The next day, Finn and Risa resume their training at the same place, while Nyx curls up in the corner with his nose buried in a book.

  Sariah arrives, carrying their belongings. “Finn, Risa, Nyx! There you are. Perrin said I’d find you here. Brings back memories—this is where Sir Gerard used to train me too.”

  “Hi Sariah! Do knights train here as well?” Risa pauses her spellcasting, tilting her head.

  “Not usually,” Sariah replies. “We’ve got our own training grounds, but some of us come here for special sessions when the others are full.”

  Finn checks his bag. The locator, notebook, magic vaults, stones, condiments, map… all intact. “Thanks for bringing these.”

  Sariah smiles. “Are you three hungry? My treat for lunch—fancy a break?”

  As soon as she mentions food, Risa’s stomach growls. That’s all the answer they need.

  The tavern is just steps away from the Hunters' Guild. “This one’s our favourite,” Sariah says as they approach. “Their beef stew is incredible.”

  It’s packed since it’s lunch hour, but they only wait a few minutes before being seated.

  Once they’ve ordered, Finn lowers his voice. “Any luck with the captives? Said anything yet?”

  “They’re tough,” Sariah sighs. “Still haven’t talked.”

  “Even Gerard couldn’t get them to speak?”

  She shakes her head. “He’s trying, but I’m worried about the kids. We’re running out of time.”

  The food arrives, steaming and fragrant. They waste no time, spoons diving in. Each bite of the stew is warm and satisfying, just what they craved.

  Sariah finishes first, downs her soup, and wipes her mouth. “Duty calls—I’ve got to head back to interrogation.” She pays the bill and hurries off.

  “Whew,” Risa leans back, satisfied. “Best meal I’ve had since Mistwood.”

  “I thought the same. How about you, Nyx?” Finn asks.

  The boy keeps his deadpan expression, but crumbs linger on the edge of his lips. “Can I have one more?”

  Finn and Risa burst out laughing. Just as Finn raises a hand to call the waitress, something catches his eye—Daisy, sitting alone in the corner of the tavern.

  She’s cloaked, hood drawn low. Without a keen eye, she’s easy to miss. Bren’s not with her, and her food remains untouched. She’s staring blankly at the steam rising from her bowl.

  “Nyx,” Finn whispers, “recognise her? Bren’s wife?”

  Nyx nods.

  Strange. She hasn’t noticed them. Or perhaps she’s just... elsewhere, lost in thought. Her fidgeting and unease say she’s not here for the food. She’s waiting for someone.

  “Let’s slip out quietly,” Finn murmurs. “See who she’s meeting.”

  Risa and Nyx nod. As always, they trust him without question.

  They leave through the opposite side of the tavern to avoid catching Daisy’s eye. There’s only one entrance and exit, so all they need to do is watch the door.

  A nearby tavern offers a perfect view. They sit by the window. Risa, whom Daisy wouldn’t recognise, takes the centre seat facing out, with Finn and Nyx on either side.

  Time drags on. By their third cup of coffee, Daisy finally steps out—still alone.

  “She never met the person she was waiting for. Quick—let’s follow.”

  Finn tosses a few coins on the table and slips out. They keep a safe distance, and when the streets clear, he casts a masking spell around them.

  “She’s heading near the prison,” Finn murmurs.

  Daisy slows, pacing near the prison’s entrance. When someone exits, she doesn’t approach; instead, she hides behind a tree.

  “If she were visiting someone, wouldn’t she just walk in?” Risa whispers.

  “Unless the person she’s waiting for isn’t supposed to be seen with her,” Finn says. “Stay here. If I signal, find Sariah or Gerard. Let them handle it.”

  They nod. Risa casts a masking spell over herself and Nyx as Finn drops his own and approaches Daisy from behind.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  “Here to visit someone?”

  Daisy jumps and gasps, then relaxes slightly. “Oh! It’s you, Mr Finn… What a coincidence.”

  But she looks more frightened than surprised.

  Finn smiles gently. “Good to see you again, Madam Daisy. I’m sorry we didn’t get to say goodbye properly after you hosted us. Is Bren not with you? Here to visit someone?”

  Her tension spikes. “No! Just passing through. My friend’s waiting. I really must go.”

  She turns quickly, trying to walk away. Finn waits until she’s just about to vanish from view, then signals Risa and Nyx to report to the knights before recasting his masking spell and tailing her.

  He moves silently. Daisy glances around now and then, but he stays hidden.

  Soon, she slips past the town gates.

  “She’s not going back to the village…?”

  From beneath her cloak, she pulls out a message pigeon, which is a magical construct that delivers letters to marked destinations. She’s about to release it.

