SSS Talent: From Trash to Tyrant

Corvyn read Maela Sorrel’s message twice before putting it back on the table. Canal Houses would support Nerith’s claim, and although the wording was careful, the decision was clear.

A faction that had refused to choose for two years had finally chosen. Kesh stood across from Corvyn, waiting for him to finish.

”I spoke to Morgain myself,” Corvyn said. ”He said neither Lyren nor Nerith brought him here to help them take the succession.”

”That may even be true.”

Corvyn looked up from the message. ”You don’t think they’re directing him?”

”I think that question matters less than what they’ve already given him.” Kesh’s voice remained calm. ”Lyren brought him here personally. Nerith gave him information from restricted archives. Morgain used that information to investigate officers tied to your faction. None of them need to have planned this together for the result to damage you.”

Corvyn looked at Maela’s message again. ”And now Canal Houses support Nerith.”

”They’ve spent weeks watching the second ring lose money. Nerith gave them a reason to stop waiting.”

”She didn’t need Morgain for that.”

”No. This is bigger than one foreign observer.” Kesh moved a document forward. ”The Ancients are questioning the succession. Canal Houses have chosen Nerith. Lyren brought Morgain inside. If you do nothing, every important access stays open while the balance changes around you.”

Corvyn’s expression hardened. ”What are you recommending?”

”The fleet secures the infrastructure already under its authority. Locks, pressure stations, ring crossings, freight lifts and the eastern recovery routes. Increase the guards and record every movement until this is resolved.”

”Half the city will think I’m using the fleet to take control.”

”Half the city just watched a section of Meraval flood and Ilyra nearly die under a maintenance cradle. Extra security at critical infrastructure won’t need much explanation.”

Corvyn was quiet. He remembered asking Trafalgar to step away from the succession and getting a refusal. He had warned the Morgain that he would watch what he did, and since then Nerith had gained the Canal Houses.

”Do it,” Corvyn said. ”Critical infrastructure only. Nobody enters an heir’s residence, nobody touches the administrative archive, and no Canal House property gets occupied without an immediate security reason.”

Kesh inclined his head. ”Understood.”

”And Kesh.”

The admiral stopped at the door and looked back. Corvyn kept his eyes on him.

”If this turns into soldiers deciding who becomes Matriarch, I’ll pull them myself.”

”You won’t need to.”

Kesh left, while Corvyn remained with Maela’s message in front of him. The first new orders were already moving through Meraval before he left the room.

Trafalgar noticed at the first bridge. Six Tide soldiers had replaced the ordinary pair, while another officer recorded names and destinations.

A blue notice had been fixed to both sides of the checkpoint. Toran leaned slightly to read it beside Trafalgar.

SECURITY CONTROL. AUTHORISED BY THE TIDE.

”That wasn’t here earlier.”

”No.”

They were allowed through after Trafalgar showed Ithanne’s approval, but the next crossing was the same. Below it, a Tide detail stood beside the gate controls with two engineers.

By the third checkpoint, Trafalgar had seen enough. Every important route between the rings was receiving the same treatment.

”Kesh moved faster than I expected.”

Toran glanced at him. ”You think this is him?”

”I spoke to him. A few hours later half the castle knew which facts made me look compromised. Now The Tide is standing on every route that matters.”

”Corvyn told you he was going to watch what you did.”

”He did. This could be his answer.”

They learned the answer soon afterward. Corvyn stood at the next lock crossing with two Tide officers, reading the new access instructions before they were distributed.

He saw Trafalgar approach and handed the pages back. His attention went directly to him.

”I suppose you’ve noticed.”

”It’s difficult not to.”

”After what happened in the second ring and what happened to Ilyra, I’m not leaving critical access points with ordinary staffing.”

Trafalgar studied him. ”And Nerith gaining Canal House support had nothing to do with the timing?”

”It had plenty to do with it.” Corvyn didn’t hesitate. ”I told you I would watch what happened after our conversation. Since then, Nerith has gained a faction and everyone knows you were brought here by Lyren and given her records. I’m not waiting until somebody decides access to the locks is another political question.”

”Nobody is trying to take your locks.”

”You don’t know that.”

”I know more about why this started than you do.”

Corvyn’s face tightened. ”Then start explaining.”

Trafalgar had not intended to give him anything here, but Corvyn’s irritation sounded genuine. There was no reason to protect Kesh from a fact Corvyn should already know.

”Halvic Meer left Meraval three days after your mother died. Special passage during closure, aboard a Tide vessel.”

Corvyn’s expression changed immediately. ”Meer left under closure?”

Toran looked at him. Trafalgar had noticed the same reaction before Toran moved.

”Kesh signed the authorisation.”

Corvyn’s eyes moved toward the officers by the lock, then back again. ”When did you find that?”

”Before the breach.”

”And Kesh knows?”

”I showed him the copy.”

”What did he say?”

”Household request. Released from service, family on the coast. He says he signed forty-two exceptional passages during that closure.”

Corvyn frowned. ”Nobody told me Meer was one of them.”

The answer was quiet, and Trafalgar believed him. Corvyn looked genuinely concerned.

An officer approached with another set of papers. Corvyn took them but kept his attention on Trafalgar.

”I want to see that authorisation.”

”Ithanne will have certified copies soon. Kesh ordered all forty-two sent to her office.”

Corvyn looked at him for another moment, then turned to the officer. His expression had changed.

”Give me five minutes.”

He walked toward the lock controls and called another Tide officer over. The man opened the document chest while Corvyn started questioning him.

Toran waited until they were far enough away before speaking. He kept watching Corvyn.

”He didn’t know.”

”No. He didn’t, he was being used.”

Trafalgar watched Corvyn continue with the officer.

Corvyn had deployed the fleet because he believed his succession was being pressed from several directions. Kesh had given him enough truth to make that decision reasonable, while leaving Halvic Meer’s departure out of the conversation.

The new guards controlled the crossing and the lock. Corvyn thought he was protecting his position while Meraval moved closer to an internal confrontation.

Kesh knew considerably more than the man whose faction he was protecting. Trafalgar finally had proof of that difference.