Since Aurora had been taken away by Westhaven''s envoys, Barrett had been tormented by nightmares every night. He dreamed of her being tortured, her flesh slowly carved away, each strip of skin torn from her body while her blood surged like a tidal wave and drowned him.


    Even in the daylight, when he was on duty, he would sometimes hear her voice. Sometimes it was a cry for help, other times a bitter usation of betrayal, and at times, the sound of her agonized screams.


    He felt like he was losing his mind.


    His guilt weighed heavily on him, yet part of him still believed he had done the right thing. The internal conflict had worn him down, leaving him exhausted, mentally and physically drained.


    He knew his position as deputymander was more of a title than a real responsibility. The king never assigned him any duties. Day after day, he wandered the halls, his mind unsettled. At home, there was no peace either. Vi''s constantints, Serena''s goading to seek justice for her from the Marquis of Ironridge-it all gnawed at him.


    No matter where Barrett was, he couldn''t find sce. He longed for someone to confide in, someone to share his frustrations with-but he had no friends left. No one wanted anything to do with him anymore.


    However, Carissa knew the truth. Aurora was still alive. There had been word from Skywing Spire. Lisandra was still trapped in Fawnrun City.


    When Leroy returned to Fawnrun City, he had takenmand of the military. Although he hadn''t attacked immediately, he had stationed the troops and refused to retreat. He was calcting and weighing his options.


    After the negotiation with Starhaven, he understood the situation was moreplex than he had originally thought. To go to war would mean ack of supplies-food, weapons, and horses. To hold back would anger the king, who had issued secret orders he could not ignore.


    Yet, the decision of whether to fight or not wasn''t his to make. Lisandra would handle the negotiations with the generals. His role was simply to follow whatever path the situation demanded.


    Meanwhile, Lisandra had no time for Aurora. Aurora was locked away, her fate uncertain. As for Zeke and the others, they had been executed before the journey even began. Their heads were now a grim trophy brought back to Fawnrun City.


    That evening, after finishing her discussion with Max, Carissa walked out of the Capital Guard headquarters, only to find Rafael''s carriage waiting at the door.


    He sat in the carriage, lifting the curtain and smiling at her. "Tomorrow''s a rest day. Today, we''ll go pick up Ryan before Lord Klein gets his hands on him."


    It had been days since Carissa hadst seen Ryan, and she missed him dearly. Without hesitation, she climbed into the carriage.


    The weather was beginning to turn warm. Rafael removed her heavy cloak and handed her a paper bag. "I picked up some crispy yellow pastries for you. They''re fresh-eat them while they''re still warm."


    The tempting fragrance filled the air, but Carissa neatly wrapped the paper bag back up. "I''ll save it for Ryan. He loves these."


    "Of course, I bought some for him too," Rafael replied, unwrapping the bag again. "This one''s for you-eat it while it''s still crisp."


    The scent was irresistible, and Carissa couldn''t help but take a bite. The crunchy exterior gave way to a soft, fragrant sweet filling, rich and vorful with every bite.


    She continued nibbling for a few moments before remembering to ask, "Have you had any?"


    "I ate mine when I bought them. Now, hurry up and eat," Rafael said with a small grin. He reached over and dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, wiping away the golden crumbs. "Ist good?"


    "It''s delicious," Carissa replied, savoring another bite. The vor lingered as she continued, her voice muffled by the treat, "You''re out so early today. Have you finished your cases?"


    "I handed it over to Matthew. This morning, I went to the Supreme Court to check in, then went out to handle some matters. Luckily, I finished everything just in time to pick you up."


    Carissa, aware of the ongoing investigation, asked, "How''s it progressing?"


    Rafael gave a rxed smile. "Slowly but surely."


    The pace was slow because they had already gathered some information some backed by evidence, some not. The king had only asked Rafael to assist, so he was subtly guidingn, letting thetter gather the evidence. As for the cases that were already backed by proof, Rafael would release them when the time was right.


    The investigation into Yuvan''s private army was Rafael''s main focus. While Yuvan didn''t have many connections in the capital, the people who had once rallied behind Eleanor now kept their distance after


    his fall. It was better to leave that for


    Carissa took another bite of the crispy pastry, then said, "Barrett stopped me in the pce today and asked if I knew anything about Aurora''s current situation."


    A flicker of displeasure crossed Rafael''s eyes.


    "If he wants to know, he shoulde ask me."novelbin