The members of The Rats remained stubbornly tight-lipped. Henrie's knights had subjected them to nights of brutal interrogation, yet none of them uttered a word.
"Dig into their pasts," Henrie ordered his knights, determination etched on his face.
"Find anything we can use to break their resolve. A loved one, a cherished dream, money—anything that will make them crack."
He sought solace in the confines of his chamber, yearning for a brief respite from the relentless tension that had gripped him since the day Runa vanished from the palace.
With closed eyes, Henrie whispered, "Runa, please visit me in my dreams. Reveal your whereabouts, guide me to you."
***
Henrie's eyes fluttered open, immersing him in yet another memory-dream. For the first time in these recurring visions, the setting had shifted away from the palace. This time, it wasn't the regal surroundings that enveloped him.
