Seth studied Fiona's reaction carefully.
The confusion on her face seemed genuine.
He glanced past her toward the open doorway.
The street beyond looked normal at first glance... buildings, lamps, the morning light.
But something was wrong.
The people were gone.
The usual morning crowd of merchants, students, and workers had vanished.
Even Jerald, who had been standing right behind Fiona moments ago, was nowhere to be seen.
Fiona followed his gaze and saw it too.
Her hand instinctively went to the sapphire bracelet on her wrist, gripping it tight.
For a moment, fear flickered across her face.... then it faded.
She took a slow breath, and her posture relaxed.
Whatever the bracelet was, it gave her confidence.
Seth observed her reaction closely.
'She didn't know about this,' he concluded.
'The trap isn't her doing...'
That meant a third party was involved.
Someone else had set the spell on this building.
