The Blades and The Gauntlets [Vi x fem!oc]

Chapter XII: The Corner

She paused for a moment outside the door, steeling herself. Her hand hovered over the brass doorknob, hesitating. Caitlyn had been in tough situations before - faced criminals, stood her ground in countless situations - but this was different. This was personal.

The conversation she had with Mila hours ago played over in her mind, the intensity of the moment still lingering. She had tried to help, tried to protect her friend from herself, but in the end, she had crossed a line. Now, she had to explain the consequences. Mila had run. She was gone. And it was Caitlyn's fault.

With a sigh, she knocked.

"Come in." came Evelyn's calm, composed voice from the other side.

Caitlyn pushed open the door, stepping into the Ravencroft's private study. The room was bathed in soft morning light, casting a warm glow over the elegant furniture and walls lined with rare books. Evelyn and Dorian sat together by the window, their expressions immediately shifting to concern as they noticed Caitlyn's serious demeanor.

"Caitlyn," Evelyn began, setting down the cup of tea she had been holding. "You look troubled. What happened?"

Caitlyn swallowed, her voice steady but laced with regret. "Mrs. Ravencroft, Mr. Ravencroft. Mila is missing. She's run back to Zaun."

There was a long, tense silence. Dorian's brows furrowed, his posture stiffening as his wife's face fell. The calm composure she had always maintained wavered for the briefest of moments.

"What do you mean she's gone? How? She shouldn't be able to..." Evelyn asked, her voice sharp but controlled.

Caitlyn took a breath, meeting their eyes with honesty. "Last night, I tried to... detain her. Mila removed her monitoring device - someone helped her do it. When I confronted her about it, things escalated, and she ran. I tried to stop her, but she was too fast."

Evelyn stood, her usually serene demeanor now replaced with a rare flash of panic. "She took off the monitor? And you didn't stop her?"

"I tried," Caitlyn said, her voice tight with frustration. "I tried everything I could, but she was... better. She's been feeling trapped for a while now, and I think last night pushed her over the edge."

Dorian leaned forward, his sharp eyes focused on Caitlyn. "Zaun is no place for her right now. Especially without the monitor. She's vulnerable down there."

The enforcer nodded, guilt twisting in her chest. "I know. That's why I'm here. I need to inform you both that the enforcers are starting a search for her. We'll comb through Zaun until we find her and bring her back. I promise we'll do everything we can to ensure she's safe."

Evelyn's eyes softened, a mixture of fear and sorrow passing across her face. "And what happens when you find her, Caitlyn? Do you intend to arrest her?"

Caitlyn's jaw tightened. The question hit harder than she expected, forcing her to confront the decision she had made the night before. She had been ready to arrest Mila, to bring her in for her own good - or so she had thought. But now, standing in front of Mila's adoptive parents, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"I don't want to arrest her," Caitlyn admitted quietly, her voice filled with regret. "But I need to make sure she's safe. Running into Zaun without protection... she could be in serious danger."

Evelyn stepped closer, placing a hand on Caitlyn's shoulder. "She's not just any girl, Caitlyn. She's been through more than most, and Zaun is where she feels like she belongs. She's trying to find something she lost... Someone."

Caitlyn's heart ached at Evelyn's words. She did care about Mila - more than she could admit, even to herself. But she had made a choice in the heat of the moment, one that might have cost her the trust Mila had begun to place in her.