“There’s nothing here.”
River stepped closer, eyes narrowing. “Nothing? That doesn’t make sense. You told me every mission had to be logged by protocol.”
“Exactly.” He slammed the ledger shut with a frustrated grunt. “This is insane. There are no records. Nothing about the forest border. Not even notes from council reports. It’s like that entire region has been scrubbed clean.”
He looked at her, exasperated.
“Why would the previous Lords hide something like this?”
River’s jaw clenched. A chill slipped down her spine, colder than any winter wind.
“Because someone didn’t want it found.”
River’s gaze was firm. Unflinching.
“We need to find out. Before the next shadow falls or the next incursion happens.”
--
The library whispered with secrets.
River sat at one end of the long table,
