Chapter 248

Audrey

Edwin and I stood outside the orphanage, staring up at the stark white facade and gleaming windows. The place had… changed since I’d been here.

When I was last here, the roof had practically been caving in, the shingles falling off the sides of the building, the windows covered in spiderwebbing cracks that let in the cold winter air,

But now, it seemed that the entire place had been torn down and rebuilt.

Instead of a dilapidated Victorian mansion, it was a sleek and modern structure with clean lines and large windows. Even from outside, we could see children moving around the brightly lit hallways with smiles on their faces.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as I stared past the colorful flower gardens out front, the sound of children’s laughter and squeaky swing sets echoing across the quiet street.

“You okay?” Edwin touched my shoulder, snapping me out of my reverie. “If it’s still too much, you don’t have to go in. You can wait in the car.”

I shook my head and tugged my jacket a little closer around my shoulders even though it was a balmy sixty-five degrees outside. “No. I feel like I need to do this.”

When Charles had told us that he believed the orphanage I used to live in was one of the biggest responsible for sending kids to unknown locations in Coldclaw territory, I couldn’t believe it.

We had already questioned the new director here-it was the first place we targeted during our crusade.

But I had probed her mind, and found nothing. She was innocent. Only the previous director, the crotchety old man who had been in charge while I was there, had been involved in the mistreatment of human kids. She didn’t even know that it had been going on, and was abhorred by it.

I still remembered that interrogation like it was yesterday. The director, a sweet older woman named Sophia, had been all smiles and warmth. I knew, of course, that looks could be deceiving when it came to such things-Fiona was a prime example of that-but Sophia really had been innocent.

That was why, rather than sending Charles and a bunch of warriors to arrest her again, Edwin and I had decided to make a visit to the orphanage ourselves. We needed to investigate with our own eyes before we made any moves.

“Okay,” Edwin ceded with a soft sigh. “But if you start to feel uncomfortable, I want you to tell me so we can leave.”

“I will.”

path, hand-in-hand, with Charles and a couple of Crescent warriors behind us. We knocked on the large wooden door and waited

wearing a professional blouse and tailored trousers. She had an apron on top of everything, which was smeared with paint as if she’d

over her

we were hoping to receive a tour,” Edwin said, monitoring his words and his facial expression carefully so

the warriors. Normally, Crescent warriors wore a black uniform with a silver crescent moon sigil-a design we’d come up with together since

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Chapter 248

raise any red flags. If Sophia really was working with Coldclaw, then it was best if we were stealthy

a lie, of course, and saying it felt bitter on my tongue, but it was the only

she untied her apron with one hand. “Of course. Please, come in. I was just in the middle of arts and crafts with the kids, but my assistant

over.”

or so, Sophia gave us a tour. I couldn’t believe

all kinds of books and toys and plush furniture. The children’s dormitories were painted with brightly-colored murals depicting animals and fairytale scenes, with the dorm walls for the older

allowed the kids to personalize their own spaces, even down to the smallest details like picking out their own sheets, blankets,

was like this when I lived here,” I mused with a tiny laugh as we peered into a room specifically made for music classes-complete with an upright piano and a soundproof room

chuckled. “Yes, it was quite the feat to build this place,” she explained. “But thanks to our anonymous benefactor, we

each other. “Anonymous

me and asked to fund the renovations. I was struggling to

so,” I muttered as I glanced around at the high ceilings and pristine

they asked to remain anonymous. It was part of the stipulation

the name, maybe even use my powers to read her mind, but Edwin stopped me with a nudge through the

better to stay quiet and observe for now; so I smiled

tour.

that we didn’t have the pleasure of having while I was here. If we got sick, it was on the other kids to help care for us, and the old director only ever called a doctor in extreme cases.

Sophia moved

pointing down the hall. “Can we see

“Children are resting,” she said. “We had

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