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Graves, however, paused for quite a while before answering. “...Trade secret, I’m afraid. That’s not the type of information I’d like spread around.”

Zeff’s eye twitched. More secrets, eh? He wasn’t exactly surprised, but something in the back of his mind was bothering him. Maybe he could still push. “That’s fine. No specifics, then. Just tell me when you noticed we were here.” Half of those words didn’t even feel like his own. Were they moreso Axiolis’? What was this disquieted feeling in his gut?

“Even that would be giving away too much, I think,” said Graves.

“Oh, come now,” said Zeff. “Surely not.”

“I’m afraid so.”

Zeff’s jaw tensed.

And he realized what was bothering him so much, perhaps with Axiolis’ help.

Because the reaper could recall a very clear timeline of events.

The when, in this case, was actually quite important.

When the Triplets first arrived, they’d all been alone and deeply concealed. In fact, they’d been chosen for their mission specifically because of how unknown they were to the outside world. So it was virtually inconceivable that the Vangaurd could’ve sniffed them out, unless the Triplets themselves had let it slip.

But if that had been the case, then there would’ve been no “trade secrets” for Graves to be implying were at play here. No reason to hide anything.

Then the Triplets went to Miro and learned of the situation there, which prompted the Rainlords to send a few reinforcements, who were admittedly more recognizable than the Triplets but still trying to remain stealthy. Apart from one sketchy encounter with the RPMP, that team made no contact with any of the other forces in Ridgemark at the time--certainly not the Vanguard.

Then the skirmishing at Miro took place and they wrested the town from Abolish’s control. And since they hadn’t been able to achieve a decisive victory over Thaddeus Croll of Abolish, the team had been forced on the defensive in order to protect the Miroan civilians that they’d just rescued.

And it was during that time when the Blackburn Triplets had been redeployed elsewhere. Since they were not necessary for the defense of Miro, they were tasked with gathering information again.

Which was when Raul Blackburn had discovered the all-important intel that their captive kin were to be given away by the Vanguard.

So for any of this to make sense, Graves had to have learned of their presence before then, right? If it was the marshal’s intention all along that the Rainlords would discover the scheme and go rescue their kin, then he had to have known they were in the country before Raul discovered that intel.

And yet...