Diphus snatched the contract from Quintelle's hands, his eyes scanning the document with disbelief. "This has to be forged, right?" he said, his voice tinged with desperation.
Mark pointed to the seal at the edge of the paper. "No, sir. That's the seal of Jule Malakar, head of the intelligence unit."
Quintelle's mind raced. 'So they secured imperial protection for themselves.'
It was a brilliant move for a low-ranking sun wielder like Baines, just like what happened in the empire's academy. Any rising star without a backing was bound to pummel in time. But now, with the protection of the largest family they could ever get, it was no longer a mere venture.
"Let's go, Diphus. We're done here," she said, her tone clipped.
"I'll see you out," Mark offered, his calm, unshaken. He escorted the siblings to the exit, exchanging a brief glance with the front-desk admin before they resumed their duties.
***
