45

"I had no idea the Sheriff was going to be at your place," Jordan whispers. "This could cause a lot of trouble. I should've kept my mouth shut, but I was so excited!"

You don't doubt it. There's no shortage of skeptics when it comes to Jordan's visions, and she views every successful augury as vindication in the face of the doubters. "Just be careful and I think you'll be fine," you say. "Qui already has his hands full dealing with the Anarchs, so he's less likely to be too concerned about you when he's already stretched so thin."

"It's just…I was just thinking that this could be it," she says with a grin. "The moment we've been waiting for! Do you think?"

Several years ago, Jordan had a vision that she would be instrumental in helping you with a mysterious project of great importance, and she's stuck close to you since at every opportunity. When you were a young neonate, she helped you navigate dangerous social and political waters once you left Corliss's nest, and you have reason to believe her intervention saved you from a possibly fatal faux pas on more than one occasion—although Jordan never made a point of it or asked for a quid pro quo

"I'm not sure this is the moment you've been waiting for," you say flatly, suppressing a sigh. "But it's certainly something that's going to shake up the status quo. First the Prince goes missing and now a Primogen loses her memory? Vision or not, we need to take this seriously." You keep your eyes trained on the last spot you placed Qui. The shrubs are quiet now. Everything is quiet but the two of you.

"We should get inside and talk to Vivian," Jordan says. "She's probably recovered since I found her. What is Qui even doing?"

"He's being cautious," you say. "Don't you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"Something feels wrong."

Something changes about Jordan's face, a slight twitch that you've learned to recognize as her utilizing her gifts of heightened senses. "You're right," she whispers. "It's unnaturally quiet here." She looks up toward the front door and stares for a moment. "The door was forced—I can see it clear as day. Hinges broken and everything." She looks back at you and you can see her dilated pupils return to normal. "What should we do? Should we go inside?"