That very same night, Valis went to the cliff. Below, waves crashed against the rocks with a roar, and he could taste the salt of the sea on his lips. The ocean was in turmoil, just like his heart. This place was slowly becoming one of his favorites. Somewhere out there ahead, far beyond the horizon, lay his home, Eldermere, hidden from sight. He would return there soon, but for now, he had to close the chapter he had begun.

Once again, his thoughts strayed toward Raven. He decided to change his tactics. This encounter had left him unsatisfied, with this dark-haired prince slipping awa,y leaving him with more questions than answers. Next time, he had to draw closer, squeeze much more out of him; otherwise, the whole game would become meaningless.

'I need to seduce him,' he resolved. This required a different mask, one of naivety, delicate and convincing, soft enough to lure Raven into lowering his guard, so that in the end, Raven himself would whisper all the secrets into his ear by his own choice. It would be better to play the role of an innocent than that of a shameless plaything of the night.

Valis looked out at the sea and saw the merchant vessel no more than a nautical mile from the shore, surrounded by a small storm. Just like before, he had shown a shred of mercy; allowing the crew to escape into their lifeboats before letting the waves claim their ship. Another Ladven cargo ship was sent to the depths. The sea swallowed it whole with a quiet splash. From now on, he intended to sink more and more of their vessels, leaving only a few untouched so as not to raise suspicion.

'What if I started retrieving those treasures from the ocean floor?' Valis smiled to himself, pleased with his own idea. 

For a moment, he wondered what the crates arriving from Eldermere might contain. Were they nothing more than ordinary goods, or perhaps some weapons? Or maybe maps showing the positions of armies, even coded letters?
If he could recover such things, each sunken ship would become another dagger in his hand. Gold was useful, but secrets carried far greater weight. Secrets could bring the Ladven family to its knees with a single stroke.

Now he just needed the right vessel.

...

A few days later, Mike Morn visited the guild. He entered the building with the characteristic thud of his heavy boots. He smelled of grease and sea salt, like any man from the port.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Valis, wearing his black mask, greeted him in a calm yet firm tone. He gave a slight smile, as if the meeting were nothing more than a friendly chat. "I won't beat around the bush. I want to buy something from you."

Mike squinted and instinctively stroked his mustache.
"Buy something?" he repeated slowly, "Alright, Valen. I'm interested. What can I do for you?"

Valis leaned closer, as though sharing some kind of secret.
"A ship. I need a vessel."

A brief silence fell. The shipyard owner leaned back on the sofa, making the leather creak.
"A ship, you say..." he muttered, as if thinking about the request. "And what kind exactly?"

"One with a large hook at the stern, capable of lifting heavy loads," he said slowly, "Or a magnet. A huge magnet. Actually... Ideally, both, so I can pull something up to the surface with the magnet, then haul it onto the deck with the hook."

Mike raised an eyebrow.
"A magnet?" he asked, half mocking, half intrigued. "Hmm... few people ask for such things. What exactly do you need it for?

Valis spread his hands with casualness.
"Let's just say that sometimes things fall into the water, and I like to reclaim my treasures."

The older man nodded, but his gaze clearly showed he didn't entirely believe him.
"And what weight are you expecting on that hook?"

'How much can a standard cargo crate weigh?' he cleared his throat and continued,
"About two tons. We recently lost a shipment in the bay, but I know exactly where it is, so I want to recover it."

Mike folded his arms, as if it helped him think.
"Two tons..." he repeated, then sighed. "One of the ships I repaired recently has a place for a hook, maybe even a magnet. But it's an old fishing cutter. Hardly something I'd want sailing under my company's banner."

"That doesn't matter," Valis interrupted, smiling warmly. "It's more than enough for our needs. How much will it cost, and how soon can you make the modifications?"

Mike exhaled slowly and answered,
"The whole job won't be more than three hundred gold coins. But the refitting... four months."

Val immediately furrowed his brow.
"That long?"

"Unfortunately. The House of Ladven has lost several ships lately in some strange string of misfortunes. The queue is long," the shipyard owner shrugged, as if there was nothing he could do.

Valis adopted a look of sympathy, though inside he was barely holding back a chuckle.
"What a tragedy... Do you know how many they've ordered?"

"Four," Mike said, tapping his finger on the table. "And they claim they won't lose any more. After all, who could be unlucky enough to lose five ships in just a few weeks?"

Val almost laughed out loud. He forced himself to keep a serious expression.

He leaned in again, lowering his voice almost to a whisper.
"And what if... in exchange for an extra fee and a ten percent discount on your next two orders... could we not move our modifications to the top of the list?" Valis asked casually, though he was curious to see if Mike would accept. In the trade, the man was known as a professional with an impeccable work ethic. Would he allow someone to jump the line?

The older man looked at him for a long moment, stretching the silence so Valis couldn't be sure what the answer would be. Finally, a broad smile spread across his face.
"But of course. Not a problem. I greatly value our cooperation, Valen."

...

After the meeting, Valis removed his mask and withdrew to his office. He was thinking about a new purchase and wondering who could be trusted enough to operate the boat and sail with him across the ocean. After a moment's reflection, he decided there was only one choice. Adam. That man was the sole confidant who knew they were on a secret mission after all.

After a moment, he heard a knock at the door.
"Boss, we have a new client," Reggie's voice called from the doorway.
"I'll be there in a moment," Valis replied without looking up.

There was a pause, then Reggie added, his tone more cautious,
"...It's someone from the Ladven family."

"Ah, I see..." Valis responded. "Actually... I think I need to rest instead, I'm not feeling well. Tell the esteemed guest to return another time."

He leaned back into the deep cushions of his chair, with a trace of amusement tugging at his lips until it spread into a wide smile.
"It seems the fish has taken the bait."

Every move the House of Ladven made, every attempt to probe or challenge him, would only drag them further into the net he had cast. The smile on his face deepened until it resembled something closer to a beast baring its teeth.