Chapter 8: The Web Tightens

Kai Cheng woke before dawn, as always, but this time the stone beneath his tunic felt heavier. The Heart of the River pulsed against his ribs, a persistent reminder that he was carrying something far larger than a smuggler's prize. He lay still for a moment, letting his mind run through the previous night's exchange: Lady Xu's letter, her demand for a name, her cold smile that promised violence if...