Baguette mystery

Previously

…And with that, Flicker was gone, swallowed by the oppressive darkness of the abandoned mill. I stood alone, the embroidered handkerchief clutched in my hand, the scent of almond extract still faintly clinging to the air. The mystery of the stolen recipe had been solved, but a new, more complex one had taken its place: the story of Flicker, and the long, bitter shadow of my mentor's past. The Grand Baking Competition was still hours away, and I had a recipe to retrieve, and a betrayal to understand. The flour dust of my bakery felt a world away, and the path ahead was far more shadowed than I had ever imagined.