Valerie remained in the library, clutching the spy's letter tightly to her chest. She read it again—for what must have been the tenth time.
"Malorie Valencia is currently in the East. She resides within a woman's abode; her background remains unclear, though she appears to take proper care of Malorie Valencia.
Far from the town, and deep within the woods, stands the woman's modest home."
Valerie exhaled slowly and finally lowered the letter, reaching instead for one of her own.
She wished to see her sister—she ached to. The longing was so sharp she had to draw in a steady breath to restrain herself.
Opening her letter once more, she scanned its contents. The spy had confirmed Malorie's whereabouts, yet not her condition. Still, Valerie reasoned that if Malorie was with Lorien and this unnamed woman in the East, she was most certainly safe.
