The night was quiet, except for the gentle rustling of leaves in the cool evening breeze. The rented house stood still, bathed in soft moonlight, while flickering lamps inside cast a warm glow against the dark sky.
Javier lay sprawled on the bed, arms and legs stretched out as he waited for Liana to arrive. His amber eyes stared at the ceiling, his mind wandering.
(How did Mrs. Errinette even get here? I didn't see any horses when she arrived… Weird.)
He yawned and rolled onto his side.
Then—
"Cuquawked!!"
A loud, distressed squawk echoed from the courtyard.
Javier's eyes snapped open.
"Hmm? Why is Buddy so noisy tonight?"
His first thought? Probably nothing.
Maybe Buddy and Pikko found something on the ground—some leftover food or a bug—and were pecking at it.
If it were an intruder…
They wouldn't even be able to touch the ground.
Not with his invisible puppet knights already surrounding the area.
