Chapter 145: Beneath the Surface

The evening air in the citadel was thick with tension, and Jay could feel it in every breath. The message he had received was still clenched in his hand, the words echoing in his mind: The blade is closer than you think. The realization that the enemy was within reach—and possibly among those he trusted—was a chilling thought. But Jay knew he couldn't let fear cloud his judgment. He needed to act swiftly and decisively.

He summoned Mira and a few of his most trusted advisors to his chambers. When they arrived, Jay handed Mira the crumpled parchment. Her eyes darkened as she read the message, and she quickly passed it to the others.

"Whoever wrote this is taunting us," Mira said, her voice steely. "They want us to know they're close, but they're also trying to make us paranoid, to turn us against each other."

Jay nodded. "I know. But we can't ignore it. If the traitor is this confident, they're likely planning to strike soon. We need to tighten security even further, but without causing alarm. We can't let the enemy know we're onto them."

One of the advisors, Lord Erwin, an older man with a stern demeanor, spoke up. "Your Majesty, it's possible that the traitor could be among those who have the most access to you and the citadel. We must consider everyone, even those who have been loyal for years."

Jay's jaw tightened at the thought. He had always valued the loyalty of those around him, but now that loyalty was in question. "We'll proceed carefully. But I won't make any accusations without evidence. We need to observe, to gather information, and to ensure that when we act, we do so with certainty."

Mira agreed. "We'll set up surveillance on key individuals, those who have access to sensitive areas or information. If anyone's behavior is suspicious, we'll investigate discreetly."

Jay looked at each of his advisors in turn. "We must be vigilant, but we must also remain united. The enemy wants to sow distrust among us, to weaken us from within. We won't give them that satisfaction."

The meeting continued for another hour as they discussed the logistics of their plan. Surveillance would be increased, and key areas of the citadel would be monitored closely. Jay also ordered that the encrypted message they had found in the kitchens be sent to the cryptographer as soon as he arrived.

As the meeting concluded, Jay pulled Mira aside. "There's something else we need to consider," he said quietly. "The watchers. If they're spies, they could be feeding information to the traitor. We need to find them, and fast."

Mira nodded, her expression serious. "I've already dispatched our best trackers. They're scouring the areas where the watchers were last seen. If they're out there, we'll find them."

With their plans in motion, Jay felt a small sense of relief, but it was fleeting. The citadel was still a cauldron of uncertainty, and every step forward seemed to reveal more layers to the enemy's plot.

As night fell, Jay found himself alone once more in his chambers. The darkness outside was mirrored by the darkness within his thoughts. The kingdom was in danger, and he was fighting an enemy he could barely see. But he knew he couldn't afford to lose hope. He had come too far, endured too much, to let the Shadow of the Past succeed.

The next morning, Jay was awakened by a sharp knock on his door. He rose quickly, his senses on high alert. It was Mira, her expression grave.

"Jay," she said, her voice tense, "one of our trackers has found something. You need to see this."

Jay dressed quickly and followed her through the winding corridors of the citadel. They moved swiftly, their footsteps echoing in the quiet halls. Mira led him to a secluded area near the outer wall, a place that was rarely visited by anyone but the guards.

There, crouched in the shadows, was one of their trackers, a lean man named Harlan. He looked up as they approached, his face a mask of concentration. "Your Majesty, Lady Mira," he greeted them, his voice low. "I found something."

He pointed to a patch of ground near the wall, where the earth had been disturbed. At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a patch of dirt, but as Jay examined it closer, he saw what Harlan had noticed—tracks, faint but discernible, leading to a narrow crevice in the wall.

Jay's eyes narrowed. "Someone's been coming and going through here."

Harlan nodded. "It's a hidden passage, one that's been forgotten over time. It leads outside the citadel, to the old forest. The tracks are fresh, and they're not ours."

Mira knelt beside the tracks, her eyes sharp. "The watchers… they must have been using this passage to move in and out of the citadel undetected. It's how they've been spying on us."

Jay felt a surge of anger and determination. "We need to seal this passage and capture anyone who tries to use it. If we can catch one of these watchers, we might be able to break their network."

Mira agreed. "I'll have a team set up a trap immediately. We'll monitor the passage day and night, and if anyone comes through, we'll take them alive."

Jay nodded, already planning their next steps. The discovery of the passage was a breakthrough, but it was also a reminder of how vulnerable they were. The citadel, despite its walls and guards, was not impenetrable.

As they left the secluded area, Jay's thoughts turned back to the message he had received. The blade is closer than you think. The words haunted him, but they also fueled his resolve. The enemy might be close, but so was Jay's determination to root them out.

For now, the citadel was on high alert, and Jay knew that the next few days would be crucial. The watchers were still out there, the traitor still hidden, but with each passing hour, Jay felt they were getting closer to the truth.

And when the truth was finally revealed, Jay would be ready.