"My eternal, we found steamer trunks that are locked and undamaged. Let's see if there are any clues in them."
Diaval's tone catches Feray's attention. She stops in her tracks and changes course to head over to us.
"I'm not sure how I feel about this." She bites her bottom lip as she approaches.
"Do you want me to open it?" Torben offers. He shifts his hands to claws and motions to the trunk closest to him.
With a slight nod from Feray, Torben rips the top off.
Within the trunk, women's clothing is neatly folded. Feray leans closer and sniffs, trying to catch a scent. The only thing we can smell is the eucalyptus leaves resting on the right side.
"They're used to mask the scent of a shifter. It distracts you enough with its pleasant scent to not search further." Torben takes a protective stance, watching over Feray.
With a shaky hand, she reaches out and pulls several tops free. Under one, a single red braid of hair rests. The same color as Feray's.
Her mother's hair. It has to be.
"I wish Fi were here. I'd ask her to do a locator spell to find my parents." Feray lifts the braid to her nose and sniffs, then pouts.
I can only assume no scent remains.
"If they're out there, we'll find them." Diaval says with confidence.
Easton's chick squawks, chiming in the best he can.
"I'm guessing my compatriot agrees." Diaval motions to Easton.
Feray keeps digging and pauses halfway down. There's a blanket in a sealed plastic bag. Someone went through considerable trouble to protect it.
Opening it carefully, Feray's hands tremble. I move to stand behind her, lending her my strength.
The minute the bag is open, she shoves her face in it.
The action catches me off guard, and I look at Torben.
"She's hoping for a scent. Then she can recognize the owner." He smiles, waiting and watching.
When Feray lifts her head, tears rim her eyes. Her cheeks turn pink as she strains to hold back the emotions threatening to escape.
"It's mine..."
She offers me the bag and dives into Torben's arms, causing Easton to squawk—reminding her he's still in her hoodie between them.
Gently, I pull the material out of the bag. It's her baby blanket.
Hand-sewn in the corner is Feray's birth name:Thyra Feray Jökullwith her birthdate and weight.
My throat tightens. Someone loved her enough to sew her name into this blanket. Someone kept it protected for twenty-five years, waiting for her to find it.
At least now we know who she is. But her parents remain a mystery.
I pass the blanket to Diaval, and he makes a clicking sound in the back of his throat.
"You know something..." I stare at him as he tugs me away from the others.
"Her parents arethe missing alpha and Luna from Crescent Valley." He looks over at Torben as he leads Feray to sit by the small stream on the property.
"Are you sure?" I glance at Feray for a moment, then back to Diaval.
