Rava and Vivie in an unfortable silen one of the dining rooms of the Serkoth hall. The faint sounds of bustling activity in the hall outside barely filtered through the heavy wooden door, leaving them in a private bubble of stillness. The room in but sturdy, with thick beams overhead and a long table at its tre.

  The leki slouched in her chair, taking half-hearted bites of a k of bread in one hand and a sausage iher. The lekine’s sharp eyes were fixed on some ierminate point on the wall, her expression unreadable.

  Vivienne, for her part, leaned forward on her elbows, her qui of eyes darting occasionally toward Rava before she finally broke the silence. “So, are we going to talk about st night?”

  Rava didn’t look up immediately, finishing her bite and chewing thoughtfully. “Do you want to?” she asked, her tone casual, as if they were discussing the weather.

  “Not sure,” Vivienne admitted, her shadowy form shifting slightly, betraying her unease.

  Rava g her, one brow raised. “Then why bring it up?”

  Vivienne shrugged, leaning ba her chair and crossing her arms. “I feel like... I should? I mean, waking up o you was ued. Not bad,” she added quickly, “just ued.”

  Rava snorted softly. “We were drunk, Viv. People do things when they drink. Doesn’t have to mean anything.”

  Vivienne raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “Doesn’t have to,” she repeated, her tone light. “But you’re not ruling out that it could.”

  Rava shot her a half-annoyed, half-amused look. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”

  “A, you woke up in bed beside me,” Vivienne replied with a grin, her voice dripping with pyful satisfa. She leaned ba her chair, the ers of her smile fading into something more thoughtful. “I don’t know. About all this, I mean,” she added, her tone softening.

  She couldn’t shake the feeling that something in her had shifted. It wasn’t guilt—she had no reason to feel guilty. She was dead, after all. But still, there was something about waking up beside Rava that felt... plicated.

  Her mind drifted, caught between two realities. She loved her husband, still did. But as the days passed, he was being more of a faint memory, like an impression that faded with time. Was that what death did? Took the edges off everything? Made everything seem distant? He deserved to move on, didn’t he? She imagined him finding some kind of peace after her departure. Perhaps not with someone else, but maybe just in the knowledge that she was truly gone.

  A quiet sigh escaped her lips.

  Then a thought struck her with sudden force. How long had she been dead? From her perspective, it had all happened in an instant. One moment, she was dying—those impressions of pain, the fading warmth of her life. And then—nothing. Then she was before what she could only describe as a god, its presence heavy, imposing. And after that, she was thrust into this monstrous, ever-hungry body. Time had lost all meaning.

  How long? A year? Ten years? A tury?

  The question g her. She would never know. Time seemed irrelevant now, like an abstract cept she could never quite grasp. And unless she spoke to her patron goddess again—if that even remained possible—she would have no way of knowing. But even if she did, what difference would it make?

  Vivienne ran a hand through her hair, looking down at the table in front of her, lost in thought. The memories of her previous life were slipping away, fading like old ink on part, leaving only the vaguest outlines of who she had been.

  She let out a soft ugh, more to herself than to Rava. “I’m just a mess, aren’t I?”

  Rava raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She reached for her mug, taking a long, slow drink, as if giving Viviehe space to sort through her tahoughts.

  Vivienne wasn’t sure what she expected Rava to say—maybe nothing, or maybe something that would make all this feel less fusing. But Rava remained silent, her presence oddly grounding. And in that quiet, Vivien something shift again. Maybe it didn’t have to make sense right now. Maybe it wasn’t about making se all.

  She looked up at Rava, a rueful smile tugging at her lips. “Guess we both woke up with a lot to figure out.”

  Rava gave her a half-smile iurn, but there was something softer in her eyes now, a reition of the tension in the air. “Yeah. But you’re not alone, Viv.”

  Vivienne’s heart stilled at the words. It wasn’t a promise, not really, but the way Rava said it—steady, without hesitation—made something inside of her unfurl just a little bit.

  “I suppose not.” She hummed. “So what now? I presume we aren’t just going to sit around waiting fis to follow up on whatever happened in that little forest.”

