted silver serpent, its eyes set with small rubies. Tucked beneath the serpent was a handwritten note on heavy, cream-colored cardstock.
Rachel stepped up beside him, reading the elegant, archaic script: A kingdom built on shipping cannot survive without the sea. We request a meeting to discuss the changing tides.
"They're not hiding," Gabriel said, snapping the box shut. "They want a formal summit."
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"Where?" Rachel asked, her brown eyes flashing with a mix of fear and defiance.
"The old foundry on the west side," Gabriel replied, recognizing the coordinates listed at the bottom of the note. "It's neutral ground. But it's a trap."
