General Thorne took his assignment seriously.
For two weeks, he investigated quietly. Carefully. Without alerting Alaric or anyone who might warn him. He moved through the castle like a shadow, observing from corners, taking notes in cipher only he could read.
He started with personnel records. Alaric's service history. His rise through the ranks. Looking for anything unusual or suspicious. The documents were stored in the military archives, dusty ledgers that smelled of old leather and ink, pages yellowed with age.
What he found troubled him.
Alaric had joined the King's guard eight years ago. Right after the southern purge. His rise had been rapid. Unusually rapid. From basic guard to captain in just three years. The progression was documented in crisp handwriting, each promotion signed and sealed, but the timeline made Thorne's military instincts scream warning.
That kind of advancement required either exceptional skill or powerful backing. Usually both.
