"And that's it?" Vania asked, looking at Bergin. "There was nothing in the file about Du l'Tagne's connection to the Dark Eaters?"

"No," Bergin said quietly, shaking his head. "And, unless you want the summary of that night, yes, that's it."

Vania looked away, biting her lip as tears welled in her eyes. "N-no. I... I don't need to hear that."

"I still don't understand why it happened," Bergin admitted quietly, looking off into the past as his eyes stared at the blank wall. "I was talking to Taila... She was being rather evasive. Starlin got defensive, trying to protect her. I think... they thought I was just... assuming they were guilty. Because. You know. I was an enforcer. They were Marked tydring." He bit his lip. "Then, we were fighting. It was so sudden. So... abrupt. Like someone had flipped a switch—"

"Stop," Vania whispered, hands covering her ears. "I don't need to hear this."

He blinked several times, then looked over at her. He reached across the table and put a hand on her arm. "Vania. I'm so sorry."

Her hands moved from her ears to her face as she sniffled loudly. "Thank you, Bergin. You can go now."

He sighed, looking at his feet as he walked out, leaving her sobbing in the room alone.

"Bergin! There you are! I almost thought you'd decided to work extra today!" Jezora said brightly. "I was just talking to Eddin here and he—" She saw the downcast look on his face and stopped. "Oh, now what?"

Eddin stood, asking, "Everything all right?"

Bergin nodded vaguely, gesturing back down the hallway. "You... might want to give her some time."

"Okay." Eddin looked at him. "Did she grill you about all the files?"

"Uh, no. No, we only discussed... the one." He wrung the hood of his cloak in his hands as he pulled it from the back of his chair.

"I see," Eddin said. "Well, are you sure you gave us the right files? The ones I looked through had nothing about the Dark Eaters."

"Yes," Bergin nodded. He pulled his cloak on. "It's where I got my—admittedly barely anything—information about the Dark Eaters. When I was looking into them last year."

Eddin frowned. "Did she at least mention we think someone tampered with the Lower Quarter files?"

"No."

"Did you look through any of the files before you gave them to us?"

"No." Bergin looked up at Eddin. "Look. What is it?"

"Can you meet us here again tomorrow? To discuss this?" Eddin asked.

"Um. I'm not sure she..." Bergin's eyes wandered back to the corridor.

"Please? We might need your memories. They might be all that's left of the information we have about the Dark Eaters."

"Okay," Bergin agreed with a sigh. "I'll write up what information I can remember tonight and give it to you tomorrow."

"With as much detail as you can remember. Especially about information sources," Eddin added.

"Sure," Bergin replied. "Though, from what I remember, the sources won't help you. They're all dead."

Eddin frowned. "All dead?"

"Yeah. Well, at the time, Du l'Tagne wasn't. But... he is now."

"That seems..."

"Suspicious," Vania finished as she joined them, eyes rimmed with red.

"Vania. You okay?" Eddin asked.

"Yeah," she replied flatly. She looked at Bergin. "All the sources of information on the Dark Eaters in those files are dead?"

"Yeah. I told you when we were looking into it before, as an angle on Du l'Tagne—it felt like we were chasing ghosts."

"Dark Eaters?" Jezora asked. "Who're they? What's it got to do with that creep?"

"That's what we're trying to find out, and he helped them. With whatever it is they do. Whether voluntarily or coerced, we don't know," Vania replied.

"But all references to them seem to have disappeared," Eddin added. "The files are all being changed. Right under our noses!"

"You need a wizard," Bergin said. "To test the files for spell residue, track down the caster responsible."

Eddin grinned. "We have you."

"I'm not a wizard, Eddin," Bergin said, shaking his head.

"Even better—you're a Singer."

"I'm an apprentice," Bergin said. "I haven't nearly mastered these damn powers."

Jezora looked at them all, then looped her arm through Bergin's. "As interesting as this is, Bergin and I have plans this evening. He promised not to work long tonight, and now we're already half an hour late!"

"Of course," Eddin said, nodding. "You two go have fun. Sorry for keeping you. See you tomorrow."

Jezora could be heard pelting Bergin with questions as they walked away.

Vania sighed, muttering, "Another useless day." They began walking to the door.

"Well, maybe tomorrow, we'll get more information. Bergin will know something," Eddin replied confidently.

Vania looked up at him from under her hood. "I know he has a great memory, but it was a year ago he looked into this. As an aside on a case, looking for a lead. And he barely found any information then. What makes you think he remembers any of it?"

Eddin grinned. "He's a Singer. They're known for their perfect recall."

Vania looked away from him as she muttered, "I didn't know that."

"It's where his great memory comes from," Eddin said. He held open the door for her. "Something about a Singer's powers gives them perfect recall. No one knows why. They're also typically skilled musicians, of course, which is how they got their name."

"I thought they were called Singers because their power was centered in their voice," Vania said as she untied Ama from the post.

"Yup." Eddin helped Vania onto Ama's back, then mounted Tarva. "Were you wanting to just head back to the station?"

Vania paused, looking over at Eddin. "Why?"

"Are you also getting a feeling of foreboding?"

"Yes," Vania admitted quietly. "Ever since Bergin said everyone we knew of who had information on the Dark Eaters is dead."

"And now Bergin is our only information source," Eddin said.

