Evening settled gently over Edo.

  The st golden rays of the sun slid over the rooftops, bathing the world in warm light before the night took hold— and with it, Tessa’s next move began.

  The Watcher in the Trees High above, hidden in the shadows of ancient trees, Tessa y sprawled across a thick branch. Motionless—like a predator waiting patiently for its prey.

  Her glowing eyes followed every movement of the young priestess as she slowly left the shrine.

  Miko moved cautiously, her steps careful, as if listening to every whisper of the wind. Fear clung to her movements— but not the paralyzing terror of prey. It was a quiet, reverent kind of fear.

  Curiosity tinged every gnce she cast over her shoulder— as though she hoped to catch one st glimpse of the divine presence she had encountered the night before.

  Tessa grinned. "She hasn’t forgotten me," she murmured.

  Mike sighed in her mind. "Of course not. You presented yourself like some ancient goddess. Believe me, that sort of thing sticks."

  Tessa watched until Miko finally disappeared among the houses. Then she sank back thoughtfully onto the branch.

  "Mike, I want to know more," she said quietly. "What she thinks. What she pns. What’s happening in the vilge."

  Mike didn’t need long to think. His voice buzzed eagerly through her mind.

  "Then we need a way to eavesdrop."

  He practically beamed: "Tessa, remember the communication crystals in Conan Exiles?"

  Tessa raised an eyebrow. "Those things you used to send messages across half the map?" "Exactly! But think bigger," Mike said excitedly. "Not just hearing—but sensing movements. Picking up conversations. A magical surveilnce system!"

  Tessa licked her lips slowly. A dangerous smile spread across her face.

  "I like the way you think."

  Mike chuckled. "Imagine it: little crystals, hidden throughout the vilge. Every step, every whispered word—ours."

  Tessa was already convinced. "Then let’s begin," she said.

  Forging the Eye Back in her cave, hidden deep within the woods, Tessa sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor. The darkness wrapped around her like a protective cloak, broken only by the occasional drip of water from the ceiling.

  She closed her eyes. Felt the magic rise inside her. Her hands glowed faintly as she shaped and condensed the energy.

  Tiny crystals grew from nothing between her fingers— delicate, almost transparent, threaded through with faint, pulsing veins of light.

  Each one no rger than a marble—perfect for hiding.

  Tessa lifted one crystal and turned it slowly between her fingers. Its surface felt alive, vibrating quietly in her hand.

  A slow smile crept across her face. "These little things are going to give us quite the advantage," she murmured.

  Mike whistled appreciatively. "You’re getting scary good at this espionage business."

  Tessa ughed softly. "I prefer the term divine foresight."

  Pnting the Crystals The night hung heavily over Edo as Tessa slipped silently from her cave. Her camoufge spell rendered her invisible to human eyes— a shadow among shadows.

  Each step was measured. Each breath controlled.

  Her first target: the shrine.

  Carefully, she affixed a crystal behind a wooden pilr, hidden perfectly in the py of light and shadow. From here, she would hear every prayer, every whispered confession.

  Next, she moved toward the steward’s house. Himoto Akizuki was a sharp man—and knowing his pns meant power.

  Tessa slipped another crystal beneath the eaves, concealed among the beams.

  Her final target was the main street. Beneath one of the nterns, between cobblestones and dust, she pced another crystal. It would capture every movement, every murmured conversation, every secret meeting.

  Each hiding pce was chosen with perfect precision. None of the crystals would be found by accident.

  Mike observed through her senses, murmuring admiringly: "You’re damn good at this."

  Tessa smiled, pleased. "I’m a goddess, Mike. And a goddess must know everything that happens in her domain."

  Becoming the Eye Back in her cave, Tessa sat down again, cross-legged on the stone. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply— and opened her mind.

  Suddenly, she was everywhere.

  Whispering voices brushed her consciousness. The soft shuffle of feet on stone. The crackle of mp oil burning in nterns.

  The shrine. The steward’s house. The streets of Edo.

  The vilge breathed— and Tessa heard every single breath.

  A satisfied smile pyed across her lips. "Now," she whispered, "the true game begins."

  End of Chapter 27