(Aria)
I found Kael in his office, going over reports with Rowan, Cassian, and Thorne. They looked up as I entered, and Kael’s eyes met mine immediately. He could tell something was wrong without a word.
"Kael," I said, holding the clipboard with the supply counts. "We have a serious problem."
He stood and motioned for me to continue. Rowan, Cassian, and Thorne leaned closer, curious.
"The grain and preserved meat," I began. "The numbers do not match our records. Last month we had fifty bags of grain. I counted only thirty-seven."
Kael’s expression darkened. "Thirty-seven?" he repeated. "That is a large difference."
"It is," I said. "I double-checked. Then I found that some of the supplies were moved to another section. They are sitting on the floor where moisture is seeping in. Some