  Not a chance.

  Finn darts forward and conjures a vine. It wraps around the pigeon mid-air, halting its flight.

  Daisy spins around, startled. Seeing Finn, she tries to run—but he’s faster. Another vine binds her legs, and she stumbles.

  “Let me go! Why are you doing this?” she screams.

  “I’m sorry, but I’ve been following you since the tavern. I need to see what’s in that letter.”

  He retrieves the pigeon and pulls the letter from its claws.

  C and R captured.

  Last 3 children in Sanctuary.

  S told me to wait.

  He looks at her, voice steady. “I think you have some explaining to do to the knights.”

  —

  Finn now sits in the interrogation room, not as a suspect but shoulder to shoulder with Gerard. Daisy sits across, her gaze fixed on the letter splayed across the table.

  “You’re now under suspicion of being involved in kidnapping the children,” Gerard begins. “Speak, if you want to clear your name.”

  “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she snaps, hands trembling.

  “Explain this line: ‘Last 3 children in Sanctuary.’” Gerard presses.

  “I don’t know!” She tries to stand, but a binding spell holds her down.

  “Bring in the two captives,” Gerard orders. Guards enter, dragging them in.

  Without the knights' support, they’d collapse. Their eyes are sunken, lips cracked. No visible wounds on the surface, but their robes are soaked in dried blood. They’re hollow—soulless.

  Daisy’s eyes welled with tears. She turns to Gerard, voice sharp. “What did you do to them?!”

  “They’ve been denied food, water, and sleep for three days. If you want to help them, speak now.”

  Her stare is furious. If looks could kill, Gerard would be turned into ashes.

  Then finally, she whispers, “It’s the same…”

  “We can’t speak. If we do… we die.”

  Gerard and Finn exchange glances. Finn gently offers, “You can write instead.”

  He slides over pen and paper. She hesitates, then shakes her head.

  She glances at the captives—lingering on the mage—then lowers her gaze. Pale.

  She clenches her jaw. “If… if I tell you, can you spare them?”

  “We can’t release them,” Gerard replies. “But we can keep them alive and protected.”

  He then removes the binding spell from her hands.

  Daisy stares down and slowly picks up the pen.

  Bren is not a part of us. And Rafe is my younger brother. He’s my family. Please… save him.

  Gerard nods.

  She lets out a slow breath and presses on.

  Every child has been purified through the rituals and delivered to the envoys of the God.

  “Cleansed?” Finn echoes.

  Body. Spirit. Soul.

  Gerard’s brow furrows. “Then… only three survived?”

  A beat of silence.

  The ritual was interrupted. Yet their souls and spirits will not return.

  Their bodies linger, nothing more than hollow vessels.

  Then that means… they have interrupted the rituals halfway, but the rest of the children still stripped of their bodies. That’s why they haven’t found them!

  “Is there any way to bring their souls back to their bodies?” Finn asks.

  She shakes her head.

  Their souls have been devoured by the envoys of the God.

  When Daisy tries to keep writing, her hand begins to tremble. Her breathing grows ragged. One hand grips her chest as if to steady the weight pressing down on her.

  “Who are the envoys of God?” Gerard asks, voice low but firm. He’s not letting the moment slip—not with their only lead right in front of them.

  Her fingers twitch, struggling to guide the pen. Still, she manages to scrawl a single word: Predators.

  They are not there yet. They haven’t asked about the true culprit.

  “Who is S?” Finn and Gerard speak in unison, urgency crackling between them.

  Daisy gasps. Her eyes flick up to meet theirs, wide and uncertain. The pen slips from her grasp and clatters onto the floor. Her lips part—she’s about to speak—

  Rafe stirs from his slumber, stretches out a hand, and hushes her with a gentle, desperate, 'N–no…' His voice is soft, barely audible, but the effect is instant. Daisy flinches back into silence, as if waking from a trance.

  And then—too late.

  Daisy coughs violently, and blood spills from her mouth. She clutches her chest as agony seizes her, buckling her to the ground.

  “Big sis!” Rafe’s eyes go wide. He throws himself forward, crawling to her side. The knights tense, ready to hold him back, but Gerard lifts a hand to stop them.

  Daisy’s vision clouds. Only Rafe’s voice breaks through the haze. She reaches out, and Rafe grasps her hand with trembling fingers.

  “Sorry, Rafe… and please… tell Bren I’m sorry too…” More blood pours from her lips.

  Her eyes flutter closed. Her head slumps.

  Rafe aches to cradle her, to draw her near. His arms tremble, heavy with exhaustion, yet he will not surrender. With trembling resolve, he gathers her close, tears shimmering as silence engulfs them.