LOGINEvander’s POVThe approval arrived shortly after noon.I read it twice before handing it to my assistant.“The King’s administration has granted access,” I said.“Full access?”“Limited access to the surviving audit summary and its supporting administrative records. The appendix remains subject to separate review.”He looked at the authorization.“That’s more than we had yesterday.”“It’s enough to begin.”I had requested the earlier audit after discovering that Blackstone’s external correspondence had been examined years before. Until now, I hadn’t known what prompted that examination or whether it had anything to do with Elowen’s records.The approval gave me an opportunity to find out. The archive custodian, Maera, was waiting when I arrived.“Your authorization has been verified,” she said. “You may review the audit summary and the documents listed under its reference.”“Does that include the original findings?”“The surviving summary and selected supporting records. The individua
Kaelith’s POVI heard about Elowen’s interview from Evander.He didn’t tell me what she had said in detail, only that she had remembered something about the medical examination at Blackstone.“She gave you more information?” I asked.“A little.”“Was it useful?”“It may be. I’m still checking whether her memory matches the surviving records.”I nodded.There was another question I wanted to ask, but I held it back.What had the examiner asked her? What had she remembered? Had she mentioned anything about her wolf?I could have asked Evander for the details. I could have approached Elowen myself.But she had already spent enough time answering questions about the worst period of her life.“Does she know you’re looking into the new information?” I asked.“She knows. I told her what I could confirm and what remains uncertain.”“And you didn’t ask her to remember anything else?”“No. She told me what she could.”“That was the right decision.”Evander gave me a brief look.“I thought you’d
Elowen’s POVEvander didn’t bring a stack of papers when he came to see me.That was the first thing I noticed.He carried a single folder and left it closed on the table between us.“Am I being questioned again?” I asked.“No. I wanted to speak with you privately.”“About Blackstone?”“Yes.”I sat opposite him, keeping my hands in my lap.He glanced at the folder but didn’t open it.“I’ve found some additional information about the medical examination you mentioned.”“The one with the narrow window?”“Possibly. I can’t confirm it’s the same examination yet.”I nodded.“What did you find?”“A medical report was sent outside Blackstone through an administrative office that no longer exists. There was also an external inquiry about your condition during your imprisonment.”I looked at him.“Someone asked about me?”“Someone requested information. We haven’t identified who.”“Did they say why?”“No. The original report is missing.”I looked towards the window.For a moment, I remembered
Evander’s POVThe authorization had arrived three days after I submitted the petition to the King’s administration.It granted me access to the surviving records of the discontinued Special Administrative Liaison office, with one condition: I was to examine only materials relevant to the Blackstone correspondence inquiry.I had no intention of requesting anything beyond that.The archive’s senior custodian, a woman named Maera, met me at the entrance to the restricted repository.“Your approval covers the procedure manuals, reporting registers, and surviving authorization records,” she explained. “Some files remain sealed.”“Are the sealed files connected to the office’s former operations?”“Some are. Others were transferred under separate classifications.”“Can I request access if I find a reference to them?”“You may submit a separate application. Approval is not guaranteed.”I handed her the authorization.“Let’s begin with what I am permitted to see.”She checked the document befo
Caelan’s POVI almost cancelled the meeting twice.The first time was when I saw Seraphine coming down the staircase. The second was when Mother asked whether Elowen would be joining us.“She hasn’t been invited,” I said.Mother stopped halfway into the sitting room. “Why not?”“Because this meeting concerns the investigation. Evander hasn’t asked her to attend, and I don’t intend to make her sit through another discussion about what happened to her.”Mother looked at me for a moment before taking her seat.Seraphine entered a few seconds later, followed by Draven. Neither of them spoke until everyone had settled.I remained standing.“Evander has found more irregularities.”Draven folded his arms. “Which ones?”“Both the original case and Elowen’s prison records.”Seraphine glanced at me. “What kind of irregularities?”“The original evidence review is still missing. The supplementary witness statement was excluded from the main file, and the final record doesn’t contain the notation
Evander’s POVThe two records had been filed in different sections of the archive.That was the first thing I noticed.One was the dispatch entry confirming that Elowen’s medical report had been sent outside Blackstone. The other came from the prison correspondence register, a record of external inquiries made during her imprisonment.I placed them side by side.The entries carried different dates, but both contained the same administrative reference.I checked the numbers again, then called my assistant.“Bring me the original correspondence register, not the summary.”He glanced at the documents. “You found something?”“Possibly.”He leaned closer.“Look at these references. They lead to the same discontinued office.”“Does that mean the same person requested the medical report and the earlier information about her?”“No. It means both requests passed through the same administrative channel. We still don’t know who initiated them.”“Could it have been a routine prison matter?”“Then







