Chapter 1321
Chapter 1321:
Clayton’s brow furrowed in concern.
I scanned the small yard, my eyes catching on a half-full basin of laundry by the well. The water was still warm to the touch.
“Hold on,” I said, raising a hand to halt them. In the distance, the rhythmic tap of a cane against the ground grew closer.
A stooped figure approached slowly—an elderly woman with a basket of clothes slung over her back. Her gray hair was loosely tied, and her weathered face held a wary expression.
I narrowed my eyes. Was this Kaya?
She paused at the gate, her clouded gaze flickering between the three of us. “Who are you?” she asked, her gravelly voice laced with distrust.
Alden stepped forward eagerly. “Ma’am, where’s Makenna?”
Kaya’s posture stiffened, a subtle shift I didn’t miss.
Clayton moved closer, his tone calm and courteous. “Have you seen this young woman?” He held up the photograph.
Kaya’s eyes widened briefly as she glanced at it, her fingers tightening on the basket’s straps. But she quickly shook her head and turned away. “I don’t know her.”
Her reaction didn’t add up. Something was wrong.
“Are you sure you don’t know her?” I asked, my voice icy as I stepped into her path. “Your reaction suggests otherwise. Where is she?”
“Where is Makenna?” Alden demanded, his tone desperate as he grabbed her arm.
Kaya stumbled back, her frail frame pressing against the fence.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered, her voice quivering. “I’ve never seen that girl…”
Dominic’s POV:
I let out a bitter laugh, my knuckles whitening as I clenched my fist. “The nurse at the clinic already told us everything. Two months ago, you pulled Makenna out of the river.”
Kaya’s wrinkled face froze instantly, her cloudy pupils narrowing sharply. After a tense silence, she snapped back, “She’s mistaken! I don’t know the girl in that photo, I swear!”
Suddenly, Alden’s voice cracked with urgency. “Ma’am, the girl in the picture means everything to us. Please, just tell us where she went!”
Clayton stepped forward, resting a hand on Alden’s shoulder. “Easy. We’re in Wizard Clan territory. We can’t afford to make a scene here.”
Kaya caught their exchange and, in a flash, snatched up a broom. She swung it wildly at our heads.
“I told you, I don’t know her! Out! All of you, get out now!”
It was almost laughable—three grown men being driven from a yard by a frail old woman wielding a broom.
The gate slammed shut behind us with a sharp bang, sending up a puff of dust.
“At least we’ve confirmed one thing,” Clayton remarked, brushing dirt from his sleeve, a faint smile curling his lips. “Makenna’s still alive.”
His words sparked hope in my chest.
.
.
.