Oath of Steel

17 |Outlander|

Ah, there had been a report she'd temporarily borrowed from Pharah's office regarding explosions, a small booklet filled with nothing but records featuring the different causes the investigating teams had found and transcribed during the course of the years.

It'd drawn her mind into a state of reverence mixed with a speck of riveting, torrid trepidation,  she'd nearly ripped out the page from the book to keep it to herself, a selfish possession she wanted to own alone.

"The environmental sounds can trigger certain reactions if exposed to its reactive agents for a prolonged period of time," judging by the look on Grey's face she knew she was on the right track.

What had been the trigger? The final drop that'd made the vase overflow with death and tears.

Claire Adeine had been recognized, of course prior to her unrightful demise, as a musical genius with an unparalleled voice. She could reach notes that no other singers could even remotely phantom touch, all while enchanting her crowd with her lovely looks.

Something seemed to click inside Rosalynde's head, eyes widening as her mind got hooked on a particular though.

Why hadn't the jewel exploded at the very start of the performance? If it really was related to the pitch of her voice it should have set it off from the start. No, it had indeed activated at the start of her performance, but it'd taken time for it to load completely.

"Her pitch range, the jewel accumulated the soundwaves Adeline released when she sung, and only at the end, when she ended the Act with that long high note, that the mechanism was fully triggered," Rosalynde slowly said, rewinding her own words as she reconsidered them attentively .

Claire Adeline had unknowingly sung to her death.

"What a smart way they found to end her," Steel could only appreciate the modus operandi Verity had used to kill her, earning a look full of disapproval from Grey towards her seated figure.

"But how did you find the ends of this intricate thread?" She asked with a subtle hint of surprise.

"I asked," here was something hidden in between his words, something she wanted to unmask with her mind alone.

"Oh? Did you now?" The smile she gave him nearly made Grey's blood freeze below zero.

"Indeed, I simply cornered the worker that gave her the headpiece. Captured him on a ship that was going to set sail for the Detrian Republic. It's amazing how money can make people change their mind, just a few golden coins and his wife had already ratted him out. Caught him just in time," he stated, with Rosalynde weighing his words before a formed sentence materialized inside her mind.

"Did the Republic agree to it?"

Because if the answer would have been yes, then the cards would have been mixed again.

"I have the document here." Her figure froze at those words, her eyes finding his as they exchanged a look filled with a newfound knowledge that'd just made everything plunge into a new ocean filled with nothing but incertitude.

The Detrian Republic never granted political asylum without gaining something from it, just like the Rowlian Empire did, except not without a good backing reason to sustain those who crossed the borders.

His safety in exchange for the secrets he was going to carry with him inside the enemy's country, a fair deal without a single doubt.

"You're saying that the Detrian Republic has a connection with Verity," She voiced out the words he'd been subtly pushing her to say in his stead.

His gray eyes thinned as a small smile graced his lips.

"Well, it surely looks that way. The man is currently under my custody. If you want to pay him a visit then will be my guest, tell me when and I'll personally lead you to him." He assured her with his inscrutable gaze, making Rosalynde agree with a curt nod of the head.