Each day Seraphine stayed at House Arcturus, she learned a little more.
And every new piece somehow led back to the same answer.
Aurelian had truly disappeared.
Even the people inside the household couldn't explain exactly where he had gone or what he had been doing. It wasn't because they were lying badly or trying to hide obvious details.
The truth was simpler than that.
They genuinely did not know everything.
That only made her more curious.
One evening, Lyra found her near one of the private gardens behind the estate. The pathways were quiet, the lights soft, and the night air cool enough that most people had already gone inside.
"Still no update," Lyra said.
Seraphine kept her eyes on the moonlit path ahead of her. "That is becoming impressive."
Lyra tilted her head slightly. "You sound pleased."
"I am interested in the situation, that is all."
"That is different?"
"Yes."
Lyra nearly smiled at that.
"Very well."
A few more days passed.
Nothing major changed.
