Chapter 695: Hidden Level

The investigation in Beltram had finally produced something useful: records, routes and a private depot near Vareth connected to at least eleven animals transported over four months. Pasted Markdown

Revan closed the warehouse before nightfall. Two guards remained at the entrances, the ledgers were taken directly to the guard headquarters and no employee was allowed to remove even a single crate. Oren Vale, the hunter and the third man were taken to separate cells. Lysa Halden was also taken away, although not in handcuffs, because she had agreed to provide contracts, transport records and the names of the employees who had participated in the deliveries.

Kael did not accompany any of them.

He remained with Sylphie in front of the cage.

The small creature remained pressed against the back, breathing rapidly. Now that the warehouse was quieter, Kael could observe its structure more clearly. Feathers covered almost its entire body, but small pale plates appeared around the neck and at the joints of its legs. It did not look fully grown.

"It’s young," said Sylphie, remaining crouched a few meters from the bars. "Very young."

Revan returned with a key taken from Oren’s office. "We have a veterinary shelter used for animals seized at the port," he replied, handing over the key without getting too close. "But if that collar keeps draining mana, I don’t know if we should transport it like this."

"We shouldn’t," Sylphie replied, looking at Kael. "First we remove the collar. Then we decide whether it can handle being moved."

Kael opened only the outer door of the cage and did not enter. "It’s already surrounded enough," he said, sitting on the floor at a safe distance. "Let’s give it space."

Sylphie waited a few minutes before moving forward. She did not try to touch the creature immediately. She allowed a minimal amount of Natural Energy to spread across the floor, the same way she had done with the Vharak. The reaction was immediate: its breathing slowed, although its eyes remained alert.

"It recognizes that this isn’t the same kind of mana as the collar," said Sylphie, moving slowly. "That helps."

The creature backed away when she reached the cage entrance, but did not attack. Sylphie extended her hand only as far as the mechanism attached to its neck and waited. When there was no reaction, she inserted the key.

The red crystal went dark with a click.

The difference was immediate.

The creature staggered forward as if a constant pressure had suddenly disappeared. Sylphie restrained her own movement and did not try to support it. It fell onto its front legs, breathed several times and then managed to remain standing.

"How long was it wearing that?" Kael asked, looking at Revan.

"We don’t know."

"Find out from the ledger entry," Kael replied.

Revan left and returned less than a minute later with one of the copied pages. "It arrived four days ago."

Sylphie closed her eyes for a moment. "Four days of draining for a creature this young. Whoever did this knew it would survive."

Kael looked at the inactive collar. "And probably knew exactly how much they could drain without killing it."

Umbra appeared behind the cage. "More custom-made equipment."

"Yes," Kael replied. "So the supplier of the devices remains a priority."

The creature finally took a step outside.

No one moved.

It sniffed the air, looked at Sylphie and then at Kael. When it noticed the open warehouse door, it tried to head in that direction, but its legs failed after only a few steps.

Sylphie stood up. "It won’t get far today."

Revan called two caretakers from the shelter. They brought an open structure covered with blankets, without bars, and left food and water near it before attempting any approach. The creature drank first, ate little and eventually lay down on the blankets on its own.

"Move it slowly," said Sylphie, watching the caretakers lift the structure. "No sedatives."

Revan agreed. "I’ll place two guards at the shelter and no one enters without authorization."

"Perfect," Kael replied. "Now the records."

The Beltram guard headquarters occupied an old building near the river market. When Kael and Sylphie arrived, Revan had already separated the three ledgers into a closed room. Lysa sat in front of them, without handcuffs, with a stack of contracts beside her.

"She started cooperating," said Revan.

Lysa did not seem offended. "I started avoiding sinking together with Oren," she replied, looking directly at Kael. "There’s a difference."

"For me, it’s enough that you tell the truth," Kael replied, pulling out a chair. "C-12."

Lysa opened one of the contracts and pointed to a sequence of numbers. "The route starts in Beltram, follows the road to Vareth and then changes to private transport. My company only handled the first part. Oren provided documentation saying they were licensed creatures for research, breeding or authorized collections."

Sylphie crossed her arms. "And you never checked?"

"I checked the documents," Lysa replied. "They were valid."

Revan looked at her. "Fake."

"Yes. But good enough fakes to pass municipal inspections."

Kael pulled the contract closer. "Who validated them?"

Lysa pointed to a seal.

Revan became serious.

