The children stood just outside the doorway, their eyes shifting between Theodore and the woman who Theodore had just introduced. Aveline's smile hadn't faded, and her warmth seemed to fill the narrow hallway.
Briar leaned toward Beatrice and whispered,
"She's his wife?"
Beatrice nodded slowly, still staring.
"She said so."
Felix tilted his head.
"She looks... normal. Kind, even."
Rhys muttered,
"What's someone like her doing with someone like him?"
Corbin scoffed, his voice a low sneer.
"She must have been desperate. I've never seen a man who radiates misery quite like he does."
"Maybe he has money,"
Beatrice said softly, her voice filled with a timid anxiety.
"Maybe that's why she's with him."
Theodore's eyes narrowed. He had heard enough. His foot shifted forward, his jaw clenched, and he looked ready to lunge. But before he could take a step, Aveline placed a hand gently on his arm. Her smile didn't waver.
"Oh, Theodore,"
she chuckled lightly, her voice warm and gentle.
"Don't mind the children. They're just being children."
He took a deep breath, his body still rigid with anger.
"They're not children,"
he spat, but Aveline's smile remained unwavering.
"Of course they are,"
she said, her voice filled with a gentle, soothing tone.
"Look at them, so young and innocent."
She turned her head, her smile spreading to the children.
"Come in, all of you. It's too cold to be standing in the hallway."
They stepped into the house one by one. The living room was modest. A grandfather clock stood in the corner, its ticking steady and slow. A black-and-white television sat on a wooden stand, its surface scratched and worn. The cushions on the couch were mismatched, and the wallpaper had faded in places.
"You have a TV?"
Beatrice whispered, her voice filled with awe.
Aveline smiled warmly, seeing the shock on their faces.
"Are you surprised by the TV?"
she asked.
The children nodded, their eyes still on the screen.
Theodore cut in, his voice curt.
"Did you think we were poor or something?"
No one answered. The children looked away, murmuring quietly. Their words were low, unintelligible, but their silence said enough. Emmett and Corbin didn't look away. Their eyes stayed on Theodore, unreadable but steady. They didn't speak, but it was clear they had something to say—and chose not to.
Aveline laughed gently.
"They're funny. Adorable, really. We're not rich, but we manage. We spoil ourselves when we can."
"Speaking of money,"
Theodore said, his voice still curt. He dropped the worn, leather suitcase he had been holding onto a nearby table, the sound a soft thud.
"This is my pay for the current my current job."
He said before opening it for Aveline to see, and her eyes widened in shock.
"Theodore! That's a fortune!"
she gasped, her voice filled with awe.
"How much is in here?"
"Half a million Orns,"
he said, a smug and proud grin spreading across his face.
Aveline stepped closer.
"What kind of job gives you that?"
Theodore closed the suitcase and handed it to her.
"I'll explain later. For now, find a place to keep it safe. And prepare rooms for the kids."
She hesitated.
"you still haven't told me how you met them."
"I'll tell you everything later."
Aveline nodded and disappeared down the hallway with the suitcase.
Theodore turned to the children.
"Don't you dare tell Aveline or Serafina about the investigation or the Baron,"
he spat, his voice low.
"Who's Serafina?"
Briar asked.
Theodore's eyes narrowed.
"She's my daughter."
"Where is she?"
Felix asked, looking around as if she might appear out of thin air.
"She's out working."
Felix frowned.
"What kind of work keeps a girl out this late?"
Theodore's voice was firm.
"None of your business."
Aveline returned, wiping her hands on a cloth.
"Two rooms. Two beds in each. It's the best we can do."
She pointed down the hall.
"Girls in one room, boys in the other. You can carry your bags in. I'll be in the kitchen making dinner. If you need anything, just ask."
As she left, Theodore turned to the children.
"Drop your luggage in your rooms and come back here so we can begin investigating the explosion,"
he said.
The children nodded and picked up their luggage. The rooms were side by side. Felix, Rhys, Corbin, and Emmett chose the room on the right. Eta, Theta, Beatrice, and Briar took the other. Each room had two beds, plain sheets, and a small dresser. The walls were bare, but the space felt clean and quiet.
They placed their things down and returned to the living room. Theodore was seated, arms crossed, waiting.
They joined him, and an awkward silence fell over the room for a few seconds before he spoke.
"Do you have any experience with investigations?" he asked.
The children nodded slowly, but their expressions gave them away. They had no idea what they were supposed to do.
Theodore sighed. He looked at them, then at the floor.
*Why would the Baron have me partner children?*
He stood and turned to the children.
"We're heading to the warehouse tomorrow. The one that exploded. Our operation begins there."
The children nodded again. Emmett adjusted his collar. Corbin glanced at the others. Briar looked nervous, while Felix seemed unsure. Rhys didn't react much, and Eta and Theta exchanged a glance.
In the kitchen, Aveline had finished setting the table. It was too small for everyone, so she placed extra plates in the living room. The smell of stew filled the house. She called out,
"Dinner's ready!"
The children gathered around, some sitting on the couch, others on the floor. Plates were passed around, and the room filled with quiet chewing and the occasional clink of cutlery.
A few minutes into dinner, the doorbell rang.
Felix looked up.
"Who's knocking at this hour?"
Briar lturned to look at the clock.
"It's very late."
Rhys wiped his mouth.
"Maybe it's a neighbor."
Corbin stood, placing his plate on the table. "I'll get it."
He walked to the door and opened it slowly. The hallway outside was dark. A figure stood just beyond the threshold—a young woman, in her late teens. Her eyes lit up when she saw him.
"Well now,"
she said.
"A charming little face. What brings you here?"
Corbin blinked.
"Who are you?"
She smiled.
"Forgive me—I've yet to introduce myself. My name is…"