Chapter 16 · Wanted Together

The forge stamps weren't just copies. They were perfect.

Kade held one under the dim light filtering through the cellar grate. His hand, the way he angled the chisel, the micro-fracture he'd put in the corner after dropping the real one last winter. All there.

Someone had watched him work. For months.

"They made dozens," Mira said. Her voice was flat. She was staring at the wall like it might start bleeding. "Enough to fake orders. Enough to plant evidence at every collapse site."

Kade set the stamp down before he crushed it. The black core in his chest was still pulling, a slow drag toward the back of the cellar. Not frantic. Patient. Like it knew exactly what it wanted and didn't care how long the walk took.

"Your father," Kade said.

Mira flinched. Didn't look at him. "I don't know."

"You gave me his code."

"Because I need to know." Her jaw was tight. "If he's dirty, I need to know before Drake buries all of us."

Kade didn't argue. The core tugged again, sharper this time, and he turned toward the far wall. There was a seam in the stone. Narrow.