"That’s from Vareth."

"It is," Lysa replied. "All C-12 shipments had the same seal."

Kael did not like that. Not because it necessarily meant the city was involved, but because someone with access to official documentation was supplying the operation.

"Who receives the shipments at the depot?" he asked.

"I never saw the same person twice," Lysa replied. "But there was one man who appeared frequently. Tall, light hair, always wore gloves. He signed only as Soren."

Revan wrote it down.

Kael continued. "Who owns the depot?"

"Formally, a company called Ordal Mercantile."

"Does it exist?"

"It exists on paper," Lysa replied. "I’ve never seen an office, shop or employee outside the depot."

Kael looked at Revan. "That’s already enough to request an inspection in Vareth without sending anyone to raid the place."

"I can send it today," the captain replied.

"Do that," said Kael. "I want three things before any entry: the legal owner of the land, recent activity and who has the authority to inspect without compromising the investigation."

Sylphie looked at him from the side.

Kael noticed. "Don’t say it."

"I didn’t say anything," she replied.

Lysa gave a small smile.

The partial response from Vareth arrived two hours later.

Ordal Mercantile had existed for eight months.

Its administrative address corresponded to an empty room rented above a workshop.

The land where the depot stood belonged to a local family named Merrow, but had been leased under a long-term contract to Ordal.

There was frequent wagon movement during the night.

And, more importantly, the Vareth guard already had two old complaints about animal noises coming from the location.

Revan placed the report on the table. "They never entered because the documentation presented on both occasions was in order."

Kael read the name of the officer responsible for the inspections.

"Same officer?"

"Both times," Revan replied.

Sylphie moved closer. "This is starting to look less like coincidence."

"Yes," Kael replied. "But we still don’t know whether he’s involved or was simply deceived by the same documentation."

Revan pointed to the last line. "The Vareth guard wants to know whether they should enter now."

Kael remained silent for a few seconds.

This time, the answer came quickly.

"Yes. But they go in. Not us."

Revan nodded.

"Why?" Lysa asked.

Kael looked at her. "Because it’s their city, their guard and their jurisdiction. If they find people or animals at risk, they act immediately. If they find only documents, they preserve everything."

Sylphie placed a hand on his shoulder. "And us?"

"We finish here first."

Oren Vale asked to speak with Kael shortly before nightfall.

Kael almost refused.

He accepted because Revan said Oren had spoken a name.

Soren.

The merchant sat behind a simple table in the interrogation room, his wrists secured by ordinary handcuffs. The arrogance from the warehouse was gone.

"You wanted to speak with me," said Kael, remaining standing.

"I want a deal."

"Talk to Revan."

"He can’t protect me from Soren."

Kael remained still.

Oren realized he finally had his attention.

"He doesn’t buy the animals," he continued. "He chooses which ones should be captured."

"For whom?"

"I don’t know."

Kael looked at Revan, who remained near the door.

The captain did not react.

"You expect me to believe that you organize hunters, forge documents and deliver creatures without knowing who’s paying?" Kael asked.

"I get paid by Soren," Oren replied. "He gets paid by someone else. He never asked for my real name, never talked about the client and never agreed to meet outside the depot."

"Who supplies the traps?"

Oren hesitated.

Kael did not need to threaten him.

"A workshop in Vareth," he replied. "Kessel & Rook. They make devices for containing dangerous creatures. Part of the business is legal."

"And the part you bought?"

Oren looked away.

"No."

Kael looked at Revan. "Write that down."

"Already did."

Oren leaned forward. "If Soren finds out I’m arrested, he’ll disappear."

Kael replied without hurry: "Probably."

"Then do something."

"Vareth already is."

Oren turned pale.

It was the first genuinely sincere reaction Kael had seen from him.

"You warned Vareth?"

"Of course."

Oren closed his eyes.

"Then you just scared him off."

Kael narrowed his eyes.

"Why?"

Oren raised his head. "Because Soren doesn’t stay in the depot when he knows someone is watching. He stays below."

Revan stepped closer.

"Below what?"

Oren took a deep breath.

"The depot."

Kael fell silent.

Oren continued:

"There’s a second level. It doesn’t appear on the plans. That’s where they keep the shipments no one is supposed to find."

Kael looked at Revan.

"Warn Vareth now."

The captain was already opening the door.

Kael turned his eyes back to Oren.

"How many creatures fit down there?"

The merchant took a while before answering.

"More than twenty."