Finn now sits outside the interrogation room: the same one they brought him to on his first day in Narfolk.

  Inside the room, Gerard leans forward. “Where are the rest of the children?” he presses. He’s asked this question more times than he can count, each time met with the same hollow silence.

  It’s the second day of questioning. Under Gerard’s orders, the guards have been deprived of magic vault, sleep, food, and water. They were relentlessly interrogated in separate rooms by different knights. Their robes cling to them in cold sweat; their eyes are glassy, and their reactions slow, stretched thin by mental and physical exhaustion.

  They’ve shifted from wild denial to numb silence.

  The knights had scoured their lair top to bottom. Traces of their lives were all that remained. No signs of the missing children, as if the little ones had simply vanished.

  And the longer they hold their tongues, the more time slips away… and the more danger the children are likely in.

  Eventually, Gerard ends the session and hands things over to his subordinate knights. He steps out of the room, the door closing behind him with a dull thud.

  “Still not getting anything out?” Finn asks.

  Gerard shakes his head.

  Finn adjusts his cloak. “Heading to the Sanctuary? I want to check on Sariah and the kids too. And Risa.”

  Gerard nods.

  “They’re still not talking,” Finn mutters. “Any clue on the red light Nyx mentioned? Something to do with how they moved the children?”

  “I gave it a second thought,” Gerard says, walking in step. “If they used something to transport the children, why take only some and leave the rest behind? It doesn’t add up.”

  Finn frowns. The question gnaws at him, too. And then there’s Isalyn, worshipped like a god. No one here knows who the lady in the picture is, so he keeps it to himself. He’ll bring it up with Syl when he reaches the capital.

  They stop by the infirmary first, where Sariah is receiving treatment for the knockout.

  “I’m fine,” she says, sitting upright. “Let’s visit the rescued children together.”

  The three of them head to the children’s ward. The young ones lie in clean beds, still as statues. No wounds. Breathing normally. But none of them has regained consciousness.

  The priests and nuns have tried every healing method; herbs, magic, chants… but there’s been no change. It’s as if their souls are… absent.

  Finn watches one of the boys, his face peaceful but distant. “Have either of you heard the theory that humans are made of body, spirit, and soul?”

  Gerard and Sariah exchange a glance and nod.

  “Some renowned alchemists studied this,” Finn continues. “The body interacts with the material world. The body houses the soul—our true self. And spirit is our conscience. In Sanctuary terms… the body links to world-consciousness, the spirit holds divine-consciousness, and the soul—memory.”

  Isalyn’s voice resurfaces in his memory, her words clear as day.

  “Looking at these children… their souls and spirits… gone.”

  Silence settles as the thought sinks in.

  Sariah finally speaks. “We’ve never thought of it that way. It’s… disturbing, but not impossible.”

  Gerard folds his arms. “What about Nyx? Has anything affected him?”

  “I checked,” Finn replies. “We got there in time. They didn’t have a chance to perform their ritual on him. He’s with my comrade in the Sanctuary. Want to come with me?”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Gerard shakes his head. “I need to check on the other captive.” Sariah, however, is eager to tag along.

  They make their way to the private healing chamber.

  “Risa, how have you been?” Finn knocks gently before stepping in, Sariah following close behind.

  The private room is modest with one bed instead of the usual six, and a small washroom attached for privacy. Risa had been isolated here as a suspect, but with the truth of the cult now exposed, that worry no longer lingers.

  Nyx sits by her bedside, holding Cocoa quietly in his arms.

  “Finn!” Risa beams. She shifts to sit up, but Finn gently eases her back.

  “Whoa, slow down. No need to bounce out of bed.”

  “I’ve been going stir-crazy in here! They won’t let me go anywhere! Luckily they brought Nyx to me yesterday,” she pouts.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Good as new! I’m ready for magic training anytime,” she says proudly, tapping her chest.

