Kael threw his trench coat over his shoulder and stepped out of the inn, onto the street. A cool breeze brushed against his face, light and refreshing as he walked. He felt good. The exhaustion that had built up over months was gone after just one night of real rest. His mind was clear, his focus sharp, and for the first time in a while, he actually felt like himself again.

  His expression was firm as he moved through the streets, focused on a single goal—tracking down Syleena. He had already memorized large parts of the city, so his journey to his first destination was smooth, each step placed with purpose.

  He moved past houses, stalls, and shops without a glance, his pace steady and unchanging. Soon, a small red building with white-painted corners came into view. Without hesitation, he stepped inside the café.

  The moment he crossed the threshold, his pace slowed. He made his way to the counter, where the barista greeted him warmly. Kale responded with a brief nod and placed his order without delay.

  With his coffee cup and breakfast bread in hand, he made his way to a quiet corner table. As he sat down, his gaze sharpened, turning cold. Now, all that remained was to wait.

  The café was one of the places Syleena visited every morning. She would walk in, make the same order each time. A cup of tea, a pastry, nothing more, nothing less.

  She would wait just long enough for the tea to be poured, then take her tray and head toward the same table every time. Not too close to the windows, not too far from the door—somewhere in between. She would sit, sip her tea slowly, and take small bites of her pastry, never rushing through her time there.

  Kael sat in silence, his cold gaze sweeping over the entire café. Nothing escaped his notice. Every movement, every shift in posture, every quiet exchange between patrons. He absorbed it all. He heard the clatter of cutlery against plates, the murmur of conversations, the soft slurp of coffee being sipped.

  He counted every order, memorized who had placed them, and took note of each person who stepped through the door.

  Torin had described the young heir in detail, enough that Kael had no doubt he would recognize her the moment she walked in. If she followed her usual routine, if she entered through that door like she was supposed to, he would see her instantly.

  A few hours had passed. Kael remained at the same table, his coffee cup long emptied, the faint ring of dried liquid clinging to the bottom. His fingers tapped against the table in a slow, steady rhythm. On the surface, he was calm, his posture relaxed, his expression unreadable.

  But beneath that stillness, his mind worked at an unforgiving pace. He analyzed every detail, recalculated every possibility. Not a single second slipped by unnoticed.

  And still, she had not arrived.

  The longer he waited, the more certain he became that something was not right.

  There was no way to know why she hadn’t come. Too many possibilities clouded the answer.

  The world was unforgiving and unpredictable. Something might have happened that kept her from coming. She could have been forced to change the time of her visit. Or maybe she had noticed something—something off about him, something that made her cautious. If she sensed even the slightest danger, she would not take the risk. She was the firstborn of the Eireindaile family head. The heir to the Eireindaile name.

  Kael did not underestimate her.

  Kael’s gaze remained cold as he considered each possibility, his mind turning over every scenario, searching for an answer.

  Kael didn’t want to spend any more time in the café. Staying any longer would seem unnatural. He rose to his feet and, without hesitation, made his way to the next destination.

  He moved effortlessly through the city, weaving through streets with practiced ease until he reached his destination.

  Before him stood a massive stone structure, towering above the surrounding buildings, its presence impossible to ignore. Built long ago, it had once been the residence of a noble family. Now, it served a different purpose.

  It was the city's main library.

  This was the second place Sylena was supposed to visit today. She would usually sit near the entrance on the second floor, her attention buried in a book or focused on her studies. It was a habit, one designed to make her presence known without drawing too much attention.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Kael stepped inside, the scent of old paper and polished wood filling the air. The library was quiet, the occasional rustle of pages and the soft footsteps of visitors the only sounds breaking the stillness. He moved through the aisles, picking out a few books at random, just enough to make his presence seem natural.

  Settling at a table with a clear view of the main entrance, he leaned back slightly, eyes drifting over the room while keeping his focus sharp.

  Once again, all he could do was wait.

  Time moved slowly. Kael was not willing to start reading if it meant risking even the slightest chance of missing something.

