Lysara's POV
"No."
The word slipped from my lips before I could stop it.
"No...no..."
Kneeling among the wet leaves, I emptied my satchel on the forest floor.
Bandages.
Dried herbs.
A waterskin.
No other supplies.
I checked every pocket of my cloak.
Every seam.
Every fold of fabric.
The leather pouch was gone.
Lost.
My breath grew erratic.
"I had it."
My eyes pleaded with Ronan.
"I checked the pouch before we left the forest."
Again.
I checked every pocket.
More carefully.
As if I could somehow will my mistake into reality.
Nothing.
My hands were shaking.
It was ridiculous.
Like the pouch had just chosen to disappear.
Except that it had.
Somewhere between Silvercrest and here.
We had lost the one piece of evidence which could reveal Elder Corwin.
All of those m
