Morning light streamed through the trees, casting shifting shadows on the damp earth. Selene sat cross-legged on a fallen log near the town's central park, trying to suppress the nerves that had been gnawing at her since last night. She barely slept, the image of Cane shifting replaying in her mind like a cursed melody.
"Alright, spill it."
Selene nearly jumped as Allen flopped down beside her, an exaggerated grin on his face. Naksu, already seated on her other side, leaned in with arms crossed.
"What happened to you last night?" Allen wiggled his brows. "You came home looking like you saw a ghost—wait, was it a ghost?" He gasped dramatically. "Did you see the spirit of some murdered Blackwood maiden? Or did you finally realize how boring your life is and have an existential crisis?"
Selene forced a weak smile, trying to steady her voice. "I... uh, I just lost track of time in the woods. It freaked me out a little, that's all."
Naksu narrowed her eyes. "You? Losing track of time? Selene, you time your hikes to the second."
Allen gasped again, placing a hand over his chest. "Oh no, is our dear Selene lying? This is a historic moment! Mark this day, Naksu!"
Selene groaned. "I'm not lying! It just got dark, and I panicked. Can we drop it?"
Allen exchanged a look with Naksu, but before either could push further, footsteps crunched against the gravel path leading to them. Selene turned, her pulse hitching as she spotted Cane approaching. And beside him was a girl with sharp eyes and an expression that could curdle milk.
"Morning," Cane greeted, his voice steady but his eyes searching hers.
Selene nodded in response, trying not to seem overly aware of him.
"Who's this?" Allen asked, tilting his head toward Cane's companion.
"This is Nelly," Cane introduced. "My sister."
Nelly folded her arms, her smirk curling like a blade. "Nice to meet you... Selene and friends."
Something about her tone made Selene stiffen. Unlike Cane, who had an easy presence, Nelly radiated something more controlled, more deliberate.
"So, you're Cane's new friend," Nelly continued, scrutinizing Selene. "I was starting to think he didn't know how to make any."
"Wow," Allen muttered. "Charming."
Cane sighed. "Ignore her. She thinks sarcasm is a personality trait."
"Because it is," Nelly shot back before flicking her gaze toward Allen and Naksu. "And who might you two be? Cane never mentioned any friends."
"I'm Allen, Blackwood's finest investigator of mysteries and overall dashing man about town," Allen declared, puffing his chest. "And this is my lovely assistant, Naksu."
"I'm no one's assistant," Naksu corrected flatly, eyeing Nelly with suspicion. "But I do tell Allen when he's being an idiot, so I guess that counts for something."
Nelly chuckled, but there was no warmth in it. "Cute."
Selene stole a glance at Cane. He wasn't smiling. He seemed... tense. Different from when they were alone. The moment stretched, uncomfortable, before Allen clapped his hands together.
"So! Since we have a new audience, let's discuss the actual mystery at hand—what's going on with those bodies in the forest?"
Selene's blood ran cold. She glanced at Cane, who had gone rigid, his jaw tightening.
"There's nothing to discuss," Nelly said, her tone sharp.
Allen quirked a brow. "Oh? But the police are all over the place now, patrolling every night. Everyone's talking about it. You don't find that interesting?"
"No." Nelly's voice was clipped, final. "People should just stay out of the woods at night. That's all there is to it."
Allen didn't miss a beat. "Now see, that is exactly the kind of thing someone hiding something would say."
Selene nearly groaned. Allen always had a way of poking the bear just for the fun of it. Unfortunately, today's bear was Cane's unnerving sister.
Nelly stepped forward, her gaze darkening. "Listen, 'detective,' you don't want to go poking your nose where it doesn't belong."
Allen blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in tone. "Okay, that was definitely a threat. And now I am interested."
Cane intervened, stepping between them. "Enough. We should go."
"Yes, please," Selene agreed, desperate to escape the rising tension. She turned to Allen, hoping to defuse his growing curiosity. "Allen, just let it go."
Allen squinted at her. "Since when do you not want to solve a mystery? You love this kind of thing."
"Not this time," Selene said firmly. "Just... drop it."
Allen studied her, clearly noting her unease. But before he could push further, Cane spoke.
"Selene, can we talk? Alone?"
Selene hesitated. The last thing she wanted was more scrutiny from her friends, but Cane's eyes held something unspoken, something urgent.
"Sure," she relented.
Allen's eyes followed them as they stepped a few paces away. "Ah yes, go have your private talk. No suspicions raised there."
Selene shot him a glare before turning to Cane. "What is it?"
Cane ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't think Nelly would react that way. I'm sorry."
"I get it," Selene murmured. "But Allen's just being Allen. You don't have to worry."
Cane's lips pressed together, and for a moment, Selene thought he would say something else—something bigger. But instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small charm.
"I wanted to give you this," he said, placing it in her palm.
It was a silver pendant, shaped like a crescent moon.
Selene frowned. "Cane, silver—"
"It doesn't affect me as much as others," he cut in. "I just... I want you to have something to remember me by."
Her heart twisted. She looked up at him, her throat tightening. "Cane, I..."
"Selene!" Naksu's voice interrupted her. "We're heading home, are you coming?"
Selene glanced between Cane and her friends before nodding. "Yeah, I'm coming."
Cane exhaled, stepping back. "Be safe."
She turned, walking back to Allen and Naksu, acutely aware of Cane watching her leave. As they walked, Allen nudged her.
"So," he drawled, "are we going to talk about how Nelly basically threatened me, or are we just going to pretend that wasn't incredibly sketchy?"
"Let it go, Allen," Selene said, gripping the pendant tight in her hand.
Allen sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. But I am going to find out what's going on. Just you wait."
Selene felt a chill at his words. If Allen kept digging, he might uncover things that couldn't be unseen. And if he did… she wasn't sure Cane's family would let him walk away unscathed.