"You think something's going to happen to him?"

"I think I should've asked Jezora where they were going." Eddin prodded Tarva into a walk, heading down the street, toward the Upper Quarter.

"If they're going to dinner, it might not be that way," Vania said. "They have that place they like down by the port."

"They're not too far ahead of us," Eddin replied. A hawk shrieked, circling up ahead.

Vania looked up. "Taric?"

"Yeah. He sees them. This way." Eddin spurred his horse faster, Vania quickly following suit with Ama.

"Bergin Nahlstrom!" Eddin called as they neared a carriage. "Jezora Kahlin!"

Jezora poked her head out the carriage's window. "What? Eddin?"

Eddin waved his arm. "Stop the carriage!" The carriage slowed to a halt, Eddin quickly pulling beside it on Tarva, leaning down to yank open the door.

"What is it?" Jezora asked as she climbed out. Bergin followed without a word. "We're already late for dinner. Do you two ever quit working?"

"Some days, no," Eddin replied grimly. He looked over Jezora to Bergin. "Bergin. You're in danger."

"How?" Bergin asked. "All I'm doing is heading to dinner. Why would I be in danger for that?"

"Because you're our only source of information now. On the Dark Eaters," Vania replied quietly. "With all the files altered and all the previous sources dead, you're our only link. Whoever manipulated our files will come after you next."

"Why would they even think I know anything? Did you find some sort of threat somewhere?"

"No. But, you're the last one that we know of who went through the files," Eddin replied. "And you're a Singer, so you still remember what you read."

"And neither of those things are common knowledge," Bergin noted. "I think you two are getting paranoid."

"They must be," Jezora agreed. "Must've spent too long in the office today, so they're trying to drum up some excitement."

"No. Think about it. The files have all been changed. So, someone had to do it. Who has access to our files? They're all in the basements of the offices, behind locked doors," Eddin reasoned.

"So you think an enforcer is the culprit?" Bergin asked.

"Makes the most sense. Who else could get into the basement without raising suspicions?"

"A thief?" Jezora suggested. "Or some powerful member of this top-secret group you're investigating. They must have power."

"So, either they have an enforcer in their group or they have enough sway over an enforcer for the same effect," Eddin replied. "They get access to the files either way. And the knowledge of who was looking into them."

"Du l'Tagne might've even told them, a year ago, we were sniffing around," Vania said. "Before the fight, he mentioned knowing we'd been looking into his affairs. If he worked with or for the Dark Eaters, makes sense he would've told them, too."

"Then they might target you, too," Bergin told Vania.

Vania sighed. "Maybe. But I wasn't the one who researched them—I was looking into Du l'Tagne's wizardly associates and education records, trying to find how he could do the spells he'd done on Jezora and the other women. You're the one who was pursuing the Dark Eaters angle."

"Okay," Bergin conceded. "But even if they know I was the one snooping around a year ago, so what? They altered the files already. Why would they think I'd remember anything?"

"'Cause you're a Singer," Eddin insisted.

"And that's not common knowledge!" Bergin replied.

"No. But, the Wizard Council knows. Sis knows, since you're her apprentice. We all know," Eddin replied, counting on his fingers. "We were warned these people seem to have influence all over the city. Why not the Council, too?"

Bergin sighed. "Look. I appreciate that you're concerned. I do. But, this seems like you're grasping at straws. You're frustrated at the lack of information, but that doesn't mean you can just start pointing fingers."

"Bergin," Eddin said levelly. "Do you remember the conversation we had right after you transferred to Merchant Quarter Station?"

"Of course I do," Bergin replied. "As you keep insisting on reminding me, I'm a Singer, so I remember a lot."

"What'd you tell me about then-Recruit Nahalora's hunches?"

Bergin sighed loudly. "To trust them."

"Because...?" Eddin pressed.

"Because she's almost always right."

"Bergin," Vania said. "I... have an awful feeling you're in danger. Please, take this seriously."

"Seriously?" Jezora demanded. "You're preventing us from dinner over a hunch?"

"Not just any hunch," Eddin said quietly, looking at Bergin.

Bergin sighed. "Okay. Fine. I'm in danger. How does this help?"

Eddin grinned. "Well, since we so rudely have kept you from your dinner, you can allow me to treat you both tonight. After we've eaten, we can decide what's the best way to ensure you're safe."

Bergin looked over to Jezora. She shrugged, adding with a sniff, "Well. I guess since we're already far too late for our dinner reservations, we may as well let you bring us somewhere. You're the reason we missed dinner, afterall."

Eddin smiled. "Thank you. I look forward to enjoying your company tonight. Please, get back in the carriage, and allow us to escort you."

Jezora got back into the carriage, calling, "If you want to have dinner with Vania that badly, you really ought to just ask her! No reason to involve us, unless you think you two need supervision to ensure you keep control of yourselves."

Bergin paused, hand on the edge of the doorway. "Don't think I don't realize that you're inviting yourselves to dinner so you can play bodyguard."

Eddin chuckled. "Maybe I just think you two ought to have a chaperone."

Bergin glared at him. "I don't think anyone would believe that." He stepped into the carriage and pulled the door closed.

Eddin nudged Tarva forward and spoke to the driver. Soon, the driver snapped the whip, making the horse trot. Vania hung back for a moment, then nudged Ama to follow.