Rain continued through most of the night.
Not violent anymore.
Just soft enough to make East Cloud glow.
Water dripped endlessly from hanging bridges and rusted rooftops while fog drifted between the lower harbor streets like wandering ghosts.
The Red Threads had rented a tiny room above an abandoned repair shop near the dockyard.
“Room” was generous.
It had:
– two broken windows
– uneven wooden flooring
– suspicious ceiling noises
– and one table that collapsed whenever Deep touched it
Naturally, Deep touched it three times already.
Dhruv sat near the open window watching messenger birds cross the distant skyline.
Even at this hour, East Cloud never stopped moving.
Far above the lower district, upper city lights flickered beneath massive cliff structures while mechanical elevators slowly climbed through the fog.
Somewhere out there… people were already searching for them.
Searching for the map.
Searching for Grandpa’s secret.
Dhruv quietly rolled the map shut again before hiding it beneath his shirt carefully.
Deepika noticed from across the room.
Her sharp eyes always noticed.
“You trust people too easily.”
Dhruv leaned back slightly.
“And you trust nobody.”
“That’s safer.”
“Lonelier too.”
Deepika looked away first.
Dhruv smiled faintly.
He was beginning to understand her now.
Not cold.
Just guarded.
Like someone constantly expecting the world to turn dangerous.
Deep suddenly burst upward from beneath scattered machine parts near the floor.
“I HAVE INVENTED SOMETHING IMPORTANT.”
Deepika sighed immediately.
“That sentence lowers my lifespan.”
Deep proudly held up strange circular goggles covered in wires.
Dhruv blinked.
“What do they do?”
Deep grinned dramatically.
“They detect heat signatures.”
Silence.
Then:
“That’s actually useful,” Deepika admitted reluctantly.
Deep looked emotionally devastated.
“…You approved my invention.”
“Don’t make it weird.”
Dhruv laughed quietly.
For a moment… everything felt strangely peaceful.
Then a messenger bird landed suddenly on the broken window frame.
The bird tilted its head sharply.
Deep froze.
“…Nobody knows my full name here.”
The bird ignored him.
Instead, it hopped directly toward Dhruv.
Then leaned near his ear.
A calm female voice whispered softly from the bird’s throat:
«”If you want answers about the map, come alone.”
“Old Clock Library.”
“Midnight.”
“And don’t trust East Cloud police.”
“From Robin Nico.”»
The bird immediately flew away afterward into the rainy darkness.
Silence filled the room.
Deep slowly blinked.
“…That was terrifying.”
Deepika’s expression sharpened instantly.
“Trap.”
“Probably,” Dhruv answered calmly.
Deep pointed aggressively.
“THEN WHY DO YOU SOUND INTERESTED?”
“Because mysterious library invitations are cool.”
“You are adventure sick.”
Deepika stood up immediately.
“You’re not going alone.”
“She specifically said alone.”
“She also specifically knows about the map.”
Dhruv’s smile faded slightly. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
That part mattered.
Because almost nobody should know Robin Nico existed to them.
Yet somehow… she knew about Grandpa’s clues.
And his location.
Which meant:
either she was dangerous… or important.
Maybe both.
Midnight covered East Cloud in silver rain.
Dhruv moved quietly through narrow streets beneath glowing lanterns while keeping his hood low.
The city felt different at this hour.
The louder districts had fallen silent.
Only distant mechanical sounds echoed through the fog now.
Somewhere nearby:
water dripped steadily from metal rooftops.
Messenger birds rested beneath bridge structures quietly.
Dhruv eventually reached the Old Clock Library near the edge of the lower city.
The building looked ancient.
Massive stone walls climbed upward into darkness while giant frozen clock hands hung above the entrance.
Most windows were broken.
Vines crawled across old architecture.
The place felt forgotten.
Perfect meeting spot for dangerous people.
Dhruv stepped inside slowly.
Dust floated through dim lantern light.
Rows of enormous bookshelves stretched endlessly through the darkness.
Ancient maps.
Hunter records.
Old continent histories.
The air smelled like:
– paper
– rain
– time itself
Then quietly…
“Your footsteps are too loud.”
Dhruv turned instantly.
Robin stood atop one of the upper library balconies beneath pale lantern light.
Purple pendant around her neck.
Dark coat.
Sharp observant eyes.
She closed her book softly before descending the staircase slowly.
Dhruv noticed something immediately.
Robin moved like someone used to escaping.
Every step careful.
Balanced.
Prepared.
Not weak.
Never weak.
Just alone too long.
“You’ve been following us since East Verdan,” Dhruv said calmly.
Robin stopped several feet away.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Her eyes briefly shifted toward his hidden jacket pocket.
“The map.”
Silence.
Rain tapped softly against broken windows overhead.
Robin studied him carefully.
“You really don’t know what Harun Mehata found, do you?”
Dhruv’s expression tightened slightly.
“You knew Grandpa?”
“Not personally.”
Robin moved toward one of the massive bookshelves quietly.
“But I researched him for years.”
She pulled out an old rolled parchment carefully.
Ancient hunter routes covered the surface.
Marked locations.
Symbols.
Crossed continents.
Robin spread the parchment across a table beneath lantern light.
“Your grandfather disappeared in East Cloud seven years ago.”
Dhruv stared quietly.
Robin continued.
“When he returned…”
Her voice lowered slightly.
Dhruv’s heartbeat sharpened slightly.
“So Grandpa actually found something.”
Robin nodded once.
“Yes.”
The library became quieter somehow.
Like the building itself was listening.
Dhruv looked toward her carefully.
“How do you know all this?”
For the first time…
Robin hesitated slightly.
Then quietly removed one glove.
Dark ember-like markings spread faintly across her fingers.
Dhruv’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Ember user.
Robin noticed immediately.
“You’re surprised.”
“No.”
Dhruv smiled faintly.
“Just curious.”
Robin looked at her own hand silently for a moment before pulling the glove back on.
“I ate an Ember Fruit years ago.”
No pride in her voice.
No dramatic reveal.
Just truth.
Dhruv leaned lightly against the table.
“What power?”
Robin’s eyes shifted upward toward the endless bookshelves around them.
Then suddenly… every loose paper inside the library trembled softly.
Books moved slightly.
Lantern flames flickered sideways.
Invisible force.
Controlled.
Elegant.
Robin quietly answered:
“I can control and manipulate anything that carries information.”
Dhruv blinked.
“…That’s terrifying.”
“Usually.”
The papers slowly settled again.
Then Robin’s expression changed slightly.
Alert.
Danger.
She stepped toward the broken window instantly.
“What?”
Robin looked downward toward the streets below.
Police lanterns.
Moving fast.
Too fast.
Dhruv’s expression hardened immediately.
“They tracked me.”
“No.”
Robin’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“They tracked me.”
Then suddenly… heavy footsteps echoed outside the library doors.
Voices followed.
“SEARCH THE BUILDING!”
Robin quietly stepped backward into the shadows.
Her posture changed instantly now.
Not calm researcher anymore.
Cornered survivor.
Dhruv noticed something then.
Fear.
Not fear of fighting.
Fear of abandonment.
Like she fully expected to face this alone again.
Dhruv slowly exhaled.
Then smiled slightly.
“Well.”
He rolled his shoulders casually.
“Guess this meeting got interesting.”
For the first time since he arrived…
Robin looked genuinely confused.
Because instead of running away from danger…
Dhruv looked excited by it.
And somehow… that made him terrifying too.
END OF CHAPTER 12