Her Graceful War Song (Carissa Sinclair)
Chapter 239

After five days, Carissa arrived in Eldoria just past noon.

Although she had stayed in inns along the way, she had barely eaten and limited her intake of water, fearing that frequent stops during the day would waste precious time. In those five short days, she had lost considerable weight.

Following the address Dylan had given her, she led her horse and asked for directions until she found Unit 13 on Verdant Lane.

This was a property owned by the Eldorian governor. Dylan had mentioned that Rafael and the child beggar were staying here.

Carissa was parched and exhausted as she stood outside the gate. The residence was located down a spacious alley. A man was stationed at the gate, dressed in official attire. He must be a guard Rafael had borrowed from the government to stand watch.

Noticing the woman with a horse who hesitated to knock, the guard cautiously asked, "Are you Lady Sinclair?" Carissa nodded. She was unable to speak, feeling as if something was clogging her throat and chest.

Seeing her nod, the guard knocked on the door. "Your Highness, Lady Sinclair has arrived."

Moments later, the door opened to reveal Rafael, who wore a green outfit but looked somewhat haggard. He had clearly lost weight, his eyes were shadowed, and he appeared to be sleep-deprived.

Seeing Carissa, Rafael sighed with relief but then frowned. "How have you lost so much weight?"

Carissa managed a soft sound, her throat choked with emotion, but her eyes were focused on the interior of the house.

"Take the horse and feed it," Rafael instructed the guard.

"Yes, sir!"

The guard reached for the reins, but Carissa gripped them tightly, her anxiety palpable.

Noticing her distress, Rafael reached out and took her cold hand. "Come inside. Whether or not it's him, you need to see for yourself."

Carissa released the reins but removed her bag, taking out the slingshot she had brought.

Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Where is he?"

"He's locked in a room." Rafael sighed. "The child... he's quite strong and somewhat wild.

He led her inside, closed the door behind them, and locked it. Seeing Carissa's puzzled expression, he smiled ruefully.

'He's escaped several times. Though he has a limp, he's surprisingly agile and stubborn. I feared injuring him, so I had to confine him for now."

'Does he look very similar?" Carissa asked, her voice trembling.

As she followed Rafael, her feet felt as though they were sinking into cotton. She didn't even notice that he was holding her hand.

"He does resemble him, but I can't be certain since I hadn't seen the child for several months before I went to the Southern Frontier. He also looks like your second brother," Rafael said.

Like a marionette, Carissa allowed Rafael to lead her to the door of a small room. From within came a series of loud banging noises, as if things were being smashed.

"He's been this way since he came here-very agitated. He bangs things whether it's day or night. Sometimes, he

even hits his own head. I've had a physician examine him, and it seems that he's been given medication that can be addictive. If he goes without it, it can lead to violent outbursts, Rafael explained.

Thus, Rafael's exhaustion was understandable.

The door was locked from the outside with a chain, and the window was boarded up.

Rafael took out a key and unlocked the door. As soon as it creaked open, a small figure rushed forward, trying to escape. Rafael quickly grabbed the child, who struggled violently despite being held securely. The child flailed, biting and making muffled noises of distress.

Carissa couldn't see his face clearly; he was thrashing or biting Rafael.

In a detached manner, she lifted the slingshot in her hand and numbly called out, "Ryan!"

She had come here to confirm whether this was indeed a false hope, so her call of "Ryan' was more of a test, lacking emotional depth. She just needed to see this false Ryan for herself.

The struggling child in Rafael's arms gradually quieted.

He slowly turned his head, his eyes still wild and red from earlier. His face was covered in small injuries, and he looked dirty and emaciated. His mouth hung slightly open as he stared at Carissa.

Carissa gasped, covering her mouth as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.