Jin pushed aside a low branch, his expression frustrated. "She has to be nearby," he muttered, scratching the back of his head.
Elysia walked beside him, her brows deeply furrowed with worry and irritation. "Cecelia said she'd meet us after the exam ended. Where could she have gone?"
Edwin trailed a few steps behind, hands in his pockets and his gaze wandering around the forest lazily. He looked more annoyed than concerned. "She's probably fine. Maybe she just went off early."
But Elysia wasn't convinced. She pressed on with quick strides, her heart pounding with a strange mix of anxiety and suspicion.
The trio soon searched for her. As they stepped in, Elysia came to a sudden halt.
There—at the center of the clearing—stood Cecelia.
And in front of her... was Kael.
The sight rooted Elysia to the spot. Her chest tightened.
