Against the churn of disgust in my chest, I packed the white robe. Nox had pointed out it would make a good disguise, and I couldn't argue. The rest of the day, she flitted between helping me prep a travel bag and speaking with Rosa.
From what I'd gathered, Rosa was the oldest person in the village—nearly fifty, which was almost unheard of in the wilds of this Cradle. I thought of my distant home, where fifty wasn't considered old, and a quiet sadness settled in.
As the sun sank toward the horizon, I pulled Nox aside for parting instructions."Remember: you're being watched. On all sides. At all times. Let Rosa front for both of you. And be careful when you're coding."
I hugged her tight. "I'll see you soon."
"Promise?" she whispered.
We both knew any promise I made was hollow.
"I'll be back before you even know to miss me," I said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Now be good for Rosa. Look after the people—and yourself."
She bowed her head. "You can count on me."
She waved as I walked to the village outskirts, her small figure silhouetted in the fading light until she vanished behind trees.
I found Lyric and Corrin waiting with two others. One was a girl about Lyric's age, her ashy hair mostly tucked into a patched hoodie. She gave me a glance, then looked away.
Name: Mira Lorne, Age: 23. Runner Status: Redacted.
I blinked in surprise. Mira flinched.
"You don't have to do your freaky Codewright scan on me," said the boy next to her, grinning. He was wiry, wrapped in netting and mismatched fabric. His black curls were tight, his eyes a brilliant blue. Burn scars twisted up his forearms, which he quickly hid behind his back. "Taz," he said. "Friend of Lyric. Figured Eden's stirring up trouble and I wasn't about to miss out. I'd love to give them a taste of their own medicine."
Lyric gave a wicked grin, "Taz is a brilliant prankster."
She stepped forward, slipping into leader mode. "Corrin, you're our eyes—specifically my eyes. Stay sharp. You up for that?"
"Yes, sir," Corrin replied with a boyish salute.
"Taz, you're our chaos engine. We'll need a distraction if we want a shot at touching Priya."
"Naturally." Taz clasped his hands together, already twitching with anticipation. "I've got some new toys. They're gonna love it."
Lyric gestured to the girl beside her. "My girlfriend Mira is a medic. She's our support."
Mira nodded once, and the look she gave Lyric was pure, unwavering love.
"I'm the leader—self-explanatory—and you," she said, turning to me, "are our Codewright. So do whatever it is you do best."
"If we have any hope of finding Priya, it's in the next couple days," Mira said quietly. "Once they clear her to move to the Elite Cradle, she's gone. We won't be able to follow."
I lowered my voice. "How is it even possible to have a Cradle inside a Cradle?"
"It's like a room in a house," Mira said. "This Cradle is the house. The Elite Cradle is a locked room, shut off from the rest. There's a doorway, but we'll never find it unless we're taken there."
Lyric nodded. "Only those closest to the Order of Eden know where it is. And they've got their own Codewrights guarding it. If you try tracking, they'll know."
"You think they'll move Priya into this sub-Cradle?" Corrin asked, uneasy.
"Yes," Mira said, closing her eyes. "They've struggled with fertility. A fertile woman—especially one already pregnant—is... too valuable."
I shuddered.
"I can trace her—for now," I said quietly.
"Good," Lyric nodded. "She just disappeared. They won't be on high alert yet. They'll be expecting us to do some exploring, a bit of digging."
"We know the general direction," Mira added, "but we'll need a proper threat assessment. It's been years since I was in these woods."
"How many days of food do we have?" Lyric asked.
"I've got four. Five if I stretch it," I said.
After going around the group, we settled on four days total before we'd need to restock.
"Two days out, rescue Priya, and back," Lyric said. "She'll burn through our rations faster than we will. She needs more nutrients now." A blush rose to her cheeks.
"Let's go already," Taz groaned. "I'm itching to give Eden a taste of my new inventions."
"Keep your weapons ready," Lyric ordered. "Once we enter the forest, we do not split up. No matter what."
"Even if we see fire-breathing beetles?" Corrin asked, already half covering his eyes.
"How many times do I have to tell you that's a myth?" Lyric snapped. "Now move up. You're on point."
"Y-yes, sir." Corrin scrambled to the front.
Lyric and Mira walked hand-in-hand, no words needed between them. Their fingers did all the talking.
Taz fell in beside me with a mischievous grin. "So, what's your story, new girl?"
I bristled at the nickname. "Came to the Cradle to find my sister."
His smile faded. I saw something flicker in his eyes—grief.
"I had a sister once, but then—"
A scream from Corrin cut him off. "They're real! The beetles are real!"
Lyric cursed and threw both Mira and herself down as fire grazed their hoods.
Taz and I drew our weapons. Ahead of us, in the dim light, tiny flames flickered in the underbrush.