Chapter 164: The Broken Road
The first thing Aria did was refuse to panic.
The second thing she did was send for the Duke.
The third thing she did was tell everyone to stop talking.
That last one was mostly for Kelme.
"I wasn’t talking."
"You were about to."
"That is discrimination against future words."
"Sit down."
Kelme sat.
Martha stood beside the council table, arms folded.
Duke arrived less than an hour later, still wearing his travel cloak.
He listened without interrupting while Aria explained everything.
The restrictions.
Garrick.
Edric.
Lucan’s stockpile.
The three destroyed wagons.
The transport license.
When she finished, Duke remained silent for several seconds.
Then he asked:
"Where is the convoy?"
"North road," Aria answered.
"How far?"
"Several hours."
"Who found it?"
"One of the road workers."
"Were there witnesses?"
"Not that we know."
Duke nodded.
"Then we don’t know whether this was sabotage."
Aria looked at him.
"I know."
"You’re thinking it."
"Yes."
"Don’t."
Aria frowned.
"Why?"
"Because if you decide what happened before seeing the evidence, every piece of evidence afterward will look like confirmation."
Martha smiled slightly.
"She listens to you more than she listens to me."
"I heard that."
"I intended you to."
Aria sighed.
"Fine. We investigate."
Duke nodded.
"But carefully."
He pointed toward the map on the wall.
"We’ll take six guards."
"Six?"
"Enough to protect us. Not enough to look like an army."
Aria understood.
They weren’t going to war.
They were going to look at a broken wagon.
Kelme raised his hand.
Duke looked at him.
"What?"
"Can I come?"
Aria immediately said:
"No."
Kelme looked offended.
"Why?"
"Because last time I asked you to investigate something, you spent half an hour interrogating a baker about muffins."
"He was suspicious."
"He was selling muffins."
"Exactly."
Duke almost smiled.
"Let him come."
Aria looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because if someone is watching the road, having someone with enhanced senses is useful."
Kelme smiled proudly.
Aria pointed at him.
"If you interrogate a muffin seller, I’m leaving you there."
"Understood."
---
They reached the convoy shortly before sunset.
The road north was rougher than the newly constructed road near New Beginning.
The three wagons were scattered across the roadside.
One had tipped over.
Another had lost a wheel.
The third had crashed into a shallow ditch.
Clay covered the ground.
Broken containers lay everywhere.
Duke dismounted.
"Don’t touch anything."
Aria stopped.
She had already been about to step closer.
Duke looked at her.
"You’re learning."
"I’m trying."
Kelme walked around the edge of the scene.
He crouched.
Looked at the dirt.
Then at the wagon.
Then at the surrounding trees.
Martha examined the road from a distance.
"Where’s the driver?"
Duke’s guards had already found him.
"Alive," one said.
"Bring him."
A man with a bandaged arm was helped toward them.
He looked exhausted.
Duke crouched beside him.
"What happened?"
The driver swallowed.
"We were attacked."
Aria’s eyes sharpened.
"By whom?"
"I don’t know."
"How many?"
"Four."
"Men?"
"I think so."
"You think?"
"It was dark."
Duke continued calmly.
"Did they speak?"
The driver hesitated.
"Yes."
"What did they say?"
"Nothing important."
"What language?"
"Common."
"Accent?"
The driver frowned.
"I don’t know."
"Did they wear uniforms?"
"No."
"Armor?"
"No."
"Did they take anything?"
The driver shook his head.
"No."
Duke’s expression hardened.
"They didn’t steal the clay?"
"No."
"Money?"
"No."
"Weapons?"
"No."
"Then why attack you?"
The driver looked toward the wrecked wagons.
"They wanted us to stop."
"Why?"
"I don’t know."
Aria looked at the clay scattered across the road.
"Did they destroy the containers?"
The driver nodded.
"They smashed them."
"Did they touch the clay?"
"No."
That made Aria pause.
They had destroyed the containers.
Not stolen the cargo.
That was strange.
Duke noticed it too.
"Anything else?"
The driver looked nervous.
"They asked about New Beginning."
Silence.
Aria stepped forward.
"What did they ask?"
The driver looked at her.
"They asked whether the clay was going there."
"And?"
"I said yes."
"What happened?"
"They told us to turn back."
"Did they mention who sent them?"
"No."
"Did they mention the Northern Trade Authority?"
"No."
"Did they mention Lucan?"
The driver hesitated.
Aria saw it.
"So you know the name."
"I’ve heard it."
"Did they mention him?"
"No."
Aria stepped back.
Duke looked toward the road.
"Did you turn back?"
The driver shook his head.
"They let us pass."
That changed everything.
Aria frowned.
"If they wanted the clay destroyed, why let you continue?"
The driver looked confused.
"They didn’t let us continue."
"What?"
"They attacked us after we passed the first marker."
Duke looked at the guards.
"Show me."
They followed the driver farther north.
