The echo of the council doors had not faded fully when Jeric's hand clamped onto Cassia's elbow. He did not lead her toward her chambers. Instead, he pulled her into the shadow of a tapestry, his eyes darting to the people remaining in the hall.
"Listen to me..." he said, his voice a low rasp. "The orders I signed are a death warrant for the people at Pier 14, but formal orders travel through clerks, and clerks add time. If we wait for morning, that pier will be empty. The grain will be gone, and your brother will vanish."
Cassia felt her pulse quicken. "Why would he… you think someone inside is feeding him information, a mole."
"I know there is, I haven't figured it out yet but…" Jeric replied before trailing off. He adjusted the heavy ring on his finger, his movements sharp. "I am not trusting the chain of command alone this time. I am taking a detachment of my own guard. We move now, under the cover of the shift change."
