Odett’s POV
Three mornings later, a coven near Arnald’s eastern border missed a protection check. Storms sometimes damaged boundary spells, so one missed call could mean very little. When the second call went unanswered, Arnald sent a patrol with a witch and a vampire investigator. I watched the departure time appear on Dad’s desk and hoped there were people waiting to answer the door.
The team carried a document bearing both Arnald’s seal and the coven’s verification spell. For once, the guards let every investigator cross together. We still did not know what had happened to the coven, but no one would have to stand at a border while a colleague went in alone.
“They lost eleven minutes,” Uncle Orian said with cautious approval after comparing the departure and crossing times.
“The old
