Father froze mid-step, his eyes snapping upward as if expecting something to drop from the branches.
His hands came up instinctively, shielding me.
"Astraga....are you alright?" His voice was tight, direct. "Who was there? Did you see anything? Tell me immediately."
I swallowed. "I… heard voices."
His expression sharpened. "Voices? A beast? Another one?"
"No, Father. Voices of children. They were… calling to me. They sounded happy."
He did not like that answer. His jaw tightened.
"Inside. Now."
He signaled to the crowd and the Mayor, waving them toward the barrier. We passed through the wind layer and into the hidden camp beyond.
Up close, it looked nothing like a temporary shelter. It was organized, camouflaged, structured built by people who absolutely did not want to be found. Even Clara, her children, and the lumberjack looked overwhelmed. The shock of learning Shio and maybe even the butcher had been behind the disappearances still clung to their faces.
