The office light buzzed overhead. She flicked through the forms, appeals, placing any donations in a small jar. Outside, engines murmured, unusually quiet for a night in Lisabethium. Yazmin tapped her pen against the desk. The office was small, even having one less person in made it feel empty, so being here alone, so late…

“I should probably go to sleep,” she decided.

As she stood, the door burst open. “Yazmin, you’re going to want to hear this!”

“Henji, what’s the matter?”

“Listen!” he slammed a radio on the desk, totally disregarding her work. Henji twiddled the knobs back and forth, words began to fade through the static. “When I heard it I got a familiar feeling, so I recorded the transmission.”

“I don’t hear anything,” Yazmin sighed, scratching her shoulder, “are you sure it’s important—”

A snobby voice blasted from the box. “Horrific development from the usually peaceful town of Herafel this evening..”

“Herafel…” Yazmin froze. She glanced, worried, at Henji.

“The wonderful mayor of the town — we all know him as Ethon Ephluvium — was found dead earlier this evening.” The voice paused, sniffling, anger rising. “He was found in his office, stabbed and cut violently. The suspect; the vile criminal, is said to be one of the residents of his lovely town. Horrible. After everything he has done for those people, this is how they repay him.”

Yazmin sighed. “Everything he’s done, ha!” She turned to Henji. “Still, I don’t see how this couldn’t wait till this morning. I’m tired.”

“Wait! Please, listen to the whole thing!”

Reluctantly, she stopped at the door and listened.

“The suspect fled the scene. Witnesses recall seeing a, presumably, young woman running from the mayor’s manor in tears. Now this matches up with the records as the last person to see Ethon had a female name. Police believe that this tearful girl is actually the murderer and have launched an appeal for any information on her.”

“Her name,” the voice spat, “is Lillia Ernalin.”

Yazmin’s eyes widened. She dropped her pen.

“That’s the important bit!” Henji said, “that name rang a bell, and that’s when I remembered!” He looked up at the frozen Yazmin. “You used to know an Ernalin, right?”

“Y-yeah I did…” Yazmin squeezed her eyes shut. Thalia.

“So, is that one of your old friends?”

Yazmin searched her mind. Thalia never had a sister. Who’s Lillia? She never mentioned anyone called that. It’s been ten years, sure, but the reporter said the culprit was a young woman. That doesn’t make any sense!

“Hey, Yazmin?”

She shook herself from her trance. “I don’t know anyone called Lillia Ernalin.”

“Oh.” Henji looked disappointed.

“But I want everyone who can to look for her.” She patted Henji’s shoulder. “Thank you. My priority now is to find that girl. We cannot let the police get her.”