"Since when?" Seraphina demanded. "You've never given a damn about barrier maintenance before. That's Reaper’s nightmare, not yours."
"Since the stability of all our realms became threatened." Caelum's expression shifted to wounded sincerity. "I had hoped to resolve this quietly. But the saboteur has forced my hand."
"And who is this saboteur?" Vex demanded, his diminished power making his voice sharp. "You seem remarkably well-informed about their methods."
Caelum's expression grew grave.
"I'm still investigating. But given the specificity of these attacks, it has to be someone with intimate knowledge of the ward network. Someone with access to all our realms." He paused. "Someone we trust."
The temperature in the circle dropped. Vex's eyes darted between the other Death Lords. Thessa's form flickered, becoming more translucent.
Behind her, Dante's power drew tighter. She could feel his shadows wanting to surge forward, to tear answers from Caelum's throat. But he held still. Waiting. Trusting her.
The realization steadied her.
If she was right, she needed proof. Something he couldn't explain away.
Her abilities had been growing stronger since she'd stopped fighting what she was. She could see deeper into the magical structures now. Read flow patterns others might miss.
And suddenly she understood.
"These breaks," she said slowly. "They're not random attacks.Someone knew exactly which supports to remove to cause maximum cascade failure."
"Yes!" Caelum's approval came too quickly. "Which is why we need your talents to identify which core supports remain intact."
But that wasn't what she was seeing.
Her fingers trembled as she traced one of the red zones, following power flow patterns that were becoming clearer with every second.
Every break had been designed to force power through specific junction points. Points that would naturally channel everything through a single domain if repairs followed someone's well-thought-out plan.
He wasn't trying to destroy the wards. He was trying to own them.
"The Mourned Court," she said quietly.
Dante went very still behind her.
"All the remaining stable channels lead back to your realm, Caelum. Every single one."
Silence.
Vex stopped pacing. Seraphina's hand closed fully around her sword. Thessa solidified completely.
"Of course they do." Caelum's voice remained calm. "My domain has always served as the primary stabilizing force. The original architects built it that way, a fail-safe. Natural deaths, peaceful transitions. My power is fundamentally different. Less volatile."
He gestured to the channels.
"It's why my power is best suited to channeling repairs. The system naturally consolidates through my domain during a crisis."
The explanation was almost believable.
She felt Dante's shadows stir against her skin.
"You said the attacks started months ago," she continued, keeping her tone curious. "But I've been tracking ward instabilities as part of my training. Some of these damage patterns are much older. Years, at least."
A pause. Barely a heartbeat.
"You're mistaken," he said, but the warmth had cooled. "The recent attacks?—"
