As the man in the black cloak placed the pouch of money on the table, Jack and another man reached for it at the same time. Their hands collided, but Jack was quicker. He grabbed the money with a grin, while the other man grimaced, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair, accepting his defeat without further protest.

  The cloaked man leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. "So, what can you tell me about these mysterious people and the house?"

  Jack grinned back at him, a hint of ambition in his eyes. "Well, with this," he said, indicating the money, "I can tell you about the house. But the people? That’s going to take a bit more effort, if you know what I mean."

  The cloaked man leaned closer, resting his elbows on the table. "I’ll give you more, depending on the information I hear. I think I’ve already given you enough."

  Jack glanced at the money, then nodded, accepting the terms. "Fair enough. But if you don’t give me more after hearing what I have to say, you’d better sleep with your eyes open."

  Jack began, his tone shifting to one of careful narration. "A few months ago, the owner of this guild gathered a bunch of people, including that redhead woman you saw earlier. We went there several times, but it was more of a preparation. Food was sorted, beds, and every other amenity. “At first, we took it for no more than a simple hiding place. Yet as the days passed, the purpose grew plain—this was no mere refuge. The one who kept it was waiting, and by the food laid in and renewed, it was clear they expected more than one.”

  The men at the table listened intently, though most of them only had a general understanding of the house. Jack, being closer to the action, had more specifics. He continued, "Then one night, the guild owner came during one of the expeditions. She got inside—"

  The cloaked man interrupted sharply, "She?"

  The men at the table exchanged uneasy glances. Jack’s face betrayed a flicker of regret—he had let too much slip. Some of the men stood up and left, wanting no part in whatever was unfolding.

  Revealing details about the house was one thing, but exposing the guild owner’s identity was another. Realizing his mistake, Jack pushed the money back toward the man and tried to leave, but the cloaked man’s intrigue only grew. Hearing that the owner was a woman had piqued his interest. He offered another pouch of money, and Jack’s eyes widened in a mix of greed and fear.

  Jack hesitated, but as the man grew more furious, he stood up, revealing a dagger hidden beneath his cloak. He pressed the blade discreetly to Jack’s side, not wanting to alarm anyone in the dimly lit tavern. "Let’s take this outside," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

  Jack hesitated, knowing that if he screamed for help, the people in the tavern would come rushing out, and Jana would surely hear about this. If she started asking questions, the other men at the table might easily sell him out for very little price.

  Outside, the cold night air did nothing to cool the tension. The man quickly pressed Jack against a wall, the dagger now at his throat. " Who is she?" the man demanded.

  Jack remained silent, his mind racing. The man pushed him harder against the wall, causing his cloak to fall back, revealing his face. For a moment, Jack’s fear turned to a strange kind of amusement. He let out a sarcastic, panicked laugh. "I always thought I’d meet an exceptional figure like you someday," Jack said, his voice dripping with irony. "Just didn’t think it’d be under these circumstances, Your Grace."

  The man’s eyes narrowed at the mention of his name. Jack knew the game had changed. Now, the man had very few choices—let Jack go, and risk him spreading word of his involvement in shady activities, causing a scandal, or try to eliminate the problem here and now. But Jack’s defiant smile grew. He knew that even if he gave up the information, the noble man in front of him couldn’t afford to let him live after seeing his face.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Jack, still pressed against the wall, looked the duke squarely in the eye, knowing full well the power had shifted. "What’s it going to be, Duke Edmund?" he taunted, his grin never faltering.

  The night was still young when Jana decided to head to the tavern to meet with the timekeepers. Her walk took longer than usual, each step a painful reminder of her injuries. With every stride, she found herself longing more for the comforts of home, the healing machines, and the swift transport she had once taken for granted. The rustic, uneven streets of the capital felt more unforgiving than ever.

  When she finally arrived at the tavern, she paused for a moment, hearing a faint rumbling noise from the side alley. Normally, Jana wasn’t one to investigate strange sounds, especially not at night when curiosity could be dangerous. But tonight, something nudged her to take a closer look. Quietly, she approached the alley, her senses on high alert.

  To her surprise, the alley was empty. Perhaps it was just a stray cat or some other harmless creature. She began to dismiss it as nothing more than her imagination playing tricks on her, but the unsettling feeling of being watched from the opposite direction made her instinctively turn back toward the tavern. She quickened her pace, a sense of urgency pushing her to get inside as quickly as possible.

  Once inside, the warmth and noise of the tavern provided some comfort. She greeted the familiar faces scattered around the room with a nod, her expression neutral as she made her way to the back, where the timekeepers were gathered.

  As she entered the room, she was met with the sight of her fellow timekeepers engaged in a heated discussion. They were arguing, their voices overlapping, filled with passion and conviction. It was a scene that could easily be mistaken for a family dispute—brothers and sisters in disagreement, each one fighting to be heard. The sight brought a small smile to Jana's lips, a moment of warmth amidst the chaos. And for a brief moment, the pain in her body and the unsettling events of the night faded away as she took comfort in the familiar bickering and banter of her fellow timekeepers.

  Elowen was the first to notice Jana as she entered the room. Concern etched on her face, she quickly took off her cloak and sat down as swiftly as she could manage, her movements stiff with pain. "Is a healer here?" Jana asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

  "Why? What happened?" Elowen asked, her concern deepening.

  Jana sighed, leaning back slightly in her chair. "Last night, I had an encounter with a dangerous client. He got violent when I couldn’t provide the information he wanted."

  Sergei, his interest piqued, leaned forward. "What information could that be?"

  Jana paused, choosing her words carefully. "Our presence here has been creating a significant butterfly effect. The information stored in the bracelet has been having a hard time updating without the orb’s connection. It seems that jewels from the previous royal family are being auctioned off at some illegal place, and this man wanted to know when and where."

  Thomas, the youngest of the group, looked up, fear evident in his eyes. "Does this mean that our understanding of the future is useless now?"

  Amina stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Not exactly. Some things may change, but that’s why we try to minimize our interactions to the bare minimum. The major historical events—those take more than just a conversation with a local baker to alter. So don’t worry too much about that."

  Hassan, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "But what does it mean that jewels from a high-ranking family, which were never lost, are suddenly being auctioned off?"

  The room fell silent, the gravity of Hassan’s question sinking in. Jana looked around at the others, her expression serious. "It means," she said slowly, "that we aren’t the only ones setting our lives in Valtoria."

  Hassan, finally giving his full attention to the gathering, stood up, his gaze intense as he looked directly at Jana. "Could it be," he began, his voice laced with suspicion, " that someone is trying to get our attention?"

  Thomas frowned, confusion plain on his face. “I don’t get it… who would want to draw attention like that?”

  Leon leaned forward, his tone steady and serious. “We’ve been trying to reach all the Timekeepers. We set up a network of frequencies that activates whenever someone enters our range. In those transmissions, we left clear instructions and meeting points so they could rejoin the village. If they’re in Valtoria, they should’ve received our signal. I don’t think they’d try to get your attention like this… unless they were against your leadership.”

  Amina, who had been quiet until then, nodded slowly. “It’s true there’s always been a lot of discord among the Timekeepers… and much of it was fueled by—” she hesitated, her words hanging for a moment, “—by your brother, Jade.”

  Hassan, seizing the moment, let a sharp edge creep into his voice as he turned to Jana. “Right. So what happened to your dear brother?”