Page 248 of Elemental Becoming

The council falls silent again, each possibility hanging between us.

I feel Thane’s attention sharpen. He hasn’t said a word, but through the bond I can feel the restrained energy coiled beneath his calm exterior. He’s listening. Calculating. Watching the pieces move across the board.

I look around the table. “What if it was all of those things?”

The words slip out before I can stop them.

“What if they wanted the Spiritborn, but they also wanted to test the wards? What if they wanted information or they wanted to see how we would respond?”

The silence that follows is thoughtful rather than skeptical.

I lean forward. “We keep talking about the attack like it had a single objective. But if the Shadowed Hand is really behind it, then maybe we’re giving them too little credit.”

Edric’s expression darkens. Sienna folds her hands together.

While the council turns the problem over, my attention drifts toward the window. A songbird calls from somewhere beyond the glass. Hidden among the branches, it remains impossible to spot.

An idea begins to take shape.

Between us, the bond stirs with quiet anticipation. Thane knows I’m onto something. His hand remains on my knee beneath the table, warm and reassuring. When our eyes meet, the smallest smile appears on his face.

The message is clear: trust yourself.

I clear my throat and six pairs of eyes turn towards me.

“If the Shadowed Hand is really operating inside the capital, then I don’t think we catch them by tightening security and waiting for them to make a mistake.”

I wet my lips.

“Back home, when a fox got into the chicken coop, we didn’t chase it through the woods.” My gaze settles on Edric. “We made it come back.”

A faint crease appears between his brows. “What are you suggesting?”

“We stop looking for the spy.” I pause. “And start looking for the leak.”

Sienna’s eyes narrow thoughtfully. “Go on.”

“We feed them information.”

Across the table, Garrick’s mouth curves slightly, as though he already knows where this is headed.

“Different information,” I continue. “Small things. Harmless things. Different versions of the same story given to different people. We watch where it spreads.”

A flicker of recognition crosses Sienna’s face. “A canary trap.”

I blink. “A what?”

“The Water Clan used a similar strategy during the Harbor Rebellions fifty years ago,” she says. “Different commanders received different sailing routes. When enemy ships intercepted one of the convoys, we knew exactly which officer had passed the information along.”

Edric grunts. “The bait-route operation.”

Master Orlon nods. “A crude name for a very effective strategy.”

Relief loosens the tension in my shoulders. Good. I’m not the only one seeing it.

“We already know the Shadowed Hand survives on information,” I say. “So we give them information.”

Valen leans forward. “Not enough to cause real harm.”