Mary gently placed a hand on Yalmier's shoulder, guiding him down the dimly lit corridor of the estate. His steps were hesitant, eyes flickering toward every shifting shadow. The flickering candlelight only added to the eerie silence surrounding them.

"You can relax, kid. No one's going to jump out at you."

Mary assured him with a light chuckle.

Yalmier nodded stiffly but didn't ease his wary posture. Mary observed him from the corner of her eye. He wasn't just scared; he was prepared—for what, she didn't know.

After a few turns, they reached a modest but cozy guest room. The wooden door creaked as Mary pushed it open. Inside was a neatly made bed, a small table with a flickering oil lamp, and a single window overlooking the quiet garden.

"This is your room. Stay put and try to get some rest. "I'll have someone bring you food."

Mary instructed firmly.

"Thank you."

Yalmier muttered, stepping inside but lingering near the door.

Mary hesitated. Something about his expression struck her as deeply sorrowful, but she decided against prying.

"Lock the door behind me. Don't open it unless it's one of us."

With a final nod, she left, the door clicking softly behind her.

The kid was left alone, and for the first time in forever, he felt as if he could breathe again, and he was finally free.

______

Back in the dimly lit study, Layla sat in a high-backed leather chair, fingers drumming thoughtfully against the polished oak desk. Her mind raced with possibilities.

"Is something bothering you? Anything I can help you with?"

Raziel's deep, calm voice pulled her from her musings.

Layla blinked at him before she sighed and replied to him.

"Something about this situation doesn't sit right. I know that kid did his best to tell us as much as he could, but the psychological trauma of what happened is keeping him bound.."

Raziel leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. His imposing frame cast a long shadow across the room.

"We can't ignore this. If someone's orchestrating 'accidents,' they're moving fast."

Raziel state. But despite him saying this, Layla noticed that he was not particularly invested in what he was saying. The only reason he seemed invested was because Layla was invested in this.

Layla nodded.

"But where do we even begin?"

Raziel's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"There have been rumors about Duke Lockhart's businesses making shady deals. Recently, an unknown benefactor supposedly funded one of his ventures. We might find something there."

Layla considered this. Duke Lockhart was known for his ruthlessness, but direct involvement in something this sinister would be bold, even for him.

"Then we start there. If Lockhart is involved, we'll need solid proof before making any moves. Besides, it might be fun to mess with him a little."

Layla had a plan now and Raziel seemed to be on the same page as him.

Raziel smirked.

"Good. I'll make the arrangements."

______

Miles away, in the bustling trade city of Calshire, Adam paced the cramped room of a run-down inn. His restless footsteps echoed against the creaky wooden floors.

"Rosette, this has gone on long enough."

His voice was sharp, frustration evident. Despite all his calmness, even he was getting frustrated with Rosette and her growing obsession with this search.

But the lady in question did not seem to want to head back. Rosette, seated by the window, didn't look up from the map she had spread across the table. Her fingers traced paths and routes with relentless focus.

"We can't stop now. I refuse to stop and let this change past my fingers."

Adam clenched his fists. "It's been days! You're chasing a ghost, wasting resources, putting us in danger. Just admit that you lost and head back."

"She's alive."

"I know. But that does not mean we need to burn ourselves searching for her."

Adam shook his head but didn't argue further. He had seen this determination before and knew it was pointless to fight it. His crush was far too pig-headed to understand what he was saying.

Suddenly, a commotion from downstairs drew their attention. Raised voices, hurried footsteps—something was happening.

Moments later, a breathless messenger burst into the room, eyes wide with urgency.

"Miss Rosette… Master Adam… there's a rumor—"

He gasped, clutching his knees.

"Layla… she's back. Lady Mary told us that Lady Layla is back at the main house, and she is asking for you both to return as well."

The guard panted as he opened the door. He knew that he could not delay delivering this news or his head would be separated from his body.

As soon as Rosette heard these words, her mood changed, and her mind suddenly changed as well.

"Pack everything. We leave now."

Adam hesitated, concern flashing across his face. He knew that it was good news, but he had a feeling that asking Rosette to reconsider her options would result in something that would not be good for his health.

'I better let Rosette do whatever she wants to.'

Night had fallen by the time they were ready to leave, and they decided to delay their departure until the next morning. The inn's common room was quiet, most patrons having retired for the night. Rosette adjusted her cloak as Adam paid the innkeeper for their stay.

Just as they turned to leave, a sudden explosion rocked the building. Flames erupted from the back of the inn, rapidly consuming the old wooden structure.

"Fire!"

Someone screamed, panic spreading like the blaze itself.

Adam grabbed Rosette's arm, dragging her toward the exit. The thick smoke burned their lungs, but survival instinct propelled them forward.

As they stumbled out into the cool night air, Adam's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of movement near the edge of the burning courtyard—a dark figure sprinting away.

"Rosette, that is…"

"I see him as well. Don't worry! I will take care of it. Just give me a minute."

Rosette caught up with their attacker in under a minute and the man had a second to realize what happened before he was knocked unconscious.