The guards flinched at Ava’s tone. Several of them bowed their heads, uneasy and confused.
“Lady Ava,” the captain stamred, “we... we don’t know. The Princess was here last night. No one entered or left without permission. The patrols saw nothing unusual.”
Ava’s glare sharpened, “Are you telling the Princess vanished while you were on watch? That none of you noticed anything, not even a whisper of movent? Do you even understand the level of incompetence that implies?!”
The guards stiffened. One of them opened his mouth as if to defend himself but faltered under her glare.
Wilma, standing frozen in the doorway, felt her heart twist painfully. This shouldn’t be possible. The cottage had been sealed. Guarded day and night.
“Ava...” Wilma whispered weakly. “How... how could this happen?”
Ava turned to her with a perfectly asured mix of concern and outrage.
“Your Grace, this is unacceptable,” she said firmly. “You should demand answers. Your daughter is missing under the royal guard’s protection. Soone must be held accountable.”
Wilma’s breathing quickened, panic clawing at the edges of her chest.
The captain dared to speak again, voice shaking. “Your Grace... I swear on my life, we followed every instruction. If Princess Riela is gone... soone with higher authority must have moved her without informing us.”
Ava stiffened and turned sharply, as if a thought had struck her.
“Higher authority,” she repeated. Then looked at Wilma aningfully.
Almost accusingly.
Wilma’s face drained of color. “You... you don’t an my son...”
Ava slowly lowered her gaze and whispered, “I would never accuse His Majesty without proof. But soone has hidden the Princess... and clearly did not want you to know.”
The suggestion slid into Wilma’s fogged mind like a blade.
Behind her, the guards remained silent, staring straight ahead, afraid to breathe.
Ava stepped closer to Wilma, voice softening again, almost tender. “Your Grace... let’s find her. Together.”
******
Cold air brushed Althea’s face when she stepped out from Uriel’s portal. When she finally took in their surroundings, her breath caught.
They stood at the peak of a mountain. The sky stretched endlessly above them, clear and bright. In front of them, tucked against a cluster of ancient stone walls, was a large cottage. It wasn’t elegant like a palace chamber, nor intimidating like the royal fortress. It was warm, solid and hidden.
Likewise, it was obviously a safe place...
Uriel stepped out behind them and closed the portal with a simple flick of his fingers. “We’re here,” he said quietly.
Gavriel moved past Althea and lva... “This way.”
Althea followed, still confused about where exactly here was. lva hugged her cloak tighter and whispered, “My lady... are we on a mountain?”
Althea nodded. “It looks like it.”
Gavriel must have overheard because he slowed his steps and glanced back at them.
“We’re at the peak of Mount Halden. No one cos here. No one knows this place exists.”
lva blinked. “No one, Sire?”
“Only four people,” Gavriel said. “, Uriel, Simon... and Osman. We built this cottage ourselves years ago. A place to disappear when the world becos too loud. Or too dangerous.”
Althea stared at him. “You built this?”
He nodded once. “With my own hands.” Before she could ask more, the door of the cottage swung open.
“Alpha! You’re finally here. We already finished all of your instructions...” It was Osman. His face lit up when he saw them, though the heavy dark circles under his eyes showed he hadn’t slept well. Beside him stood a young woman, one Althea recognized instantly even if she barely had a proper introduction before.
Candice stepped forward with a small smile. “Lady Althea... it’s nice to see you again. Properly, this ti.”
Althea returned a polite nod. “It’s nice to see you too.”
Osman cleared his throat and gestured between them. “This is Lady Candice Russo from the Velmora Continent.”
Candice stepped forward and offered her hand with a polite smile. Althea took it, giving a light shake. She barely had ti to return the gesture when Gavriel stepped in behind her.
“Candice will assist you in taking care of Riela,” Gavriel said. “She’s the only Princess of the House of Terravane. And she can help you better understand your magical abilities.”
Althea’s lips pushed into an imdiate pout. She turned to him, her forehead creasing. “You don’t trust to heal the Princess?”
Gavriel let out a low chuckle. Without hesitation, he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer in front of everyone, completely unbothered by their audience.
“Of course I trust you,” he murmured. “But I’m not taking any chances. I want to make sure that this damn Covenant of Binding won’t affect you.”
Althea frowned deeper. “Still...”
He gave her side a gentle squeeze. “Althea. I said I trust you.”
She looked at him, still pouting, but a faint warmth rose in her chest. Gavriel leaned just a little closer, lowering his voice as if the words were only ant for her.
“I’m protecting you,” he added. “Not doubting you.”
From beside them, Candice rolled her eyes, while lva quietly nudged Althea’s arm as if to say he has a point. Even Osman looked away, pretending not to overhear the Alpha being unusually soft.
Althea sighed, her pout loosening at last... though not entirely. And Gavriel, smug as ever, gave her waist another reassuring squeeze.
Althea looked around, finally unable to hold back. “Why are we here? Shouldn’t we be heading to the palace to et the Princess so I can start treating her?”
Gavriel’s expression stayed calm, but there was a firmness in his voice. “Uriel will bring Riela here shortly. For now, go inside and make sure everything you need is ready. Osman and Candice have prepared everything you requested.”
He stepped aside, letting her enter the cottage. Althea had barely begun examining the room when Uriel burst in, his face pale and eyes wide with alarm.
“Gavriel... Riela... she’s missing,” he gasped.
Gavriel’s face darkened, his eyes narrowing into sharp slits. “Missing?! What do you an, missing?!”
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