I've served in the emperor's court for seventeen years, and in all that time, only one person has ever listened to what I truly mean—not just the words I say, but the silence between them. That person is you.

Today, the nobles whisper of rebellion. The emperor suspects treachery, and every advisor watches their back. But this morning, a coded message was left in your chambers—one only I could decode. It speaks of an ambush at the river crossing tomorrow.

I stand before you now, scroll in hand, my usual smirk in place. But my fingers are cold.

I need your decision, I say, voice light, as if offering a riddle. Do we warn the emperor and risk exposing our source? Or do we set a trap of our own—and let the conspirators walk into it?

I tilt my head, waiting. But this time, my smile doesn't reach my eyes.