They quickly retraced their steps, returning to the place where they had found the body earlier. The governor, along with a small group of guards and officials, followed closely behind. As they arrived, Silas gestured toward the spot.
"This is where we found them," Silas said, his voice steady but tense.
Naseria stepped forward, eyeing the group. "Cover your mouth and nose—the stench is overwhelming," she warned.
The group nodded, lighting their torches. Most of them followed Silas, Odessa and Naseria inside while the others remained outside to guard the entrance.
They walked in, Naseria leading the way through the large pipe. The familiar sense of dread weighed heavy on her as she reached the spot where the body had been. She stopped abruptly, looking around. The trees and debris were all still there, but the skulls and the body were gone.
"This is it?" the governor asked, glancing at her skeptically.
"Yes," Naseria replied, scanning the area again, her confusion growing.
"And where’s the body?" one of the officials questioned, his tone sharp.
Naseria's heart raced. "It was here. I swear, I saw it."
The official exchanged a glance with the others. "Are you sure? Who was with you when you found it?"
"I was alone," Naseria admitted, her voice quieter now.
"I think you saw something different," the governor said, doubt creeping into his words. "You were probably scared—"
"I—" Naseria began, but her words were cut off by a deafening boom that echoed through the forest, shaking the ground beneath them.
Odessa gasped. "What was that?"
Another boom followed, louder this time.
"We should get out of here!" the governor ordered, urgency overtaking his skepticism.
They scrambled out of the pipe, the oppressive air lifting as they emerged into the cool night. Naseria pulled the cloth from her mouth and nose, frustration bubbling within her.
"That's impossible," she insisted, her eyes narrowed as she glanced back at the dark opening.
The governor, still shaking off the tension, replied coolly, "Maybe you saw wrong, Miss Naseria. Perhaps that was just a branch you mistook for a skull because you were scared."
Naseria’s eyes flashed with indignation. "I’ve lived alone in the forest for years, and I’ve been to war. I know what a skull looks like and what isn’t one!"
Stark approached her, concern etched on his face. He shook his head, disbelief in his eyes. "I think someone moved the body."
"Someone? That's impossible!" the governor retorted, his patience wearing thin. "You just came to my building, and we only arrived here after your report. No one else knows, except for us!"
"How do you know these are truly missing people?" the governor asked, looking skeptical.
"We’re in the middle of the sea, as you mentioned," Naseria replied. "This kingdom is small, the guards are strict, and it’s unlike your people to simply vanish. How else would you explain their disappearance?"
The governor raised an eyebrow at Naseria's question, his tone calm and thoughtful. "There might be other answer Miss Naseria."
Naseria fell silent, her frustration boiling beneath the surface. She could feel the weight of their disbelief pressing down on her.
