“Urgh…” Finn stirs, the coarse poke of hay needling his back and face.

  Where am I?

  He blinks his eyes open slowly. It takes a moment for his vision to adjust: dim light, stone walls, and… bars. Metal bars.

  “A prison? Why the hell am I locked up?”

  Then the memory of the cave hits him. The last desperate surge of magic. Risa. Nyx. Cocoa.

  “Where are they?” he murmurs, panic bubbling beneath his skin.

  He jolts upright from the unruly pile of straw, a sharp pain searing through his chest. “Tch—overdid it again…”

  The backlash from pushing beyond his magical limit is unforgiving. Worse still, his belongings are gone, including the small magic vault he always keeps tucked in his sleeve.

  With effort, he staggers to the bars, gripping them tightly. “Oi! Anyone out there? Why am I locked up?”

  Some inmates hush him, others mutter sharp warnings, but Finn pays them no mind. He keeps calling out, his voice rasping and cracking, but is determined.

  Eventually, a heavy door creaks open at the far end of the corridor. Slow, deliberate footsteps echo down the stone steps. A figure clad in full knight’s armour emerges, his face cold, unreadable.

  At once, the other inmates fall silent.

  “You’re here for kidnapping,” the knight says flatly. “Of a noble child, no less.”

  Finn stares. “Kidnapping? What noble child?”

  “The boy you used as a shield in the cave.”

  “What?” The accusation lands hard. His mind reels—but then the image flickers back. Nyx. Using his body to get them through the horde…

  “I know it sounds absurd, but listen, Mr—uh—Knight,” Finn stammers, scrambling for a coherent excuse that doesn’t expose Nyx.

  “He dresses like a noble, but he’s clearly not one. Besides, who would send only two Disciple-rank magicians to escort a noble’s child?”

  “I was collapsing from exhaustion. The boy was just helping me stay upright, that’s all.”

  The knight’s gaze sharpens. “That required pushing him towards the predator pack?”

  “What? No! That’s not—look, can I just get some water first? Please?” he adds, trying to sound calm and polite.

  A knight stands behind and tosses a water flask through the bars. Finn snatches it, gulps down the contents greedily, all the while scheming his next move.

  Wiping his mouth, he straightens and says, “You’re not going to believe me unless you speak to my companions. They were with me in the cave. They can vouch for me. Let me see them.”

  The lead knight turns to one of his knights, and she replies, “Sergeant, the girl is still unconscious in the Sanctuary.”

  Finn’s composure shatters. “What? Is she… is she seriously hurt?”

  “We’ll say no more until you can prove your innocence,” the lead knight says, unwavering.

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  Finn clenches his jaw but exhales, steadying himself. Worrying gets him nowhere. He needs to act.

  “Fine. Then what about the boy? He’s my… relative’s child. At least let me speak to him.”

  The knight exchanges a glance with his companion. “Sergeant, he refused to speak or write. Not a single word.”

  “We’ll let you see him,” the lead knight says curtly. “But try anything, and you won’t walk out.”

  The cell unlocks with a flick of magic. They bind his wrists before escorting him up the stairwell to a plain room with only stone walls, a wooden table, and two chairs.

  Finn is seated opposite the lead knight while others stand guard near the door.

  Trying to lift the tension, Finn offers a smile. “I’m Finn Tess. A harmless, law-abiding Disciple magician.”

  No response.

  “We came from Mistwood. You must’ve heard—it was under siege. Predators everywhere. We fought them off, barely made it. I was part of the long-range strike unit.”

  Still nothing.

  “Alright… not the talkative type. Ever heard of Theodoe Brooks? Knight Lieutenant of the Mistwood? Had a lovely chat with him recently…”

  The awkward silence finally breaks as the door creaks open. Two knights enter, gently ushering in a small boy. He clutches a plushie in one hand—otherwise, he appears unharmed.

  “Nyx!” Finn exhales in relief. “You alright? And Cocoa…”

  “I’m fine. Cocoa not,” Nyx replies, lifting the plushie for Finn to see. Cocoa remains limp in his hands, unresponsive.

  “We’ll fix Cocoa once I’m out of here,” Finn says softly. Then, his gaze returned to Nyx’s eyes. The steady intensity in Nyx’s stare is a clear sign: his vision has returned.

  “Good lad…” Finn pats his head softly, careful not to say too much with so many ears around.

  He turns to the knight across the table. “As you can see, he knows me. We’re not strangers. His guardian asked me to escort him to the capital, but the predators ambushed us while we were resting in the cave. Simple as that.”

  The knight frowns. “He didn’t utter a single word until you showed up. What if you’ve coerced him to stay silent unless you’re present?”

  “What?! That’s ridiculous! At this rate, I’ll never clear my name. You can just throw any charge at me!”

  “We suspect you’re linked to Echoes of Ascendance—a cult that’s been kidnapping children from villages nearby Narfolk.”

  “Echoes of Ascendance?” Finn’s eyes narrow. “I thought they were wiped out years ago?”

  The lead knight’s voice stays cold. “They’ve resurfaced. Witnesses reported their activity. Your treatment of this child in the cave only adds to the suspicion.”

  Finn had counted on Nyx to bring clarity, but with Nyx still fumbling through human interaction and on the verge of revealing too much, Finn feels like he’s walking on a tightrope.

  He can’t rely on Risa either, not in her current condition, and she can be accused of being his accomplice. Should he ask Syl for help? But that might further complicate the matter…

  “Unless…” Finn’s eyes flicker with a spark. “Unless the culprit’s someone else—and it’s not me.”

  The knight says nothing, waiting.

  “I’ll prove it. Let me investigate the kidnappings. Let me find the real culprits and clear my name.”

  “And what makes you think we’ll just let you go? You could vanish the moment you’re free.”

  “Then assign someone to watch me. Use a curbing spell to suppress my magic. Even if I were truly one of them, wouldn’t following me lead you to their hideout?”

  He leans forward, voice steady but intense. “If I succeed, you’ll recover the children and prove my innocence. That’s two victories in one.”

  The knight doesn’t blink, doesn’t shift, but Finn can sense the gears turning behind that stoic gaze.

  “We will decide,” the knight replies at last. “You’ll be informed once a conclusion is reached.”

  He motions to the others to escort Finn back to his cell.

  “Wait! What about the girl lying in the Sanctuary? How long has she been unconscious?”

  A female knight speaks candidly. “She’s been under care since the moment she was brought in from the cave. Her condition is stable. She could wake at any moment.”

  “I see. Thank you for letting me know about her condition,” Finn says, his gratitude sincere.

  Then, Finn turns to Nyx and kneels down, whispering, “Nyx. Be good. Eat, sleep… like we do. I’ll be back.”

  The boy nods solemnly.

  Finn watches him go, heart twisting. The longer Nyx remains out of reach, the greater the risk of his true identity being exposed. And when that happens, it won’t be a matter that a few knights can quietly handle.