  Rava houghtfully. “Mother hasn’t assigned me anythi, so I’m irely sure what my ask is. Though, I should probably stop in with Narek about that disappearance case.”

  “As good a pn as any,” Vivienne said, standing up and stretg her limbs, her movements nguid yet deliberate. “Meanwhile, I should probably see about earning some . I’m teically homeless and broke at the moment.”

  Rava smirked as she tore off another piece of bread. “’t have people thinking you’re a mooch, you?”

  “Precisely!” Vivienne procimed, her tone mock-grandiose as she spread her arms wide. “You see me for who I truly am—an upstanding citizen with a reputation to maintain.”

  “I think I saw plenty of you st night,” Rava teased, her smirk widening as she casually bit into her bread.

  Vivienne froze for a split sed, her qui of eyes widening before she buried her fa her cws. “Rava, please.”

  Rava arched an eyebrow, clearly enjoying herself. “Oh? Did I just discover how to fluster you? Have the tables turned?”

  Vivie out a dramatic groan, her voice muffled behind her cws. “I am never drinking with you again.”

  “Your loss,” Rava replied, her voice light and teasing. “But don’t worry, I’ll keep this little discovery in my arsenal for ter.”

  Letting her cws drop, Vivienne fixed Rava with a gre that held no real malice. “You’re impossible.”

  “Now that’s a familiar word,” Rava quipped, her grin widening further.

  Vivienne sighed, adopting a tone of mnation. “I must be a masochist.”

  The two tiheir banter as they made their way through the winding corridors of the Serkoth hall, the stone walls alive with the muted echoes of voices and footsteps. When they finally reached Narek’s office, Rava knocked firmly on the door and stepped back, crossing her arms as they waited.

  After a moment, a tired voice called from within. “e in.”

  Pushing open the heavy wooden door, Rava stepped ih Vivierailing behihe office was a chaotic mess, its surfaearly buried under scattered parts, maps, and ink-stained quills. Sitting amidst the chaos was Narek, his dark grey hair tousled and his sharp features marred by deep lines of exhaustion. He looked like he hadn’t seen a bed in days.

  His gaze lifted from the clutter, settling first on Rava. “Ravanyr,” he said, his tone pin and heavy with fatigue. His eyes then shifted to Vivienne, his expression tightening with curiosity. “And you.”

  “And me!” Vivienne said with a grin, her arms outstretched in a pyful flourish as if she were announg her arrival on stage.

  Narek arched a brow, leaning ba his chair. “Charming,” he said dryly. “What are you doing here, Rava? Don’t tell me Mother roped you into this mess, too.”

  “What mess?” Rava replied, her tone measured. “I thought I’d che about the disappearances in the farmnds. Vivienne wao tag along.”

  “Ah, I already know about that siher dumped more work on me regarding the fallout there. Good work.” Narek sighed, ping the bridge of his here seems to be a thief somewhere iy.”

  “Unon, but not unusual,” Rava said, her voice even.

  “It would be, if not for the nature of the thefts.” Narek gestured to a pile of reports on his desk. “There’s no rhyme or reason to what’s being taken. A family heirloom—a neckce—was reported missing first. Then, a teacher found several ste pencils and two spare stes gone. A tailor lost spools of thread and a set of needles. Then one of the rger families reported a valuable hairpin. And finally, a seamstress cimed her mannequin was stolen.”

  Vivienne blinked. “A mannequin? Someone lugged off a whole mannequin?”

  “Yes,” Narek replied, his to and heavy with frustration. “First, they take something valuable. Then it’s cheap, everyday items. After that, another valuable piece, followed by something moderately expensive.” He let out a weary sigh, slumping ba his chair. “It’s like the thief is toying with us.”

  Vivieilted her head, her dark eyes narrowing. “So why not let the guards ha? Seems like their job.”

  “They’ve tried,” Narek said, his voice grim. “But the guard force is stretched thin. Most of them have been reassigo deal with the war effort. Those who remain are barely keeping up with their regur duties, let alone something as bizarre as this.”

  Rava frowned, her arms crossing. “So, you’re stuck dealing with it yourself.”

