The morning sun came into the Healers Hall without being invited covering the stone walls in a pale gold light. Aria noticed this only because the darkness outside the windows was gone. She had not slept that night. She was sitting beside the bed she had refused to leave all night with a medical journal open on her lap.. She had not read a single page. Every moment her eyes went back to the patient, Daren. His breathing had become slow and uneven. Each time his chest went up the knot in her stomach got looser. Each time he paused the knot got tighter. Hope can be a thing. Aria had learned this years ago. The sound of footsteps broke the silence. Nyra came into the room carrying two cups of tea. Her hair was tied back in a knot and she looked as tired as she did. "You have not slept, " Nyra said, giving Aria one of the cups. Aria took the cup without saying anything. "Neither have you, " she said. Nyra just shrugged. "That is different, " she said. "How is it different?" Aria

For a moment no one spoke. Outside the city was still bustling. Merchants were yelling across the market. Wagon wheels were rattling over cobblestones. Below kids were laughing as they chased each other through the streets. Inside Rowan Hales office it was really quiet. Aria was standing still staring at him. He looked like a man who wished he could take back his words. Unfortunately for both of them he could not. "You looked into Liam's death " she said quietly. Rowan did not deny it. His face got harder. Guilt was still there. "Why?" she asked. He rubbed a hand over his face. "Aria..." "No." She stepped closer. "You can't tell me my brother's death was investigated and then expect me to just walk away." Nyra folded her arms. "She's right." Neither of them paid attention to her. Nyra sighed loudly. "Tough crowd." Rowan finally looked back at Aria. "When Liam died... Things did not make sense." "What things?" "The records." "What about them?" "They did not match what

No one said a word. The silence in Rowan's office was really uncomfortable. Aria's eyes were fixed on him. Nyra's eyes were fixed on him too. Rowan let out a sigh. He knew he could not take back what he had already told them. Aria said "you know where the serpent symbol comes from". It was not a question. Rowan nodded. Aria said "I know where I've seen it". Then she said "start talking". Nyra raised her finger. She said "I would also like to know how people have conversations". Aria and Rowan did not even look at her. Nyra crossed her arms. Made a big show of it. She said "one day I will stop helping you two". Aria finally looked at her. Aria said "that day is not today". Nyra let out a sigh. She said "unfortunately". For the time that afternoon Rowan's mouth twitched into a small smile. The smile went away really fast. He walked over to a cabinet and unlocked the bottom drawer. He dug through a lot of papers and pulled out a thick folder that was covered in dust

The journey to the archives was really quiet. Not because they had nothing to talk about. There was too much on their minds. Aria's thoughts were all over the place. She was thinking about Darren's message. The map that led beneath the reservoir. The serpent carved into the oak tree. Her father. Every time she thought she had found an answer it led her back to Elias Voss. A man who was supposed to be dead. His presence still lingered. Nyra was the first to break the silence. "I think your father owes us an explanation, " she said. One of the guards laughed quietly. Rowan did not say a word. Aria almost smiled. It did not last. Nyra was right though. The more Aria searched for answers the more she found things that her father had left behind. By the time the sun started to set they reached the City Archives. This was not the public records office. The restricted archive. It was a stone building behind the council halls, where old histories and secrets were kept. An o

Aria said "No" before she could even think about it. This time she did not need proof. She just needed the archivist to be wrong. "You are mistaken, " she said, her voice tight with emotion. "You have the person." The old man said "I don't" with a certainty that hurt more than any argument. Aria said "My father died." The archivist looked down , avoiding hers. Everyone thought that's what had happened. The room was silent, the only sound was the ticking of a clock. Nyra looked from Aria to the archivist trying to figure out what was true and what was not. Rowan spoke up first. "You saw Elias yourself?" he asked, his voice low and even. The archivist nodded. "I did." Rowan asked "When?" The archivist replied, "Three years after he disappeared." Not after he died. After he disappeared. Aria noticed the difference away just like Rowan did. The archivist had stopped calling it a death. Because he didn't think it was one anymore. Arias' heart was racing fast. "What did he