The following morning brought disappointing but unsurprising news: Daedric had denied our request to investigate beneath the trapdoor.
"Family secrets and ancient traditions," Magnus reported with a wry twist to his lips. "Apparently, the chamber contains sacred artifacts dating back to the palace's founding, too delicate and spiritually significant to be viewed by outsiders."
"You don't believe him," I said. It wasn't a question.
"I believe he's hiding something," Magnus replied. "Whether it's what we suspect or something else entirely remains to be seen."
Our team was reassigned to investigate the palace's eastern supply storage—a seemingly mundane task that left me bristling with frustration. If Daedric thought busy work would deter us, he'd seriously underestimated our determination.
