Chapter 518
Third Person’s POV
Caldwell glanced at her, somewhat hurt. “Don’t say that. I’d never learned how to make one before. This was my first time.”
“The back’s all burned black,” Paisley said, turning the rabbit doll in her hands. “Actually, the whole doll is black. You must have touched it up with paint. Did you keep repainting it?”
Caldwell said a bit embarrassedly, “It kept fading, so I had to keep repainting it. I haven’t touched it up in the past two or three years, but I’m sure she’ll recognize it.”
“Alright then,” Paisley said, glancing at Adelaide.
Adelaide turned her face away, only to meet Lance’s passionate gaze.
Without thinking, Lance blurted out, his voice tinged with joy, “It’s as special as your scarf back then.”
Paisley snorted, “That’s what I was thinking.”
Craig immediately came to Adelaide’s defense, “No one can be good at everything. Adelaide’s the most talented one in the Warscar Training Camp. Why don’t you show us your special talents or any exceptional skills you have?”
With that, he cast a cold glance at Lance.
Lance was taken aback–for
het called it
ugly; it was Paisley who said so.
Paisley quickly changed the subject, “Caldwell, tell me about some memorable funny moments you and
– sister had when you were kids” a
Lost in memories, Caldwell had a lot to share. /
His father was the county executive officer of Garfield County, and the family of four had lived comfortably.
Garfield County was poor and plagued by chaos and rogue wolves.
His father personally led a team to drive away the rogues, restoring peace to the county.
When Caldwell was five, his mother gave birth to his sister.
His grandfather, a local schoolteacher, was overjoyed. At seven, Caldwell started school, commuting daily with his grandfather, which meant he spent a lot of time with his sister.
The family was happy and content until his sister’s seventh year, when a bolt from the blue shattered their happiness.
She had been playing with other children outside the alley when she was snatched by strangers, along with the daughter of the county administrator.
The kidnappers, two men, quickly fled in a vehicle.
The other children, terrified, hid and didn’t dare tell their families.
It wasn’t until that night, when the Kirks and county administrator families began searching for their daughters and questioned the children they’d played with that day, that the abduction came to ligin
By then, half a day had passed, and the kidnappers were long gone. No one knew which direction they had taken, and even if someone had been sent to chase after them, it would have been in vain.
Caldwell said sadly.“Poly’s disappearance was a huge blow to our family. My mother wept day and night. My father resigned from his post and set out with two servants to search for her, only returning home once every two years.
“My grandfather became the sole support of the family. When my grandmother passed away, my father was still out searching. He didn’t return until the following year.
“The tenth year of his search for Poly was the year he finally gave up.”
Everyone listened with heavy hearts. The agony of losing a child was too painful to contemplate.
“From the day Poly disappeared, happiness was forever banished from our home. In the first two years, due to my grandfather’s and mother’s poor health, I brought them to the capital.
“My father refused to leave Garfield County. He always held on to hope that one day Poly might remember her way home. Someone had to be there to wait for her.
“All these years, I’ve never given up either, using royal resources to search for her whenever possible.
“I serve the royal familywholeheartedly on the condition that Lance lends me help to look for Poly. I know the chances are slim, but not searching would be even more painful. Doing something, even if futile, brings me some peace.”
Craig fell asleep in his chair.
He had traveled nonstop from the Shadow Peaks and, without even sipping his coffee, had thrown himself into drawing and working. Exhaustion had finally caught up with him.
In his drowsy state, he still caught snippets of Caldwell’s story.
Having witnessed countless tragedies in his travels, he hadn’t become desensitized; instead, he was almost certain that this girl was Caldwell’s sister.
He believed that among the paintings he had created, there must be one that closely resembled Poly now, and with that thought, he could sleep/soundly.
After hearing all this, Paisley wiped away her tears and sent someone to the Hutchinson family. She asked Genevieve to send a letter to the Spectrehowl Pack, inviting Astria to join them for coffee the next day and enjoy the riverside view.
Upon receiving the invitation, Luna Cassia brought it to Asa,
Following Madison’s instructions, the Spectrehowl Pack treated Asa with courtesy.
However, Luna Cassia was well aware that Asa was merely a pawn, so her politeness was tinged with aloofness.
“I think the Hutchinson family wants to spend more time with you. Since you’re not from the rapits th can’t easily verify your character and abilities through inquiries. The only way for them to uses you let interacting with you personally.”
Asa’s face remained expressionless as she asked, “And what do you think? Should I go?
