"Vania." Bergin cast a glance at her as they walked the empty streets; the lights of the station loomed ahead. "Before we go back inside, there's something we need to discuss."

Oh, no. He probably wants to talk more about what he's helping me hide. Vania stopped in her tracks. "What is it?"

"Well, you know we've been looking into all the cases where Du l'Tagne was involved."

"Yes. We're hoping to finally get him punished for all the times he's ruined people under false pretenses. Did you find anything about the Dark Eaters that he has dealings with?"

"No. Nothing about them. They feel like ghosts—you'll get a mention here or there, but never anything substantial. No details. No one knows what Dark Eaters means or who they are. One of many loose ends."

"Oh." She looked at Bergin, fighting back a yawn. "Why do we need to discuss this out here? Why can't we talk inside? Everyone knows we're working on this—it's no secret."

"Some older cases came up out of Central Station. Ten years ago and more."

"Okay. And...?"

"Why didn't you tell me about your history with Du l'Tagne immediately?"

"History? What history? Until he showed up at the station to report his false mugging, I'd never seen him in my life! He and I don't exactly move in the same social circles."

Bergin frowned; "Please don't play dumb. Du l'Tagne and your parents. How he was the one who reported them."

"That was him? He was the one who—"

"And the responding enforcers did even more than he intended... As a result of his report, your parents died by our hands." He sighed, shaking his head. "Why didn't you tell me that was your parents?"

"My parents." Vania looked up at the stars. "I didn't know he was the one who'd reported them. Falsely accused them of smuggling." She looked over to Bergin. "Probably good I didn't know that when he walked in. I..." she looked down at her long fingered hands."...probably would've tried to kill him."

"Nahalora,"Bergin said quietly. "It was right in front of me all along and I didn't even notice. A name I swore to never forget. And yet, I didn't remember. Until I saw my own name in the file. How could I forget something so horrible? Ten years ago..." He frowned. "You were what, twelve?"

"Yes. And some days, it feels like yesterday."

"Yeah," Bergin murmured. "Losing parents... is terrible. Vania... I know it's a little late, but... I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? Not like you had anything—" Vania felt herself grow cold as a knot tightened in her stomach and Bergin cringed and avoided her gaze. ""...died by our hands,"" she whispered. "Why would you say 'our'... you couldn't have been there. Could you? You would've been what? Fifteen?"

"Seventeen," he corrected, looking toward the station. "New recruit."

"Bergin. Gods alive, you—" Vania shivered and reached out to the building nearby for support as she felt her knees grow weak.

"One of my first cases. I was working with Rorkin then, at Central Station." He sighed. He leaned against the building beside where Vania crouched and whispered to himself, "How come I didn't remember this case when Du l'Tagne came in? Sure, the nobles have an annoying tendency to name their children after themselves, but... so many similarities. Too many. I should've seen it." He looked down at Vania's bowed head and whispered again, "I should've seen it."

"Bergin," Vania managed finally, staring at her boots. "You—"

"They were why you decided to be an enforcer yourself, aren't they?"

"Honestly? No. I wish they were the reason, but... they're not."

"They're not? Then why... Oh. Because...?"

"No." I'm only an enforcer because I was too scared to turn down the offer. I'd only interviewed for the practice. But, I can't tell him that. "I'd rather not discuss any of this." Though, at least then I can pretend he didn't just tell me that he's the one who killed my parents. And he said there's no secrets between partners. He's just another enforcer I can't trust. "You asked why I didn't tell you my parents were murdered by enforcers? Why didn't you tell me you're the one who killed them?"

"I didn't know they were your parents! And it was ten years ago. I had completely forgot about it."

"Because you kill people so often on this job, you can't remember?"

"No! I—"

"Just the tydring then? Especially the Marked ones? And they're not even really people, so it's not worth remembering?"

"No! Vania, listen, please. That day was the worst of my career. Almost of my life. I hated myself afterward. I questioned myself and replayed the scenario over and over and over. I could barely do my job, since I was second guessing myself at every turn. I was a mess. There were some days I didn't even get out of bed. I was transferred out of Central Station, given a new work partner, and forced to move on, for my own sanity. Days blurred into years, new cases came and went, and I forgot."

She scoffed; "You expect me to believe the captain's star enforcer, who remembers even the color of socks a witness wears, completely forgot the day he took the lives of two innocent people?"

"I—"Bergin froze as a flurry of remembered voices echoed in his mind.

"You're known to be meticulous," Enforcer Kahlin lectured, "He must have some kind of failsafe in place... It influenced you. It's the only explanation. You should've had someone check you for spells..." "I thought I was just clumsy," Bergin replied. "Probably also part of the spell. Dulls the senses...so you assume it's normal."

"You remember everything, dontcha, kid?" the laughing face of Rorkin reminded him, "Captain says he never saw anyone with scores like yours on their first try at the training exams."

"The captain's golden boy," Vania taunted.

"Well, that memory of yours saved the day again, kid," Rorkin clapped him on the back as they finished their second case together, "Mark my words—in a few years, everyone's gonna be calling you sir!"

"Memory is a funny thing, Recruit Nahlstrom. One moment, everything is clear as a sunny day; the next, there's nothing but fog... You know what I mean, don't you?" Lord Du l'Tagne asked ten years ago. "Now, you told me that you had the culprits..."

"He must have...influenced you. It's the only explanation," Kahlin's lecturing voice, receding now back into memory, chided. Bergin whispered aloud in echo, "It's the only explanation." The female enforcer's voice finished, "You should've had someone check you for spells..." Bergin froze. Spells. But, if the one on his memory was broken, the traces might already be gone...but, there was another involved with that case. "Rorkin." He looked over to Vania. "We need to get to Central Station now! Rorkin is probably about to start his rounds—we need to intercept him!" Bergin took off running, leaving Vania staring dumbfounded at his back.