About half a kilometer away, they found something.
A small wooden signpost had been cut down.
Not broken.
Cut.
Cleanly.
Aria crouched beside it.
The road split here.
One path continued north.
The other led east toward a smaller settlement.
Martha pointed.
"They could have forced the convoy onto the eastern road."
The driver shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"They attacked after we passed this point."
Aria examined the road.
There were wheel marks.
Fresh ones.
Several sets.
She stood.
"How many wagons?"
"Three."
"These tracks are different."
Duke crouched beside her.
"Yes."
One set of tracks was heavier.
Another narrower.
Aria looked farther along the road.
"Someone else was here."
Duke nodded.
"Recently."
Kelme crouched.
"Four horses."
Everyone looked at him.
He pointed toward the mud.
"Maybe five."
Duke’s guards looked at each other.
"How can you tell?"
Kelme shrugged.
"I’m old."
Aria stared at him.
"That explanation is becoming less useful every day."
Kelme smiled.
"There are four clear tracks."
He pointed farther away.
"And one partial."
Duke studied the marks.
"Could be."
Aria looked around.
"Where did they go?"
Kelme stood.
"That’s the interesting part."
He pointed toward the trees.
"They didn’t leave by road."
Everyone turned.
A narrow trail disappeared into the forest.
Duke immediately ordered two guards to inspect it.
They returned twenty minutes later.
"We found footprints."
"How many?"
"Four."
Kelme smiled.
"Four."
Aria looked at him.
"You said five horses."
"Five tracks."
"Then where’s the fifth rider?"
Kelme’s smile faded.
"I don’t know."
Duke stared into the trees.
"Neither do I."
---
They searched until darkness became too thick.
Nothing else was found.
No weapons.
No uniforms.
No insignia.
No abandoned supplies.
No bodies.
Nothing that clearly identified the attackers.
That was perhaps the most frustrating part.
Aria hated mysteries that refused to cooperate.
On the way back, she rode beside Duke.
"Do you believe the driver?"
"Yes."
"Do you think the attack was planned?"
"Yes."
"Do you think the Authority ordered it?"
"No evidence."
"Do you think someone wanted the clay destroyed?"
"Yes."
Aria looked at him.
"That was quick."
"The clay was destroyed."
"So?"
"If they wanted money, they’d steal it."
"If they wanted to hurt the supplier, they’d destroy the wagons."
"Correct."
"But why ask about New Beginning?"
Duke didn’t answer immediately.
"That’s what we need to discover."
---
When they returned, Lucan was waiting.
Aria dismounted.
He immediately approached.
"I heard about the convoy."
"You heard quickly."
"It happened on a major route."
Aria looked at him.
"Of course."
Lucan noticed her expression.
"What?"
"You knew about it before we returned."
"I received word from a merchant."
"Who?"
"Garrick."
Aria’s eyes narrowed.
"When?"
"An hour ago."
Kelme stepped forward.
"You’ve been talking to him?"
Lucan nodded.
"He contacted me."
"Why?"
"To discuss the supply situation."
Aria looked at him.
"Did he mention the attack?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"That the northern road is becoming unsafe."
Aria went silent.
Duke stepped forward.
"Did he say who attacked the convoy?"
"No."
"Did he speculate?"
Lucan hesitated.
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
"He thinks bandits are becoming more aggressive."
Aria frowned.
"Bandits who don’t steal anything?"
Lucan didn’t answer.
Duke’s expression hardened.
"Where is Garrick now?"
Lucan looked uncomfortable.
"I don’t know."
"Think carefully."
"I don’t."
Duke stared at him.
Lucan sighed.
"He was heading south."
"When?"
"This afternoon."
Aria looked at the road.
South.
Garrick.
The clay.
The inflated price.
Everything was beginning to connect.
But she still had no proof.
And she refused to build a conclusion out of suspicion.
"Lucan."
"Yes?"
"How much clay do you currently own?"
He hesitated.
"Enough."
Aria almost laughed.
"Everyone suddenly loves that word."
Lucan looked embarrassed.
"Approximately three hundred sacks."
"Where?"
"Storage facility."
"Which one?"
"Near the eastern market."
"Who owns it?"
"I rent it."
"From whom?"
"Edric Hall."
The room went silent.
Kelme whispered:
"Oh, that is not good."
Aria closed her eyes.
"No."
Martha stared at Lucan.
"You bought the clay from northern suppliers?"
"Yes."
"And stored it in Edric’s warehouse?"
"Yes."
Aria looked toward the Duke.
"Now we have a reason to investigate."
Duke nodded.
"Tomorrow morning."
Aria shook her head.
"Tonight."
Duke frowned.
"It’s dark."
"Exactly."
"That’s why we wait."
Aria looked at him.
"If someone is moving supplies through that warehouse, waiting gives them time."
Duke considered it.
Then nodded.
"Fine."
---
The eastern warehouse was quiet.
