“Lonari,” I whisper.
He steps closer behind me, eyes narrowing as he reads over my shoulder.
“What is that?” he asks.
I swallow, throat dry.
“Someone above Morazin,” I say. “Someone who authorizes the kind of access Morazin shouldn’t have. Someone who can thread needles through multiple governments.”
I point to the title again.
“High Lantern,” I whisper. “That’s… that’s a command-level shadow.”
Lonari’s voice goes quiet. “A handler.”
I nod slowly, heart hammering.
“Yeah,” I say. “And I think we just found the lantern that lit this whole damn fire.”
CHAPTER 26
LONARI
The Coalition marshal smells like menthol and bad faith.
We meet in a “neutral” office that’s neutral the way a knife is neutral—depends who’s holding it. Concrete walls. A single light strip that flickers like it’s tired of pretending. A desk bolted to the floor. Two guards posted near the door with their hands resting casually on weapons they absolutely intend to use.
The marshal sits behind the desk like he grew there. Heavyset, gray at the temples, eyes sharp and bored. He wears his badge like an accessory, not a vow.
He looks me up and down, slow, like he’s appraising a vehicle for resale.
“Kaijen,” he says. “You’re taller in person.”
“People tell me that,” I reply, and keep my voice light. “Usually right before they ask for something.”
His mouth quirks. “I’m glad we understand each other.”
I don’t sit. I let my size do what it does. Let the air pressure in the room change a little.
“You requested temporary custody,” he says, tapping a slate with a thick finger. “Of Morazin Valeer.”
“Correct,” I say.
He leans back. The chair creaks. “That’s a big ask.”
“It’s a necessary ask,” I answer. “He’s a live asset. He’s a witness. He’s also the kind of problem governments like to solve with a bullet and a press release.”
The marshal’s smile is small and mean. “You sound like you’ve dealt with governments before.”
“Unfortunately,” I say.
He drums his fingers on the desk. “You’re not IHC. You’re not Alliance. You’re not even officially Coalition.”
“And yet,” I say, “every official body on this planet uses my money to keep their lights on.”
His eyes narrow slightly, amused. “Careful.”
I tilt my head. “Careful is why I’m alive.”
