They left the quarry without wasting any time. The return journey began at a brisk pace, with Damon leading the way as if every wasted minute were a personal offense. Lysandra followed with her wrists bound, guided by Ingrivid without unnecessary brutality, but without any room for escape. Cherry walked beside her by choice, seemingly dedicated to making the journey uncomfortable with just her comments.

"If you try to run, I’ll trip you up," said Cherry, distractedly fiddling with her sword sheath.

"What a creative threat," replied Lysandra, maintaining the same calm tone.

"It wasn’t a threat. It was a promise."

Ester was a few steps behind, rereading the collected documents and mentally comparing the codes with everything they had found in the last few days. Her silence indicated genuine concentration. Damon perceived this without needing to look.

"Anything useful?"

"Perhaps," replied Ester. "The shipping numbers follow a false sequence. They hide the real volume by dividing loads into smaller records."

Cherry turned her face away. "Translation?"

"They moved more drugs than they pretended to move."

"Ah." Cherry grimaced. "Then I hate that even more."

Damon nodded slightly. "How much?"

"Hard to say without time to review everything, but enough to justify the rush."

Lysandra smiled slightly.

"You guys are really late."

Damon didn’t answer. He just kept walking at the same pace.

When the mansion gates appeared ahead, the atmosphere inside already seemed prepared to receive them. Guards immediately cleared the way, and no one wasted time with formalities. Morgana waited in the main room, seated as always with impeccable posture, a glass resting beside her and an expression of someone who already anticipated problems before even hearing them.

Elizabeth occupied half of the central table with maps, books, and papers scattered in organized columns. Upon seeing Lysandra enter in handcuffs, her eyes narrowed with immediate interest.

"They brought something that talks," she commented.

Cherry slumped onto the nearest sofa. "She talks a lot. She just avoids being helpful."

Aria emerged from the kitchen with a tray of tea and stopped upon noticing the prisoner.

"Should I serve everyone equally or should we remain hostile?"

"Hostile," Cherry and Elizabeth replied simultaneously.

Aria nodded. "Consistent."

Damon pushed Lysandra into a chair in the center of the room. Ingrivid fastened the ropes to the backrest with silent efficiency. The woman settled in as if on a social visit.

"You have a pleasant house," she commented.

Morgana crossed her legs. "And you have little instinct for self-preservation."

"I disagree. I’m still alive."

"For now," said Cherry.

Elizabeth was already picking up the new papers Ester had brought. Her fingers moved quickly across the pages, her eyes scanning codes, marks, and abbreviated signatures.

"The customs post confirms the east corridor," she said without looking up. "This connects the urban network to the abandoned industrial sector."

Ester approached and opened another map beside her.

"We also found repeated references to the Gray House."

Elizabeth finally raised her face.

"I know what it is."

The room fell silent instantly.

Cherry sat up straight. "Then speak quickly."

Elizabeth pointed to the northern region of Arven. "Old warehouses of the Verden House. A merchant family extinct after accusations of smuggling and a convenient fire. Properties confiscated on paper, forgotten in practice."

Morgana let out a short laugh.

"Naturally. The State closes its eyes when the dust settles."

Damon approached the table.

"Current use?"

"If they restored part of the structure, it could serve as a warehouse, laboratory, or redistribution center." She tapped her finger on a specific point on the map. "Especially here, near the dry canal. Ancient underground routes."

Lysandra observed everything in silence, still with that small smile.

Damon turned to her.

"How many men there?"

"Depends on the day."

He moved closer.

"Today."

She held his gaze for a few seconds.

"More than at the mill. Fewer than at a fortress." Cherry scoffed. "She talks in riddles even when she’s sitting down."

Ester tilted her head.

"That means rotating reinforcement. Variable numbers so as not to create a pattern."

Elizabeth nodded. "And centralized command. Good sign."

"Good for whom?" Cherry asked.

"For us," Damon replied. "It means single target."

The entire afternoon was consumed by purposeful preparation. There was no dramatization, only work. Aria organized medical kits, bandages, antidotes, and basic provisions. Ingrivid cleaned long guns and tested ropes, hooks, and climbing tools. Ester rearranged entry and exit routes on the map. Elizabeth compared the previous accounting books with the new records.

Cherry spent half the time complaining and the other half sharpening her sword.

Morgana observed everything as the silent center of the house.

At a certain point, Elizabeth called Damon to the table.

"Look at this."

He approached.

She showed him three columns of numbers.

"Extra payments, temporary escorts, and purchases of rare reagents converge on the same week."

"Conclusion."

"They are consolidating stock." Elizabeth stared directly at him. "Or preparing to flee."

Damon nodded.

"Then let’s go first."

"Yes."

Cherry appeared beside them with an apple she’d stolen from the kitchen.

"Important question. Are we going to break in from the front or the roof?"

"The quickest way," Damon replied.

"That doesn’t answer anything."

"It answers enough."

Esther approached, holding a roll of parchment.

"There are three viable access points. Main gate, side dock of the canal, and drainage tunnels."