  The hours passed, dragging in their quiet stillness. Eventually, he scoffed softly, barely more than a breath.

  Once again, he had made sure to overlook nothing. Every movement, every arrival and departure had been accounted for. Yet despite that, there was no sign of Syleena.

  She had not come to the library.

  Kael rose to his feet. He returned the books he had picked up earlier, sliding them back into their places on the shelves. With that done, he made his way toward the library's counter.

  His steps were quiet, but the young woman working there noticed him approaching. She straightened slightly, shifting her attention toward him as he drew closer.

  As Kael reached the counter, he began describing Sylena’s appearance and asked if the librarian had seen her.

  The young woman’s gaze lingered on his neck for a moment, her eyes tracing the deep scar that ran across it. After a brief pause, she shifted her focus to his sharp, green eyes.

  "Sylena? Yes, she was here earlier this morning. She usually comes around this time, but…"

  Her voice trailed off, hesitation flickering across her face.

  Kael raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.

  "...But it seems like she had to come earlier today for some reason."

  Kael scoffed inwardly. He did not need her to spell it out for him. He was more than capable of doing that himself. Without another word, he gave her a simple nod, then turned and made his way out of the library, stepping onto the street once more.

  His expression was slightly dark as he walked. He had missed her, but not because he had been careless. She had changed the time of her library visit, making it impossible for him to intercept her.

  She would not alter her routine without a reason. That did not bode well.

  Even so, he was not without options. There was still one more place she was supposed to visit today.

  But before that, there was somewhere he needed to go.

  Stepping into the café, he wasted no time. He walked straight to the counter, where a barista looked up at him with a polite but tired expression.

  “I’m looking for someone,” Kael said, his voice calm but firm. He described Syleena, watching closely for any sign of recognition.

  The barista furrowed their brows, thinking for a moment before nodding.

  "Yeah, she was actually here just a little while ago. She only just left."

  Kael’s expression darkened slightly as he gave a slow nod. It was the same as at the library. She had changed her schedule.

  Without another word, he turned and walked out, stepping back into the streets with a sharpened focus.

  He made his way to their last stop, keeping a steady pace while his mind raced through possibilities.

  She had changed the timing of both visits, yet she had still made sure to go to both places. That could mean a few things. Either something unexpected had forced her to adjust her schedule, or she was deliberately shifting her habits to shake off someone following her.

  But who could that be?

  Kael wanted to believe she hadn’t noticed him, but now he was unsure. Was it just a coincidence that she switched things up right as he started tracking her? Or had she really picked up on his presence?

  His thoughts raced, and before he knew it, he had reached the city's shore. He glanced at the sun setting in the distance, its golden light spilling across the lake once more.

  As he walked along the shoreline, he soon arrived at the bench. This was the last place Sylena was supposed to visit today. Even if she had changed the timing of her visits to the library and the café, this one should remain the same.

  He looked up at the bench. As always, it sat atop the cliff, offering a clear view of the lake.

  However…

  It was empty.

  Kael’s eyebrows furrowed, but he was not disheartened. He kept walking, his pace steady.

  As soon as he reached the bench, he sat down, resting his cane against it before turning his gaze to the lake. It stretched endlessly before him, its surface reflecting the fading light of the evening sky.

  Hours passed.

  The sun dipped lower, its golden light fading into deep shades of orange and red before finally giving way to the settling darkness. The lake, once shimmering with warmth, now carried the cold glow of twilight, its surface dark and endless.

  Above, the first stars began to pierce through the sky, scattered like distant embers. Slowly, they multiplied, filling the vast expanse above him until the entire sky was a sea of silver lights. The world had grown quiet, wrapped in the stillness of the night.

  Yet Kael remained.

  Kael let out a quiet sigh.

  He accepted his defeat. There was nothing more he could do today. Syleena had not shown up, and there were no more places left to check.

  He would have to wait until tomorrow to try again.

  With nothing else left to do for the day, he spent a while gazing at the night sky, his only company the quiet stir of his thoughts.