Ryker closed the research folder, the chilling profiles of the Obsidian Pack, the Ironwood Collective, and the Free Cities Coven burning into his mind. He had just reread the details for the third time. Having to deal with treason was enough, but the possibility of causing a war was imposing astronomical strain on his sanity.
He knew he couldn't stay passive. Every day they kept Lyra contained without understanding the seal was a day they risked being found by one of these predators.
The only piece of the puzzle that was not supernatural was the Village of Oakhaven—Lyra's true "human" home. It was risky but everything so far was risking. This just adding one more to his bucket list. He calmed his ragged breathing and glanced at the child. What am I even doing?
A desperate, daring idea solidified in his mind, before he completely gave up.
Since the Seven-Point Containment Lock was designed specifically to suppress her Lycan identity and the dangerous memories connected to her magical origins, it stood to reason that the seal would not interfere with her purely human, emotional memories from Oakhaven—her adopted mother, her daily life, the streets of the village.
If he could get Lyra back to Oakhaven, the environment might trigger her pre-amnesia memories of her home life. The goal wouldn't be to find out what she is, but who loved her. If they could piece together her life before the critical shift, they might discover what trauma or threat forced her to flee and caused the seal to crack.
This was their best shot at proactive intelligence, but it required leaving the safety of the Garrison.
Mobilising the team.
Ryker immediately began making encrypted calls, bypassing the Citadel's military channels entirely.
Jonathan (The Friend)
His first call went to Jonathan, his closest friend and a dependable soldier who had first alerted him to Lyra's amnesia. Jonathan was loyal to Ryker, not the Elders, and his help with logistics and a discreet escort was essential.
"I need you to pull a transport detail for me," Ryker stated, keeping his tone measured. "A closed-cabin, long-haul vehicle. Top mechanical shape. No tracking devices. I need it ready to move by midnight tomorrow."
"A long-haul, Ryker? Where are you going?" Jonathan's voice was sharp with worry.
"South. Toward the foothills. I need you to procure the necessary fuel and supplies for a month, and the forged documentation for a field exercise—far enough away to lose the Citadel's signal."
A long silence stretched across the line. "This is about the girl, isn't it? The one Thax was torturing."
"This is about saving the only asset that matters," Ryker confirmed. "Are you with me, Jonathan? Fully? This mission will be outside the law."
"You already know the answer," Jonathan replied, his voice firm. "Midnight tomorrow. I'll make the arrangements."
Captain Emrys (The Head General)
Next, Ryker reached Captain Emrys on the highly secure, private frequency. He outlined the plan: the failure of research and the need to seek a personal, non-magical memory trigger at Oakhaven.
"You want to take the Citadel's most valuable and dangerous fugitive out of confinement and drive her to her known, original location?" Emrys's voice was laced with disbelief. "Ryker, that is an intolerable risk. The moment you cross into the outer territories, you are fair game for every shadow agent and hidden Kingdom."
"It's an acceptable risk," Ryker countered. "The seal is holding, but it's volatile. The external enemies are already hunting. We cannot fight them without knowing the immediate trigger that caused her shift. Oakhaven is the only piece of the puzzle that is civilian, not magical. It's the only memory that may be accessible."
"I can't sanction this," Emrys stated, though Ryker heard the hesitation.
"You don't need to sanction it. I am acting on the Crown's direct orders to stabilize and investigate the asset," Ryker reminded her, using the Queen's mandate as his shield. "What I need is your intelligence. I need constant updates on any Citadel movement toward the foothills and continued research into the Lycan factions."
Emrys sighed—the sound of a loyal officer crossing yet another line into treason.
"Very well. The risk is yours. I will mobilize a ghost channel to keep the asset's containment status as 'Secure and Stable' within the Garrison. I will feed you intelligence, but I cannot protect you once you leave the territory."
Rowland (The Healer)
Finally, Ryker called the physician, the head healer.
"You need to prepare a substantial medical kit," Ryker ordered. "More Aether-Bind Elixir, strong sedatives, and materials for dealing with extreme trauma. We are leaving the Garrison."
"Leaving? To where?" the Healer demanded.
"Oakhaven. We are seeking a memory trigger. You must accompany us. You are the only one who can monitor the stability of the Seven-Point Lock in the field."
Rowland was quiet for a moment, then spoke with a clinical resolve. "I understand. The potential for a memory trigger to break the seal is too high to travel without me. I will prepare the elixirs and a field diagnostic kit. When do we move?"
"Midnight tomorrow," Ryker said, glancing at the sleeping girl.
The Conspiracy Convenes.
Later that day, a final, tense meeting was held in the Isolation Block. Rowland came with the medical bag; Emrys couldn't not be able to join physically, but she was on call using the secure line. Jonathan stood near the door, a silent sentry.
Ryker pointed to a small, isolated spot on the crude map of the foothills. "We are going here: Oakhaven. We move by road tomorrow night."
"It's our best shot," Emrys conceded, her voice devoid of any emotion. "If the seal fails outside the Citadel, we are exposed, but if we gain intelligence, we may survive."
"I agree," Rowland stated, clutching his medical bag. "It is the quickest path to understanding the psychological trigger that we must avoid."
The plan was set. Ryker, Lyra, Rowland and Jonathan would embark on a dangerous mission back to the one place on the map that was supposed to be safe, but now carried the terrifying risk of unveiling her past.