Vera didn't look up from her hands on her lap where she sat. She tried to keep back her tears, but she began shaking and the tears flowed again when Meesei tried to console her. It took a few moments for her to begin answering questions, but she was forthcoming through her quiet and distraught voice.

"In the morning, I woke up first. I got dressed and woke up Jerrick for breakfast. We went to the dining chamber to get a meal and ate together amongst the other packs as always. Jerrick steps away during breakfast each morning to fill his waterskin in canal in the pillar chamber. He was only away a few minutes." Vera brought her hand up to her face and scrunched her eyes shut. She was silent save for a sharp inhale through her nose. She continued after steadying herself some more, but still didn't look up. "After breakfast, I left for the teaching chambers to begin a morning class on reading and writing. I think Jerrick went to teach control techniques in the main chamber. He sometimes leaves his possessions off to one side during that time so he can transform. I came back in time for him to finish and to proceed to the meeting chamber to meet with the lieutenants. That's when you and your pack arrived with Anders' pack. We had lunch there. That was all of the morning."

Vera looked up at Meesei now, showing her tensed face, reddened and shining with streaks of tears. "When will I see him? If he is dead, I want to know. If this is a trick to root out a traitor and he is still alive and hiding, please tell me. I can't bear it."