Dana was the first to leave her room. She had a thick blanket draped over her shoulders. She went down the steps and saw Milo.
He was sitting in a chair, head tilted to the side, sword resting between his legs. He was sleeping deeply, breathing slowly, with a bit of drool escaping his lips.
Dana frowned. She walked over and gently touched his shoulder.
"Mr. Milo. Wake up," she said, her calm voice barely hiding her annoyance.
Milo startled awake. He blinked several times, sat up abruptly, and grabbed his sword out of pure instinct.
"Gah! Shit…" he rubbed his eyes. "Dana, sorry… I didn't realize how tired I was."
"You should've told me," Dana replied, crossing her arms. "I didn't sleep at all. I could've taken the watch."
Suddenly, the door slammed open. The sound echoed off the walls.
"Who was it!? Which one of you was it!?" Shay shouted, storming in with a twisted expression, bloodshot eyes.
"Hey, hey! What are you talking about?" said Milo.
"There's a damn thief here!" Shay snapped, nearly spitting the words. "I fell asleep! They came in while I was out… and my weapon is gone!"
Dana looked at him seriously, then turned to Milo.
"You were on watch… Are you sure you didn't see anything? Nothing before falling asleep?"
Milo swallowed hard. He lowered his gaze, guilt written all over his face.
"I'm sorry… but I didn't see anything," he muttered.
Anthony stepped out of his room, still adjusting his suit.
"What's all this commotion?" he asked, frowning at the scene.
"There's a thief among us," Shay replied hoarsely, still out of breath.
Anthony pressed his lips together.
"That's not good… Any suspects?"
"Yes," Shay spat, pointing straight at him. "You. And that damn bard."
"Me?!" —Anthony took a step back. "You're losing your mind."
"You and that charlatan are the only ones I didn't see go into your rooms last night," Shay insisted, eyes blazing.
A brief silence followed. Milo raised his voice, trying to calm things down.
"Maybe there's a clue in your room, Shay. Can I take a look?"
Shay eyed him with distrust, clenching his jaw. But he nodded.
"Do it. But don't touch anything."
Anthony raised his voice, not bothering to hide the venom in his tone.
"But if there's not a single shred of evidence tying me to this, you're walking the whole way, Shay… even if the Lotus kills you out there."
"Hey, calm down!" Milo stepped in, alarmed. "That's too much."
Anthony didn't back down. He stepped forward.
"No, Mr. Gearlock. He needs to hear it. This bastard was a piece of shit to everyone he met. And now that he's come back from the dead with the chance to do things differently… he chooses to be the same asshole as always."
No one spoke. The air tightened like a rope about to snap. Dana stood frozen, lips parted in a restrained grimace. Milo looked down, uncomfortable, rubbing the back of his neck.
The faint creak of the wooden floor was the only sound between them. Anthony and Shay stood face to face, like two dogs ready to bite.
"Please… calm down," Milo said, raising his hands, voice firm but laced with guilt. "This isn't Anthony's fault, or Shay's. It's mine. I was on watch… and I fell asleep. I'm the only one responsible. So please, stop fighting. I'll do everything I can to make up for my mistake."
Anthony stared at him for a few seconds, weighing his words. Then he nodded.
"Very well, Mr. Gearlock. I'll wait for you in the carriage. Investigate whatever you must."
He turned and walked out without looking back.
The others exchanged silent glances. Dana was the first to move, heading down the hall. Milo followed close behind.
Shay's room was narrow, with a barely-made bed, a half-closed chest, and some dried bandages on the table. Pale light came through the window.And there, as if nothing had happened, stood Galigan the bard — on top of the bed, arms wide open, and wearing a beaming smile.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the humble chamber of Broken Bridge!"
Shay frowned, furious.
"What the hell are you doing in my room, Galigan?"
The bard climbed down from the bed with an exaggerated bow.
"Well, it was hard not to hear your damsel-in-distress cries about a robbery. And of course, since Galigan is a legendary hero, he simply had to rush to the crime scene to offer his invaluable assistance."
Dana raised an eyebrow. Milo sighed.
"Did you check anything? Did you move anything?" he asked wearily.
"Nothing! I swear on the seven strings of my lute I haven't touched a single pin… though I must say, the decor leaves much to be desired," he added with a grimace, gesturing toward the messy sheets.
Shay ran a hand down his face, exasperated."Someone get him out of here before I throw him out the damn window myself."
Dana stepped forward firmly, without a word, and grabbed Galigan by the arm with force.
"Let's go. Out."
The bard tilted his head, feigning indignation.
"You don't want my help, then? The help of the magnificent Galigan Smith…?"
Before he could finish, Dana twisted his arm with a sharp motion. Galigan let out a high-pitched scream—more theatrical than genuine.
"Aaay! That's unnecessary… Careful! Don't let that blanket slip off," he snapped, writhing. "Ungrateful, all of you…"
Dana shoved him toward the door. Galigan stumbled, spun on one foot, and went tumbling into the hallway with a dull thud.
From outside, his muffled voice called.
"Ow! Is no one going to ask if I'm okay?"
Dana slammed the door shut. "No," she replied curtly, turning her gaze back to the room.
"Well, that's one less problem," Milo muttered.
"For now," Shay replied.
They began investigating in silence. Dana inspected the table and drawers, while Milo knelt beside the chest. Shay scanned the corners with a sharp gaze.
It was Dana who noticed it first."Look at this…" she pointed to the floor.
A trail of messy, dried mud prints broke the wood's usual pattern.
Shay stepped closer and frowned."That wasn't there last night."
Milo nodded. They followed the trail down the hallway until it disappeared into the damp earth of the backyard. The fresh air hit their faces, but even if they couldn't see it, they knew the Lotus of Bhael was out there.
Shay clenched his jaw. His voice was low, almost a resigned whisper."The only one who can go out there without being affected by the Lotus… is you, Dana."
She remained silent.
"But we're not going to force you," Milo added, stepping beside her. "You don't have to go… if you don't want to."
Dana stepped forward.
"I'll go," she said calmly. "It'll be a fun challenge. I just have to follow the prints, right?"
Milo gave a tired smile."And try not to die in the process."
Dana turned slightly toward them, composed as ever. Her eyes shone with a defiant spark."Don't worry. I don't plan on dying… again."
Dana stepped into the Lotus…
Milo looked at her. He cleared his throat and took a step toward her."Hey, Dana… don't you think you should get dressed before—"
Dana was already sprinting into the mist at full speed, her blanket fluttering behind her like an improvised cape.