Jack’s instincts were rarely wrong, and lately, every sense had been screaming at him that something was off in Refuge. It started small—missing tools, locks broken in places where there should have been none, and supplies mysteriously going missing. The first few incidents had been brushed off as coincidence, or the work of desperate residents trying to scavenge a little extra. But then, the symbols appeared.
A crude, smeared eye, painted on the storage doors in black. Another on the main gate. The signs seemed random at first, scattered in places only some of the watchmen noticed, but Jack knew better. Magnus had used that symbol in the Sanctified—the mark of “The Watcher,” as they called it, and a warning of what was to come.
Jack’s eyes swept over the walls and gates as he worked with Mara to reinforce a weak spot in the barricades. He turned to her, his voice low but resolute. “Those symbols aren’t random. Someone’s sending a message.”
Mara tightened her grip on the hammer, glancing over her shoulder to ensure they weren’t being watched. “If Magnus has someone inside, they’re picking us apart piece by piece, just like he would. The more I think about it, the more this place feels like a trap.”
Jack nodded. “We need to start preparing—quietly. If there’s a spy, we can’t give them any reason to know we’re onto them.”
They worked in silence, the tension between them building with each nail hammered in. The sense of being watched gnawed at Jack, making him glance at every shadow, every figure lingering too long near the walls. He couldn’t help but notice Marcus’s absence from the latest meetings. The councilman had always been one to push for caution, even hesitation, whenever Jack voiced concerns about threats beyond the walls.
When Jack, Mara, Sam, and Ezra gathered later that evening, they shared what little they knew. Sam’s face was pale, worry etched deep in his features as he glanced at Lila, who sat nearby listening closely.
“They’re planning something,” Sam murmured. “And whoever’s doing this knows Refuge inside and out. Tools don’t just vanish, and water barrels don’t leak by themselves.”
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Ezra nodded, his voice filled with urgency. “We can’t rely on the council for this. They don’t want to believe Magnus would even bother with us. But he’s been waiting for the right moment to strike, and if he has someone in here feeding him information…” He trailed off, his gaze shifting uneasily to the shadows cast by the low firelight.
“Then we’re already at a disadvantage,” Mara finished grimly. She turned to Jack. “What’s the plan?”
Jack met each of their gazes, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. “We can’t cause a panic, but we can prepare. Strengthen the defenses quietly, warn people we trust, and keep an eye on anyone acting suspicious. If they’re watching us, we’ll watch right back.”
As they prepared to leave, Lila stepped forward, her voice steady despite the worry in her eyes. “I want to help. I don’t want to just sit around if something’s coming.”
Jack exchanged a look with Sam, who hesitated before giving a small nod. With a faint smile, Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. “Alright, Lila. But you stay close, and you listen to what we say. No heroics.”
They spent the night in quiet preparations, speaking in hushed tones as they fortified weak spots in the walls, watching for anyone who might be lurking in the shadows. Jack felt the weight of every movement, every watchful eye that followed them, certain that the Sanctified’s spy was close.
In the days that followed, Jack tried to bring his suspicions to the council, but his efforts met with the same skepticism as before. Marcus, seated at the head of the table, dismissed the concerns as unfounded, even going so far as to suggest that the incidents were just the work of “overzealous” residents struggling to cope with Refuge’s strict rationing.
Jack’s frustration grew as he stared at Marcus, whose refusal to address the warnings bordered on obstruction. “You’d rather sit here and pretend everything’s fine?” Jack asked, his voice strained.
Marcus’s jaw tightened, but he held his ground. “We’re not going to let fear drive us into paranoia, Jack. Not without proof.”
The rest of the council murmured uneasily, some of them casting glances that suggested they weren’t so sure. But without full council support, Jack knew his warnings would only go so far.
As he walked out of the council hall, Jack clenched his fists, a sense of foreboding tightening around him. If he couldn’t get them to listen, he’d prepare for what was coming with or without them.
And as the shadows lengthened across Refuge, he knew they were running out of time.