The violet raven remained on the rooftop for a long moment its wings folded its eyes glowing with sharp unnatural light Mila watched it carefully She whispered that ravens were often used by the Free Traders League as magical messengers but a violet raven meant something worse It meant surveillance

Rinna picked up a small stone and tossed it upward The raven dodged easily then released a harsh caw before dissolving into purple smoke leaving a faint rune trace on the wind Mila inhaled sharply and traced the shimmering residue with her fingers

This is a threat message she said quietly
Someone from the League is telling us they know about the council

Evan frowned
Or they know we gained Guild recognition

Loras shivered
Either way they are watching too closely

The air felt tight like strings pulling in opposite directions

Back at the main stall things were quiet Customers came and went normally but the feeling of being observed hovered like a heavy cloak Evan inspected every corner every rune line every door hinge He found no break ins but found faint traces of external magic near the window ledge The raven had landed there before Mila dispelled it

Rinna reinforced the stove again adding another protective layer Loras organized supply arrivals with extra caution Mila drew a detection grid above the door so any future surveillance would trigger a chime

Despite preparations Evan could not shake a persistent feeling something bigger was unfolding something orchestrated beyond simple sabotage

That feeling was confirmed at night

They were closing the stall when a young woman staggered up the street collapsing near their door Mila rushed to catch her The woman’s hands trembled uncontrollably She wore a merchant cloak torn at the edges and covered in dust

Evan and Rinna helped carry her inside They placed her on a bench Mila cast a calm spell easing her breathing The woman’s eyes opened slowly

You are Evan Hayes She whispered
You must listen

Evan stayed close
What happened Who are you

She swallowed hard
My name is Selra I worked for the Free Traders League Accounting Division I handled trade ledgers until I saw something I should not have seen

Rinna’s jaw tightened Mila held her hand trying to calm her

Selra continued
The League is planning something They call it Project Emberfall They want to destroy public trust in magical food systems They think if your brand collapses people will lose faith in standardized food and the Guild will lose support

Loras looked horrified
How Do they want to attack us again

Selra shook her head weakly
Worse They want to break the trust you built They plan to flood the city with unstable enchanted food Counterfeit Arcane Flavor boxes runes made to imitate yours but unstable then explosive They want accidents all across the city blaming them on your system

Evan felt the blood drain from his face
False flags

Selra nodded
If people believe your methods are dangerous they will reject Guild stabilization and return to old chaotic methods The League thrives in chaos

Mila exhaled sharply
That means people could get injured

Selra’s voice cracked
Yes and the League does not care They want economic collapse not stability They want fear

Evan grabbed Selra’s shoulder gently
Why did you come to us

She whispered
Because I want a world where rules matter where magic does not hurt people because someone is greedy I saw your presentation at the Guild I saw how you built systems not weapons I knew you were the only ones who could stop this

Rinna clenched her fists
What proof do you have

Selra pulled a small silver shard from her cloak The shard pulsed with violet runes
This is a fragment from their test batch They have already begun

Evan’s heart pounded
Where are they distributing this counterfeit

Selra whispered
Everywhere All districts in the city Some are disguised as street vendors some placed in supply carts some sent to households

Evan felt something inside him shift this was no longer competition not sabotage not even political attack This was an attack on the public using his brand as the weapon

He stood slowly his voice low and steady
We stop it Now

Mila looked at him
How It is city wide

Rinna began pacing
We need rune detectors that can identify counterfeit stabilization sequences We need the Guild’s enforcement division We need distribution maps

Loras nodded
And we need to warn the public without causing panic

Selra struggled to sit up
There is something else The League wants to test their operation tonight They will activate the first wave of fake runes at midnight If that happens we may not be able to control the damage

Evan took a deep breath
Then we have four hours

He turned to Mila
Prepare identification runes tuned to our authentic sequence Anything that does not match must be flagged

He turned to Rinna
Build portable detectors even if rough Handheld if possible

He turned to Loras
Alert the Riverbend Branch Lock down all supplies Check everything no exceptions

He finally looked at Selra
Tell us the distribution routes

Selra pulled a crumpled scroll from her cloak showing hand drawn maps Mila recognized two of the routes instantly They passed dangerously close to crowded markets

Evan’s voice sharpened
This is an attack on the entire city If the League thinks they can destroy trust in magic food we will show them what real structure looks like

They worked tirelessly Mila and Rinna crafting detectors Loras organizing a response grid Selra guiding them through route lines Evan preparing a statement for the Guild

Because tonight was not a battle for the brand
It was a battle for the safety of everyone

And Arcane Flavor would answer that call