  It’s Finn’s first time seeing her since the cave incident. Relief washes over him at the brightness of her energy. Her smile cuts through the lingering weight of that haunting painting.

  Sariah steps forward with a grin. “Hi Risa, I’m Sariah. One of the knights working with Finn on the kidnapping case.”

  “Nice to meet you!” Risa shakes her hand enthusiastically. “Nyx told me a bit. You guys really went through hell, didn’t you? Are both of you fine?”

  “Finn and I are all right,” Sariah nods. “I only sustained a few scratches. The priest insisted I stay for observation.”

  As the conversation turns casual, Finn glances at Sariah. “If the priest agrees, Risa should be able to leave too, right?”

  “Definitely,” Sariah nods. “We’ve cleared your names from the investigation. Gerard and I will file the final report. You’ll be officially free in a few days.”

  “Good news then. We’ll wait for the priest’s word and head to an inn.”

  As expected, the priest finds Risa fully recovered and clears her for discharge. Sariah gets her own check-up done and is cleared as well.

  “I’ll bring you both to the inn,” she offers.

  Risa and Sariah quickly hit it off, diving into lively conversation while Finn and Nyx follow a step behind, silent shadows to their cheerful banter.

  “Perrin! Your guests are here!” Sariah announces as they enter the inn.

  “Coming!” A voice calls from the back, and the innkeeper appears. “Well, well, long time no see, Sariah. You here for drinks?”

  “I’ll pass.” She laughs. “They’re my friends. Finn, Risa, and Nyx. They’ll be staying here for a few nights. Put it on the knights’ tab.”

  Finn doesn’t argue. It’s the least they can do after wrongfully suspecting them.

  They’re given a triple room. Risa insists on staying with the group because she’s had enough of talking to herself in isolation.

  After settling in, Sariah prepares to leave. "I'll apply to have your confiscated belongings returned. I should be able to get them back by the day after tomorrow. Here, take some coins. Don’t worry, it's on the knights' tab."

  They thank her and see her off.

  Once alone, Finn gathers them on the floor. “Alright. Let’s go over everything that’s happened.”

  Risa starts. “I woke up two or three days ago. Nothing special happened while I was out—just meals, healing, boredom. I hated that room.”

  “Any discomfort?” Finn asks.

  “I’m fine, really. The priests said I’m good to go. Stop fussing.”

  He smiles and nods, then turns to Nyx. “How about you?”

  Nyx hugs Cocoa close. “Cocoa… not moving.”

  “We’ll figure it out once we get to the capital,” Finn reassures. He explains more of what happened to Risa.

  She listens intently, worry and gratitude flitting across her face. “Thank you… both of you. For saving me.”

  She gently strokes Cocoa. “We’ll bring you back, too.”

  “Anything else, Nyx?” Finn prompts.

  Nyx thinks. “Knights… outside the room. Gave food. Water. Asked me…”

  They wait.

  “…about Finn and Risa.”

  “What did you say?”

  Nyx shakes his head. “Didn’t.”

  Finn is grateful. Nyx’s silence likely spared him from revealing his true identity, but it also inadvertently led to them being wrongly accused.

  “Maybe we should come up with a story for Nyx to use next time,” Finn suggests. Risa agrees.

  “Now it’s my turn,” Finn says, launching into his tale, though he carefully skips over the part about Isalyn’s painting.

  When he finishes, Risa’s eyes are wide. “I wish I were there with you.”

  “You’ll get your chance,” Finn smiles.

  Her gaze drops. “I felt so helpless in the cave. I wanted to save you, but I ran away. I left you behind.”

  Before Finn can offer comfort, she lifts her head, her eyes blazing with new resolve.

  “That’s why I’ll get stronger. So I can protect the people I care about when danger comes.”

  The mood brightens in a heartbeat, and Finn grins. “Then I’ll be counting on you.”

  She laughs. “Leave it to…” She grabs Nyx’s hand and lifts it high. “...us!”