LOGINSELENEI had intended to leave that morning.My bag was already packed, resting beside the chair in the room Merryn had offered me. I had spent months following records, chasing names, and searching for the people responsible for destroying my family. Every new discovery had brought me closer to the truth, but none had brought my father back or restored what the Council had taken from us.I had told myself that finding the truth was enough.Apparently, I had been lying to myself.“Merryn?”I looked up. She stood in the doorway holding two cups of tea.“You’re awake early,” she said.“So are you.”“I wanted to check on Tomas before breakfast.”She placed a cup on the table, then glanced at my bag.“Are you going somewhere?”I considered pretending I hadn’t packed it.“I was thinking about returning to my investigation.”“Your investigation?”“My father’s records. The Council. Dominion. All the things we haven’t uncovered yet.”Merryn pulled out the chair opposite me. “And when were you
SELENEI had intended to leave that morning.My bag was already packed, resting beside the chair in the room Merryn had offered me. I had spent months following records, chasing names, and searching for the people responsible for destroying my family. Every new discovery had brought me closer to the truth, but none had brought my father back or restored what the Council had taken from us.I had told myself that finding the truth was enough.Apparently, I had been lying to myself.“Merryn?”I looked up. She stood in the doorway holding two cups of tea.“You’re awake early,” she said.“So are you.”“I wanted to check on Tomas before breakfast.”She placed a cup on the table, then glanced at my bag.“Are you going somewhere?”I considered pretending I hadn’t packed it.“I was thinking about returning to my investigation.”“Your investigation?”“My father’s records. The Council. Dominion. All the things we haven’t uncovered yet.”Merryn pulled out the chair opposite me. “And when were you
MERRYNThe knock came before breakfast.Selene looked up from the intake ledger. “If that’s another representative with a title for you, I’m pretending we’re closed.”“Let them knock,” I said. “We have rules now.”When I opened the door, Tomas stood between his aunt and a broad-shouldered pack healer. The boy’s face was pale, and his fingers clutched the front of his shirt.“He had another episode,” his aunt said quickly. “Worse than the others.”The healer stepped forward. “His bond is collapsing. The pack elders have authorized a severance.”Tomas flinched. “I don’t want them to cut it.”“Then they shouldn’t,” I replied.The healer frowned. “You don’t understand what you’re dealing with. The bond was forced. It is tearing through his nervous system. He seized twice last night.”My attention returned to Tomas. “Are you hurting now?”He nodded, pressing a hand against his chest. “It feels like something is pulling me from the inside.”“Then come inside. Slowly.”His aunt followed us i
MERRYNThe first thing Selene did when we came upstairs was put the map back in its protective folder.“The house can wait,” she said. “The paperwork cannot.”I took the folder from her. “Then let’s make sure the future has a proper deed.”By midday, we were sitting across from a property solicitor in the nearby settlement. The solicitor, a woman named Mrs. Hensley, studied the title documents for several minutes before looking up.“There is an unresolved claim attached to the property,” she said. “It appears to have been raised years ago, then left inactive. I cannot advise you to purchase it until we establish whether the claimant has any surviving legal interest.”“Can I secure the property while the search is underway?” I asked.“Possibly. A temporary caretaker’s agreement would allow you to maintain and secure the buildings without transferring ownership. It would not give you the right to sell, alter the structure substantially, or exclude a lawful claimant.”“That sounds better
MERRYNThe first thing Selene did when we came upstairs was put the map back in its protective folder.“The house can wait,” she said. “The paperwork cannot.”I took the folder from her. “Then let’s make sure the future has a proper deed.”By midday, we were sitting across from a property solicitor in the nearby settlement. The solicitor, a woman named Mrs. Hensley, studied the title documents for several minutes before looking up.“There is an unresolved claim attached to the property,” she said. “It appears to have been raised years ago, then left inactive. I cannot advise you to purchase it until we establish whether the claimant has any surviving legal interest.”“Can I secure the property while the search is underway?” I asked.“Possibly. A temporary caretaker’s agreement would allow you to maintain and secure the buildings without transferring ownership. It would not give you the right to sell, alter the structure substantially, or exclude a lawful claimant.”“That sounds better
MERRYNThe staircase ended at a narrow door.Selene held the lantern higher while I examined the lock. My Eclipse mark had stopped glowing, but the warmth beneath my skin remained.“Before you open that,” Selene said, “I want you to promise me something.”I glanced at her. “What?”“If your mark reacts again, you tell me immediately. No pretending you’re fine, and no trying to force your power to reveal what’s down here.”“I promise.”“You said that very quickly.”“Would you prefer a written contract?”“Actually, given your history with contracts, perhaps not.”I gave her a look, and she smiled.Then I turned the handle.The door opened.Inside was a small underground room with shelves along two walls, a wooden desk, and several storage chests. Unlike the rooms upstairs, everything had been arranged carefully. Dust covered the furniture, but the papers were protected inside sealed containers.Someone had prepared this place to survive.I stepped inside.“Look at the desk,” Selene said.







