“Speak,” Valen instructed softly. Somehow it was worse than if he’d shouted.

There were six of us seated in Valen’s office. Valen was sitting across from me. Lucas and Meredith were sitting to my left with Ezra and Liz to my right.

Liz was the one who had reported that Bethany was missing. She’d left a note for Liz explaining that this wasn’t her home, and she was leaving and wouldn't come back. With the note and everything else factoring in, it was more accurate to ...