In the end, Alaric's soldiers took custody of the human traffickers after first escorting the rescued children to the House of Mendel on Narra Alley. Their arrival was quiet, but the weight of what they carried echoed louder than any horn or shout could.
The three closed carriages rolled into the backyard under the cover of night, their wheels crunching softly on the gravel.
From the kitchen window, Reya caught sight of the unfamiliar wagons and frowned in confusion. But as soon as the doors opened and the children began to step down with the assistance of Jethru, Lara, and Percival—some blinking against the lamplight, others too dazed to react—her heart lurched.