Too quiet.
That was the first thing Aria noticed.
No guards.
No workers.
No carts.
No noise.
Just a large wooden building beside the eastern road.
Duke’s guards surrounded it.
Aria remained behind him.
Kelme walked around the side.
He returned a few minutes later.
"Someone’s been here."
Duke looked at him.
"Recently?"
"Yes."
"How recent?"
Kelme shrugged.
"Hours."
They entered.
The warehouse was almost empty.
Almost.
Several crates remained along the back wall.
Aria approached them.
The markings were unfamiliar.
Martha examined one.
"Northern origin."
Aria opened it.
Clay.
Another.
Clay.
Another.
More clay.
Lucan stared.
"That isn’t mine."
Aria looked at him.
"Then whose is it?"
"I don’t know."
Duke examined the markings.
"These aren’t commercial markings."
"What are they?"
"Transport classification."
Aria frowned.
"For the Authority?"
"Yes."
Martha looked at the crates.
"How much?"
Duke estimated.
"Several tons."
Aria slowly turned.
"Then why did Lucan say his stock was three hundred sacks?"
Lucan looked genuinely confused.
"I bought three hundred."
Aria looked at the crates.
"So who bought these?"
Nobody answered.
Then Kelme shouted from the far side of the warehouse.
"Aria."
She turned.
He was standing beside a desk.
On it was a ledger.
He held it open.
Aria walked toward him.
"What?"
Kelme pointed.
"Look."
She read the first line.
Then the second.
Then the third.
Her expression slowly changed.
It wasn’t a list of clay purchases.
It was a list of settlements.
New Beginning.
Three other villages.
Two workshops.
One merchant house.
Beside each name were quantities.
Dates.
Prices.
Aria stared.
"This is a distribution list."
Martha came closer.
"Not just distribution."
She pointed.
"Look at the dates."
Aria followed them.
The dates matched the licensing changes.
Before the restrictions.
After the restrictions.
Before the convoy attack.
After the convoy attack.
Then she saw the final entry.
Tomorrow’s date.
Beside it was:
NEW BEGINNING — EMERGENCY PURCHASE — 500 SACKS
Aria’s blood went cold.
"Five hundred sacks?"
Martha looked at her.
"We don’t need five hundred sacks."
"No."
Aria turned the page.
At the bottom was a signature.
She recognized it.
So did Lucan.
Neither spoke.
Duke took the ledger.
His expression hardened.
"Who signed this?"
Aria answered quietly.
"Garrick Vale."
Kelme looked at the crates.
Then at the ledger.
Then toward the door.
"So..."
He swallowed.
"Someone isn’t just selling clay."
Aria nodded.
"They’re creating the shortage."
Duke immediately shook his head.
"Careful."
Aria looked at him.
"We still don’t know who."
He pointed toward the ledger.
"But we know something now."
"What?"
Duke closed it.
"Someone expected New Beginning to run out of clay tomorrow."
Aria stared at the page.
Tomorrow.
The exact day their reserves would become critical.
The exact day they would be forced to buy.
The exact day someone had prepared an emergency shipment of five hundred sacks.
She slowly smiled.
Not happily.
Not angrily.
Just with the cold realization that came when a puzzle finally revealed its shape.
"They knew our inventory."
Martha nodded.
"They knew our production."
"Yes."
"They knew our contracts."
"Yes."
"And they knew when we’d become desperate."
Aria looked toward Lucan.
"Which means someone has been feeding them information."
Lucan’s face went pale.
Duke immediately turned toward the guards.
"Seal the warehouse."
The guards moved.
"Take the ledger."
One guard reached for it.
Then—
A crash came from outside.
Everyone froze.
Another crash.
Then the sound of running horses.
Duke drew his sword.
"Stay inside."
Aria moved toward the window.
Kelme grabbed her shoulder.
"No."
"Let go."
"No."
"Kelme—"
"Someone just ran past the eastern wall."
Aria looked at him.
"How many?"
"One."
"Where?"
"South."
Duke shouted toward the guards.
"After him!"
The guards rushed outside.
Aria watched them disappear into the darkness.
Then she looked back at the ledger.
Five hundred sacks.
Tomorrow.
Emergency purchase.
Garrick’s signature.
And underneath it, written in a different hand, was one final note.
Once New Beginning accepts the shipment, activate the second agreement.
Aria stared at the sentence.
"What second agreement?"
No one answered.
Then Lucan whispered:
"I think..."
Aria turned.
He looked terrified.
"I think I know."
"What?"
Lucan swallowed.
"The road."
Aria’s expression hardened.
"What about it?"
Lucan looked at the ledger.
"The emergency clay shipment isn’t the real contract."
He pointed to the final line.
"The real agreement is probably connected to the road."
Outside, the guards shouted.
A horse galloped into the distance.
And for the first time since New Beginning had been founded, Aria realized that the pottery business might never have been the real target.
The road was.