Page 26 of Shapeshifter's Vengeance

"It’s a lead," I say, trying to sound hopeful. "We can work with this."

He nods, a faint smile on his lips. "Thank you, Evelyn. For believing in me."

"Always," I reply, taking his hand.

We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation settling over us. But there’s a glimmer of hope now, a chance to uncover the truth. And I cling to that hope, determined to clear Alexei’s name and protect our town from the dark forces at play.

Chapter 12: A Tale of Shapeshifters

EVELYN

We gather in Ana’s living room. Ana sits at the head of the table, and her fingers are tapping rhythmically. Beside me are the deputies I trust most from the department: Mark, Linda, and Teresa. They know the stakes and have proven their loyalty.

“We need to go over everything we have,” I say, breaking the silence. “Alexei remembers having a drink with a woman, but he can’t describe her face. He’s certain he’s never met her before. That’s all he can recall.”

Ana frowns, her eyes narrowing. “That’s not much to go on. But Karla mentioned dark magic, right?”

I nod. “Yes. She said something’s blocking his memory. Something strong.”

Ana leans back, crossing her arms. “Dark magic used to be legal in Harmony Grove when we were kids. Only shapeshifterscould use it. They practiced dangerous spells. I remember they could block and erase memories permanently. I saw my childhood friends do it to someone.”

“Shapeshifters?” Mark asks, raising an eyebrow. “I thought they were extinct.”

“They are,” Ana replies. “After the Great War, none survived. Their power source was destroyed first, and without it, they couldn’t survive. But if one did survive…”

Linda speaks up. “You’re suggesting that a shapeshifter might be behind this? That’s why no one remembers seeing the person?”

“Exactly,” I say. “They could have changed their appearance multiple times.”

Teresa nods. “It’s a possibility. But how do we find a shapeshifter if we don’t know what they look like?”

“We start looking into the history,” Ana suggests. “Anyone who might have had a chance of surviving. Any old records we can find.”

I agree. “We’ll need to keep this meeting a secret. No one else can know. We reconvene later tonight.”

The room falls silent as everyone processes the plan. It’s risky, but it’s our best shot.

“Alright,” I say, standing up. “Let’s get to work.”

Mark, Linda, and Teresa leave to begin their tasks. Ana and I stay behind, pouring over old documents and records. The hours slip by as we dig deeper into the town’s history.

“I found something,” Ana says, holding up an old book. “This mentions a shapeshifter named Zara. She was rumored to have escaped the Great War.”

“Do you think she could be the one?” I ask, leaning over to read.

“It’s possible. But we need more proof,” Ana replies.

We continue searching, but as the night drags on, exhaustion sets in. Finally, I dismiss everyone, insisting they get some rest.

“We’ll meet tomorrow night,” I remind them. “Same time, same place. And remember, keep this quiet.”

They nod in agreement, filing out of the house. Ana walks me to the door.

“Do you think we’re on the right track?” I ask her, my voice low.

Ana hesitates. “I don’t know. But it’s something. We can’t give up now.”

I smile, appreciating her determination. “Thank you, Ana. For everything.”

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