058 CASE OF THE MISSING STUDENTS
Dan turned—and froze.
Of all people, she was the last he expected to see here.
"Eryn Veyran?" he asked, his voice dropping instinctively before he added bluntly, "This is the second ti we've t in Black Owl."
"Right… I ca for Zairgid's party," Eryn said, brushing her hair aside with practiced composure. "Our families have business ties. Ignoring the heir of the Aukuoma family would be rude."
She spoke as if this were their first encounter here, deliberately glossing over the last ti—when she had stord into Black Owl demanding justice for her cousins, the sa cousins Dan had beaten senseless.
She was clearly trying to reset the slate, to bury her family's grudge under polite civility.
Her gaze flicked toward the roaring crowd before she reached out and tugged lightly at his sleeve. "Co on. The noise is unbearable."
They slipped through a side corridor and erged into an inner garden, where the thudding music dulled into a distant pulse. Cool air washed over them, carrying the scent of damp soil and freshly blood flowers.
The chaos outside felt worlds away.
Dan folded his arms, studying her carefully. "What happened to you after Mount Death?"
"Well," Eryn said with a weary sigh, "my father sent
ho imdiately. They ran every test imaginable on —as if I were carrying so kind of plague."
"He was afraid you caught the curse," Dan said flatly.
"Yeah… about the curse." She glanced around quickly, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You can't tell anyone. No one can know my mother got it."
The weight of her words hung heavy between them.
"Of course," Dan said simply. His eyes softened. "You have my word."
Eryn nodded, visibly relaxing. "I heard you got a dal," she said with a teasing smile.
"Zairgid's father probably bribed half the fortress for it," Dan replied dryly. "I just happened to be there during the mission, so they couldn't just skip ."
"That's not true. You deserve every bit of it," Eryn said, her voice sincere now. "You were the one who saved . If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be standing here. If it wasn't for those stubborn people in my family, we'd be piling you with rewards."
Dan gave a short laugh, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Try to convince your family not to bother
again. I won't be kind to them, even for your sake."
"You don't have to do anything for my sake," she said softly. "Those people are idiots anyway."
"Real idiots," Dan replied, smirking.
For a brief mont, both of them laughed — a small, genuine sound that cut through the tension hanging between them.
Then Eryn hesitated.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she looked down, tracing circles on the marble bench beside her.
"What is it?" Dan asked, sensing her nerves. "Sothing you want to say?"
"Well…" she murmured, fumbling with her fingers. "Would you— would you be my partner for Prom later this year?"
"High School Prom?" Dan raised an eyebrow. "But you're not even in my school."
"This year, several high schools are hosting a joint Prom night," she explained, her eyes bright. "Yours and mine included."
Dan paused, unsure how to respond.
The thought of attending a social event felt foreign to him yet he couldn't help but think of the rumors back inside the party.
'Dan Dark couldn't get a prom partner,' they said.
He smiled faintly. "Alright. I guess I can go. But I'm boring — I don't socialize much."
"It doesn't matter," Eryn said, her expression soft and certain.
"All you need to do is talk to ." She extended her hand slightly, almost like sealing a pact. "So, we have a deal?"
"Yes," Dan said, shaking her hand.
The garden lights shimred in her eyes like twin stars, and for a brief mont, Dan felt the world grow strangely quiet.
They returned to the party, and they didn't have another chance to speak again. Eryn was extrely popular, people were crowding her like fans looking for signatures.
After a while, Dan left the party. There was nothing new to learn.
-----
"So, what do you an there are students getting stronger? That's got nothing to do with our case," Dorin asked, raising an eyebrow at Dan.
"Think about it," Dan replied. "Students don't suddenly grow stronger for no reason." He paused, realizing how that sounded implicating himself. "Well, I might have a legitimate reason—but I can't say the sa for everyone else."
"He's got a point," Lander said. "Every outlier is a potential clue."
He quickly pulled out his datapad, his fingers dancing across the screen. Within monts, a holographic projection filled the wall — rows of student photos and nas appearing one by one.
"These," Lander said, "are students whose ta scores skyrocketed abnormally over the last month. No records of special training, no prescriptions, no enhancent drugs. Nothing that explains the surge."
Dorin folded her arms. "Are you suggesting getting stronger is sohow connected to the missing students?"
Lander glanced at Dan. "What do you think?"
Dan leaned forward, studying the projection. "We should cross-check every detail about these students — their classes, habits, schedules. If there's a pattern, we'll find it. There has to be a common factor."
Lander's lips curved into a thin smile. "Already ahead of you."
With a tap, another image appeared — a woman with auburn hair and sharp, confident eyes.
"This is Miss Gallum," Lander said. "She joined the school about a month ago — the sa week the disappearances started. She also happens to be the horoom or subject teacher for every student whose ta levels spiked unnaturally."
Dorin frowned. "That's it? One teacher in common? The connection feels too thin."
"Maybe," Dan said. "But it's still a lead — and right now, it's the only one we've got."
Lander nodded in agreent. "Then let's check her out — quietly. If she's clean, we move on. If not…"
"We're back to square one
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