Caelith shook her head. "No. I only ask on behalf of an elder."
The old woman fell silent for a moment. Then, lowering her voice, she said, "There was such a man. Kept a blacksmith shop here for over ten years. But then… for reasons no one knows, he suddenly moved away. Where he went—no one can say."
"And now…?"
"I do not know." The old woman sighed. "It has been more than a decade. He is likely long gone from this world."
Caelith thanked her softly and rose to leave.
At the mouth of the alley, she paused and glanced back. The old woman was still there, fanning away flies as though nothing at all had passed between them.
Uncle Julian had moved away.
Where to? Why? And what did it have to do with her father?
She had no answers.
But she knew this—she was definitely on the right path.
When she returned to the bookshop, Dolly was already growing anxious. Seeing her, she hurried forward.
"My lady, why were you gone so long? I feared something had happened."