  “Exactly.” Narek’s expression darkened as he gestured to the clutter of reports on his desk. “And unless I find something soon, it’s only a matter of time before more things go missing—or worse, they get away pletely.”

  “Uandable. Is there a on thread between each case?” Rava asked, frowning. “Because you’re right—those items seem pletely random.”

  Narek nodded. “The only sistency is that the thief has been spotted three times. Witnesses cim it’s a human woman with red hair.”

  “Red hair isn’t a on colour. That should make it easier, no?” Rava replied.

  “You’d think so,” Narek said, his voice dry, “but every red-haired person we’ve found was either male or had alibis—verifiable o the time of the thefts.”

  “Could be a disguise,” Vivienne mused, tapping her cwed fingers against the edge of Narek’s desk. “A wig, maybe?”

  “Possible,” Narek admitted. “Or they’re deliberately using the sightings to throw us off.”

  Rava crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. “If they’re bold enough to risk being seen, it’s probably iional. They want to create fusion.”

  “Or misdire,” Vivienne added. “The randomness of the items and the sightings—it’s almost theatrical. Like someone’s weaving a story for you to follow.”

  Narek gave her a sharp look. “You think they’re pying a game?”

  “Maybe,” Vivienne said with a shrug. “Or maybe they’re just weird. Either way, they seem to be having fun.”

  “I don’t care if they’re enjoying themselves,” Narek grumbled, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “I just want them caught.”

  “Well,” Rava said lightly, leaning back against the wall, “lucky for you, I’m here. And Vivienne has an uny knack for sniffing out trouble.”

  Vivienne shot her a wry look. “Positively magic. Trouble ’t resist me.”

  Narek rolled his eyes. “Charming. So, little sister, are you actually going to help? Kavren’s iy, but he…” He trailed off, waving a hand dismissively.

  Rava smirked. “Is about as subtle as a battering ram. That said, I’m not much better when it es to delicate work. Wouldn’t Daran be a better fit for this?”

  Narek chuckled weakly. “And somehow vince him to leave his workshop? You’d have an easier time moving a mountain. He’s obsessed with those bsted night mps of his right now.”

  “And Elrin?” Rava asked.

  “Currently in Thalryning with their elders about aid for the war,” Narek replied, rubbing his temples.

  “Let me guess—Tarric’s still off wandering the steppes on one of his soul-searg quests?”

  “Naturally,” Narek said ftly.

  Rava shrugged, a pyful smirk tugging at her lips. “Looks like you’re stuck with me, then.”

  Narek groaned dramatically. “Yes, lucky me. At least you have some brain in that thick skull of yours. Though I don’t know how much your pet will actually tribute.”

  Rava’s easygoing demeanour vanished, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “Don’t call her that. I owe her my life, and I gave her my word that she’d have proper hospitality under my roof.”

  Narek flinched, holding up a hand. “Alright, alright. Sorry.”

  “Not to me,” Rava snapped. “To her.”

  Narek hesitated, his gaze flig to Vivienne. He studied her for a long moment, his brow furrowing slightly as he took in her qui of dark, otherworldly eyes. Finally, he sighed. “Apologies for my duct.”

  Vivienne waved him off casually, a faint smile on her lips. “No harm done. I’ve been called worse things in my short time here. Besides,” she added with a teasing lilt, her thick tail flig bad forth, “I wouldn’t mind being her pet.”

  Rava’s neck flushed a deep crimson as she awkwardly cleared her throat, quickly averting her gaze.

  Narek groaned and pihe bridge of his nose, clearly overwhelmed. “Please, for the love of the gods, don’t do this in my office.”

  Vivie out a soft, musical ugh, an otherworldly sound that lingered in the air like a melody. “Alright, alright. o get your tail in a twist, Narek.”

  Rava exhaled sharply, trying tain her posure. “You’re lucky she’s so nice,” she muttered, rolling her eyes before turning back to Narek. “So, what’s our first lead?”

  Narek sat up straighter, trying to refocus, but it was clear his patience was wearing thin. “The seamstress I mentioned. She says her mannequin upped and walked away.”

  Vivienne raised an eyebrow, her smile returning. “Well that is immediately iing.”

  Rava nodded, her expression growing serious once more. “I guess we start there.”