They stepped out of the records room, the thick door thudding closed behind them.
The girl from earlier—the one in the golden Academy uniform—stood just a few paces away, waiting by the corridor wall with her arms folded. "I overheard you in there," she said before they could speak. "You're looking into Eamon Wynstros' disappearance and you seem to know a bit more than what's in the registry."
Devvyn and Aela both froze.
The girl straightened. "I came here looking for him too. I want in."
"Go away. I don't know what you're talking about." Devvyn moved to walk around her, and Aela followed his lead. But the girl pushed off the wall and stepped in line behind them.
"Hey," she called. "Don't walk away from me while I'm talking."
Aela shot a sharp look over her shoulder. "We don't have to listen to you."
"Actually," the girl said coolly, "by the hierarchy of the Golden Academy, I have authority over you. You're required to obey."
Aela hissed through her teeth. "Good thing we're not in the Academy. You should also know it's rude to spy on people."
"Ok. I apologize for that." Kaia clicked her teeth, "But both of you seemed so interesting to me and my instincts told me to follow you and I was right."
"She's cuckoo." Aela shook her head.
They stepped out into the open air of the registry courtyard. Without speaking, Devvyn and Aela picked up their pace, trying to put distance between themselves and the golden-uniformed stranger.
"You know," the girl called after them, "you wouldn't have to take the train to the Golden Fields. My carriage is waiting. We could get there in half the time."
Devvyn finally slowed, stopping at the edge of the path. He turned to face her, eyes narrowed. "How did you even hear us?"
The girl gave a sly smile. She held out her hand toward the ground. The loose gravel at her feet twitched, then elongated, stretching and shaping itself into the rough form of an ear, granular and unfinished, but unmistakably detailed.
"Little trick I do with my Echo," she said. "You should be careful where you speak. The walls have ears. Especially here in Eternis."
Aela looked between Devvyn and the girl, then exhaled sharply. "We don't have time for this."
"I'm going there anyway," she said, "you can come with or we can meet up there, whichever one you prefer."
"We don't even know your name."
She stepped closer and offered a hand. "Kaia."
Devvyn took it slowly. "Devvyn."
"Aela," Aela said, though still suspicious.
Kaia tilted her head. "So? Do I get to come along or not?"
Devvyn looked at Aela again. She didn't look convinced, but she didn't say no. He sighed. "Fine. You're in. But no talking about this to anyone. Not even your Academy friends." Kaia gave a small salute. "I'm very good at keeping secrets."
Aela muttered, "That's exactly what someone who isn't good at it would say."
Kaia led them down a different path from the one they'd taken earlier, turning right toward a quieter, better-kept street lined with tall iron fences and trimmed hedges. At the corner, a sleek black carriage waited, its gold-trimmed crest glinting faintly in the sunlight.
Devvyn raised a brow. "Fancy."
Kaia smirked. "Perks of being an Academy elite."
She swung the door open. Inside, the carriage was warm and cozy, lined with thick velvet cushions. Aela climbed in first and practically melted into the seat.
"Ohh," she sighed, sinking deeper. "This is… really nice."
"Told ya," Kaia said, climbing in after her. She rapped her knuckles twice against the small wooden panel near the front. "To the Golden Fields. 22 Barrenridge Way, Sector Three. Quickly, please."
Devvyn climbed in last, shutting the door behind him. As the carriage pulled into motion, the tension slowly began to ease from his shoulders. He leaned his head back against the cushion, eyelids growing heavy.
He was almost asleep when the thought hit him, sharp and sudden. He opened his eyes and sat up.
"Wait, why are you looking for Eamon?" He asked Kaia.
Kaia, who had been gazing out the window, turned to him. "Well," she said lightly, "that's a long story."
Kaia crossed one leg over the other, smoothing her uniform skirt as the carriage rolled along. "I'm doing my thesis on the inefficiency of the missing persons registry in Sinai," she said, tone almost casual. "Specifically, how long it takes for missing individuals to be reported—and why, by the time most are, it's already too late."
Devvyn blinked. "That's...morbid."
She shrugged. "Statistically accurate. Ninety-eight percent of people who go missing in Sinai are already dead by the time anyone even realizes they're gone."
Aela frowned. "And your solution is...?"
Kaia's eyes lit up, like she'd been waiting for the question. "Trackers. Personal, embedded, location-based trackers, preferably rune-coded so they can't be tampered with. If everyone had one from birth, no one would ever go truly missing."
Devvyn glanced at Aela, then back at Kaia. "So you're looking for Eamon's family to figure out how long it took them to notice he was gone?"
"Exactly, he's one of the people recently reported and part of my sample." Kaia said. "I want to get the exact time of report. Where and when he was last seen. It can help me explain how the delay affected the investigation. It's all useful data."
"You don't find that a little...cold?" Aela asked, her voice tight. "You're talking about people. Not just data points."
Kaia gave a small shrug. "Data saves lives. If I have to be a little cold to make sure less people die, I can live with that." She looked between them.
Aela muttered under her breath, "Academy kids are insane."
Kaia glanced at her, unfazed. "Call it what you want. It's my way of contributing to a future Sinai where everyone is safe."
Aela didn't reply. She folded her arms and looked out the window, but said nothing more. As much as she hated to admit it, the logic made sense.
"So why are you looking for him?"
Devvyn looked away, jaw tightening. "That's none of your business."
"Hey I was open with you." Kaia protested.
Aela squeezed Devvyn's hands. "He was a family friend to Devvyn's grandmother. His grandmother has been really worried so we decided to come check."
"Oh. I'm sorry." Kaia said and bowed her head.
Devvyn leaned his head back against the seat. The hum of wheels lulled them all into silence.
