The night was still young in Delwig when Captain Apnoch finally found himself standing before Damien's quarters.
The faint lamplight spilling from a single window made it clear someone was awake—but when he knocked, it wasn't Damien who answered.
Arielle opened the door, her expression tight, as though she'd been expecting someone far worse. Lyone appeared behind her, half-dressed for bed but visibly alert.
"Captain?" Arielle asked. "Is something wrong?"
Apnoch's eyes swept the room instinctively—one habit that came from too many years of bad surprises. "I was hoping to speak with Damien. While it was true that he returned early this evening, I didn't get to speak much to him earlier on and was hoping I could catch up with him now. Is he here?"
Lyone shook his head. "He was, but he left a little while ago. Didn't say where."
Apnoch frowned. "Left? At this hour?"
