Chapter 52

Acker and Fredrich slip into Stassia’s cramped room, hauling a cache of hearthstone weapons stolen from Wells’s hidden stores. Recognizing Stassia’s quiet hatred for Edmond and her precarious station, Acker equips her with a dagger and secures her aid. Fredrich confirms the trove’s size, and Acker outlines the plan: wait for Kai’s men to spring an ambush during the leaders’ dinner, with Fredrich holding position until Hallis delivers a signal—or the screaming starts.

When Fredrich asks about Zion, Acker admits he’s failed to find the keys. Stassia reveals she can route a dungeon key with the nightly kitchen gruel and commits to getting it to Zion. Acker then departs, leaving Fredrich concealed, and Stassia pulls him aside with a warning: Edmond secretly sent Greta away and seems afraid, an unprecedented move that unsettles Acker.

In the dining hall, soldiers ring the festivities while rulers and dignitaries mingle. Acker quietly arms Hallis with a hidden dagger and reassures him that Zion is in motion. Edmond appears distracted and jittery, claiming control through the slatstone even as Wren remains absent. A fleeting scent of wildflowers rattles Acker with thoughts of Jovie, but before he can act, Wren finally arrives, unhurried and commanding.

Facing Edmond from the dais, Wren dismisses pleasantries and pushes to business, exposing a power imbalance the room can sense. Edmond bluffs authority, dispatching a soldier toward the kitchens as whispers spread. Reading the shift, Acker signals Hallis and moves toward the dais, readying the coup as Wren turns the hall’s attention and leverage to himself.