Solve the Unsolvable

The river ran backwards on the day the queen vanished. Not just one river, but every river of information needed to flow in reverse. As head of intelligence, I had access to multiple rivers of information and right now they all needed to flow to the same location, the Queen. My team and I had to work backwards, scouring every potential piece of evidence hoping to find our Queen. Without her at the helm the country would fall into chaos. Only Queen Tyce possessed magic powerful enough to control her evil brother Lord Erebus. Her sudden disappearance must be connected to the dark lord. I just needed to discover the link that would prove his involvement.

We may be lowly spies and police investigators, but we have powers other members of the enchanted community do not possess. My most useful tool is the ability to walk into a room and view the events that happened there up to forty-eight hours previously. Some would say I caused the river of time to briefly flow in reverse. Unfortunately, my power has limits, so it is imperative for me to locate where the Queen was within the last two days. That is where my associate Aurras is so helpful.

Sound doesn’t disappear immediately. Instead, it continues to resonate like ripples in a pond. Over time the sound waves lose energy and fade into obscurity. Aurras possesses hearing so acute that she can overhear conversations that occurred in a room several days earlier. If she can hear where the presumed abduction occurred, I will be able to watch it happen like I was in the room.

Pelios is the third member of my team. His specialty is emotions. No, not the whiny, wimpy kind although those do enter the investigation at times. No, it’s the visceral ones. The type of emotions that will drive a person to commit all sorts of atrocities. The ones people are adept at hiding from the rest of the world, but not from Pelios. He searches a subject’s inner mind and seeks out the true individual hiding behind their mask of obscurity. When the three of us are working together we are truly a force to be reckoned with.

The first question I asked the Queen’s personal staff was the obvious one, “Did anyone see or hear anything?”

Every distraught looking person shook their head, no. My follow up was equally straight forward.

“Does anyone know where Lord Erebus is?”

Once again, the answer was a unanimous no. I then turned my attention to a young girl who had recently been promoted to a handmaiden position.

“What room did you last see the Queen in before she was reported missing?”

The color drained from the girl’s cheeks, terrified because I had singled her out.

“It was last evening at the end of my shift. She was in her chambers, my Lord.”

“Please, call me Inspector, or simply Cronos. I am no one’s Lord.” I gave her a warm smile to ease her anxiety and looked over at Pelios. He nodded his head with approval. Aurras gave me a glance and quietly headed to the Queen’s chambers. I moved on. Pelios subtly gestured to the Queen’s steward.

“Perhaps you may have something to add, sir?”

“I have nothing of any great significance, Inspector,” allowing just a hint of distain to slip into his tone.

“Oh, judging by the way you’ve begun to perspire, along with that nervous twitch in your right hand, your information may be more significant than you’re letting on,” commented Pelios as he took over the questioning.

“It’s nothing, I swear! I simply spotted the Queen’s carriage standing at the ready by her private entry, but she was nowhere near it.”

It was at that moment that Aurras re-entered the room and motioned for her colleagues to join her at the far end of the chamber.

“The Queen received a letter early this morning allegedly from the Master Wizard and fortunately read it aloud. He had discovered a situation that required her immediate personal attention. He would meet her at the river’s source, and she must come alone. If she didn’t come at once the kingdom would be destroyed. What do you want to do, Cronos?”

“Guards, hold the steward for further questioning. As for us, we follow the Queen to the river’s source.”