The carriage man's breath hitched, shallow and panicked. His eyes darted between the ice binding his feet and my face, as if weighing which frightened him more.
"I—I didn't want this," he rasped. "I was told to watch. To listen. That's all at first."
"By who?" I asked.
He swallowed hard. "They never showed their faces. Always cloaked. Always changing locations. Messages delivered through intermediaries. Wind magic made it easy—I could pass information without being seen."
Elias straightened slightly. "And tonight?"
"Tonight was different," the man said quickly. "They were very specific. The cafe. The timing. They said the target would be the lady with ice magic. You." His gaze flicked to me, guilt flooding his features. "They said if I failed… my family would pay."
The words landed heavier than the ice ever could.
[They're fond of leverage, aren't they?] Nero remarked dryly. [How unoriginal.]
