Zerraph walked ahead of his new team through the enchanted corridor, silent and composed while the five unstable recruits trailed behind him with nervous energy. They had only been under his command for two days, yet were already summoned for a mission.

As they approached the meeting room, voices drifted down the hall.

Claude sounded stressed. Vince sounded tired.

“…she sneaked out again!” Claude hissed. “Do you hear me, Vince? AGAIN. I turned around for one second and she was gone—out the window!”

Vince sighed. “Claude, she’s the Queen. She could use a door.”

“She should use a door!” Claude snapped. “But no—Her Majesty enjoys giving me heart attacks!”

Zerraph’s team slowed behind him.

Syrin whispered, “Are we… interrupting something?”

Zerraph ignored them and continued forward.

Claude finally noticed. “Oh—Zerraph. You’re early.”

“Early is preferable to late,” Zerraph replied.

Rhael muttered, “Or he doesn’t sleep—” Zerraph didn’t look back, but Rhael closed his mouth immediately.

Claude exhaled sharply. “Look, the mission briefing has to wait. Her Majesty is missing again, and if a noble sees her wandering around pretending she’s not the Queen, I will not survive the paperwork.”

Vince crossed his arms. “We’ll find her first. Then we brief.”

Aeryn murmured, “Should we… help?”

Claude waved his arms. “Yes. Please. Before she climbs another wall.”

Zerraph stepped toward the door, expression unreadable. “If the Queen is outside, unstable magic in the city may endanger her.”

Claude blinked. “…Exactly. Good. Perfect. Let’s move.”

And just like that, Zerraph and his unstable squad were dragged into their first assignment—

Finding the runaway Queen.