Cherry pointed to the tunnels. "I want that one. Sounds fun."

"Smells bad," said Ingrivid.

"Less fun."

Morgana finally spoke, drawing everyone’s attention.

"You’re thinking like ordinary invaders. If there’s real command inside, there’ll be a private route."

Elizabeth immediately agreed.

"Yes. Upper office, discreet exit, carriage ready, or reserved tunnel."

Damon crossed his arms.

"Then we split it."

Cherry smiled.

"Now it’s interesting."

At the beginning of the evening, they gathered again in the main room for final decisions. Lysandra remained glued to her chair, seemingly amused by watching them orchestrate their own downfall.

Morgana looked at her.

"You can cooperate now and reduce future damage."

Lysandra smiled.

"Or I can watch."

Cherry grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it at her. It hit her face.

"I like that option."

Elizabeth ignored the scene and pointed to the map.

"Group one enters through the side dock: Damon and Ingrivid. Group two uses drainage: Ester and Cherry. I stay here receiving signals and cross-referencing any documents sent."

"No," said Damon.

She slowly raised her eyes.

"Repeat that."

"You stay here. Okay. But no discussing orders from a distance."

"You talk as if I obey."

"I talk as if I’m useful."

Cherry laughed loudly.

"You two flirt by fighting?"

"No," they both replied.

Morgana brought the glass to her lips to hide a smile.

Aria entered at that moment bringing hot food.

"No one goes on a mission hungry. Sit down."

No one moved.

Aria slammed the tray down hard enough to get their attention.

"Sit down."

Everyone obeyed, including Damon.

Cherry chewed a piece of bread and pointed at him.

"She’s more in charge than you."

"Everyone’s more in charge than him when they bring food," Ester commented.

"Liar," Damon replied.

"Prove it by refusing."

He remained silent.

Cherry clapped. "Technical victory."

Hours later, the mansion plunged into a controlled silence. Each one retreated briefly to rest, check their weapons, or simply think. Damon remained in the outer courtyard, sitting on a stone bench, gazing into the darkness without seeming tired. Ester approached with two mugs and handed one to him.

"Tea."

"I didn’t ask for it."

"Nor did I ask to accompany you in half of this madness."

He accepted anyway.

They remained silent for a few moments.

"Do you think she’s lying about the number of guards?" Ester asked.

"Partially."

"And about the base?"

"No."

She nodded.

"Me neither."

After a few more seconds, she spoke again.

"What if there are civilians?"

"We’ll withdraw first."

"Good."

He glanced at her sideways.

"Did you think I’d trample them all?"

"I considered possibilities."

"Offensive."

"Realistic."

Before dawn, everyone was up again. The cold air filled the courtyard as horses were prepared and equipment distributed. Aria handed small packets of food to each of them.

"Eat on the way."

Cherry opened hers immediately.

"Obedient today," Ingrivid commented.

"I respect priorities."

Lysandra was brought in as well, now with her hands tied in front and a reinforced escort.

Elizabeth observed this and spoke dryly:

"She’s coming."

Damon frowned.

"Unnecessary."

"If there are internal symbols, hidden routes, or familiar faces, she’ll identify them."

Lysandra tilted her head.

"What charming confidence."

Cherry approached her.

"Don’t confuse temporary usefulness with affection."

Morgana descended the main staircase and stopped before the group.

"Last recommendation."

Everyone looked.

"Return alive. The rest I tolerate."

Cherry smiled.

"She cares."

"Don’t spoil the moment," Morgana replied.

Damon mounted without another word.

"Move."

The journey to the old industrial zone took place under a gray sky and empty roads. As they moved away from the center of Arven, the signs of abandonment increased: closed houses, dead workshops, cracked walls, and waterless canals transformed into long stone ditches.

Lysandra watched the road with restrained attention.

"You really go straight there."

"Yes," Damon replied.

"No long spying, no bribery, no weeks of infiltration."

"Yes."

She chuckled softly.

"Brutally predictable."

Ester spoke before him.

"Predictable doesn’t mean avoidable."

When they sighted the old warehouses in the distance, everyone slowed down. Three large structures remained standing, though worn by time. A fourth appeared collapsed. Thin smoke billowed from a nearly hidden side chimney.

Cherry whistled.

"So someone works early."

Ingrivid surveyed the terrain.

"Two visible lookouts. Maybe more on the rooftops."

Damon dismounted.

"Positions."

Ester was already moving to the left.

Cherry followed behind her.

"If I die in the tunnel, I’ll haunt your house."

"Long line," Ester replied.

Ingrivid took the opposite side with a long gun at the ready. Damon stood in the center, observing the entire complex for a few seconds as if memorizing everything at once.

Lysandra was tied to a fallen stone column, in everyone’s field of vision.

She raised her eyebrows.

"Elegant."

"Safe," Damon replied.

He then looked at the group.

"When I go in, nobody expects an invitation."

Cherry flashed a dangerous smile.

"Finally, the good part."

Damon took the first step toward the main warehouse, and the morning seemed to shrink around the movement.