Bellwarden Corren was halfway through lunch when Sable Bridge confessed a kingdom.
The bell rang once, which meant an oath had crossed the bridge. It rang twice, which meant the oath had witnesses. Then it rang a third time, which meant one of the witnesses was missing from public memory.
By the time Corren reached the chainhouse, half the market had gone silent.
Ilyra Duskmead stood under the arch with ash in her hair and a map clutched to her chest.
"Do not ask me what it shows," she said.
Corren looked at the bell. Its copper mouth glowed red.
"Then tell me what it heard."
Across the bridge, every shop sign written in royal ink slowly rewrote one border stroke into the same forbidden name:
Vel Morren.