Eventually, the carriage slowed and came to a stop.
Kaia rapped the wall twice and leaned out the small window. "We're here. That's the address, right?"
Devvyn sat up, glancing out. The house in front of them stood awkwardly at the edge of a quiet block in the Golden Fields, though it barely fit the area. A simple concrete building, with cracked steps and worn paint. It looked like it belonged in the Lower City, not among the well-kept houses and polished stone streets around it. But it had a signpost with the number 22 on it.
"Not what I expect for a mine owner," Aela noted, stepping out beside him.
"Be careful," Devvyn said. "We don't know who we're about to meet."
Kaia stretched and rolled her shoulders. "Please. I've got my Echo. And I'm a level five combat master. I'll protect you both."
They exchanged glances but didn't argue. Together, they walked up to the small stoop, Devvyn taking the lead. He raised his hand and knocked firmly on the door.
A few seconds later, a soft voice called from within, "Just a moment!"
The shuffle of footsteps followed, then the door cracked open, and a woman appeared. She looked to be in her mid-forties, with tired eyes and a warm face. Her dark hair was pulled into a loose bun, and she wore a plain house robe dusted with flour at the sleeves.
"Yes?" Leonara asked gently. "How can I help you?" Her brows lifted slightly. "You're students?" Her eyes settled on Kaia's golden-trimmed uniform, then moved to Devvyn and Aela.
Kaia stepped forward smoothly. "Kaia Vell. We're students from the Golden Academy, part of a program training to join the Missing Persons Platoon." She offered a small, practiced smile. "We're here about your husband."
Leonara studied each of their faces, her gaze lingering on Devvyn's scarf and Aela's guarded posture. After a pause, she stepped aside. "Come in."
They entered a modest living room. The couch cushions were faded but neat, and a gentle smell of bread lingered in the air. A kettle whistled faintly in the background.
"Please, sit," Leonara said, taking the armchair nearest the window. "I wasn't expecting visitors, but I suppose if you're trying to help…"
Devvyn and Aela sat on the couch while Kaia wandered briefly before lowering herself onto the edge of a stool.
Devvyn leaned forward. "We were hoping you could tell us when you realized your husband had gone missing."
Leonara folded her hands in her lap. "About five weeks ago. He went to meet a client in Eternis. Said it would only take a day but he didn't come back the following day. Or the next." She paused, swallowing. "At first I told myself he was delayed. That something had come up. But a week passed and… I knew something was wrong. That's when I filed the report."
As she spoke, Kaia stood again and quietly wandered the room, trailing her fingers along the edges of shelves and picture frames. She picked up a small carved statue, inspected it, and placed it back. Then she moved toward the bookshelf, scanning the spines like she was looking for something specific.
Aela glanced over, frowning slightly.
Leonara didn't seem to notice. Her voice lowered. "They told me to wait. That they'd let me know if anything turned up. But it's been weeks." Her eyes turned to Devvyn. "Did the officers tell you anything?"
Devvyn sat forward slightly, his tone careful. "We're just trying to gather anything that could help the investigation. Anything you may have forgotten to tell the officers you spoke to. Little details sometimes matter more than they seem."
Leonara shook her head, though her gaze had begun to drift toward the floor.
"Did your husband have any enemies?" Devvyn asked. "Anyone who might've wanted to hurt him?"
She shook her head again. "No… not that I know of. Eamon kept to himself, mostly. He was always good-natured. Polite. Quiet." Her brow furrowed, eyes narrowing as if something had just surfaced in her memory. "Except… when someone named Prisma called him."
Devvyn straightened. "Prisma?"
Leonara nodded. "A woman, I think. I never heard the full conversation, but whenever he got off the phone with her, he was tense. Agitated. She also called the day before his meeting."
"Got it. Prisma…" Devvyn repeated, frowning as he tried to remember where he'd heard the name.
Aela chimed in. "And your son? Soren Wynstros. Do you know where he is?"
Leonara's mouth tightened. "Soren ran away from home years ago. I haven't heard from him since. I don't know where he is or what he's become."
While they talked, Kaia moved quietly across the room again. Her sharp eyes landed on a pair of worn men's shoes neatly tucked beneath the coat rack.
She glanced back at Leonara, then at the shoes again.
"Whose are these?" she asked, pointing toward the shoes.
Leonara's expression changed immediately. The warmth drained from her face, and a sharp edge entered her voice.
"I think you should leave now."
Devvyn blinked. "Mrs. Wynstros—"
"I said I don't want to speak to anyone anymore." She rose from her seat. "Please. Go."
Kaia raised her hands in surrender, and Aela was already up, gently nudging Devvyn toward the door.
As they stepped outside into the dusty afternoon, the door shut firmly behind them.
Kaia turned to them, lowering her voice. "The shoe looked like it had been worn recently. She also had two plates set out on the dining table. She's lying about something. I'm beginning to suspect Eamon Wynstros may not really be missing."
She stepped off the porch and started walking around the side of the house, her boots crunching against the gravel path. "There's a wooden shed behind the house," she said, pointing. "We should check it out."
Aela frowned and followed reluctantly. "Maybe we shouldn't be checking it out," she muttered. "We just got kicked out. It's trespassing."
Devvyn had started after Kaia, but he paused, glancing between Aela and the shed. His brow furrowed.
Kaia reached the door, brushing off Aela's warning with a quick, "Relax. It'll just take a second."
But Devvyn didn't move. His eyes narrowed as he caught the faintest flicker of movement behind the wooden slats of the shed.
His voice sharpened. "Kaia, wait!"
But it was too late.
She grabbed the handle, pulled the shed door open and was instantly struck in the face by the handle of a rake, swung with force from inside.
