Norman’s deadened stare regarded the sea of armed Knights and common foot soldiers surrounding him, along with any and every man or woman available. Everyone was convening in the castle entrance to be assigned new districts to search, and the results of their patrols before once again heading out to search for the two missing women.

The Princess and Lady Katarina Ashowan had been missing for a day and a half, and no one had the slightest idea where they had gone… as though they’d vanished into thin air.

If it weren’t for Finlay Ashowan burning his magic throughout Austice looking for any hint, and Annika’s round the clock work of contacting every source in her underground network, the King would’ve suspected them of once again covering for their daughter’s reckless behavior.

In a way, Norman wished it were Katarina Ashowan’s free spirit that was responsible for his daughter’s absence. Perhaps she had sympathized so strongly with the Princess’ heartbreak over the Troivackian King, that she had suggested a long, fun journey to Sorlia…

However, the heart-wrenching fear in Fin’s eyes told him otherwise.

“She isn’t frightened.”

The House Witch would whisper that phrase to himself over and over to himself as the smallest thread of comfort to himself.

According to Fin, if she had felt truly afraid he would have seen something, but Norman couldn’t help but remember how he had once said when Tam’s traumatic incident had occurred he hadn’t seen or heard a thing…

Though he had no doubt that if Katarina Ashowan were dead, her father would be the first to know. He simply didn’t know if that indicated his own daughter’s safety or not.

Neither Norman nor Finlay could sleep, or eat… life lost color…

It was something the King hadn’t experienced since Ainsley had died… only it was different. Alina could still be saved. Wherever she was…

One annoying detail that did nothing to help his frayed nerves, was that the Troivackian King remained in the castle.

He didn’t walk about, or even demand any information. He simply sat in his chamber with the Prince of Troivack, and… waited.

Norman wanted to be angry. Wanted to shout at the man for being a burden during an already stressful time, but he was also begrudgingly appreciative that the King was so obviously distressed by Alina’s disappearance.

Not that he was forgiven for wanting a mistress as well as Alina, but, at least he appeared to care.

Finlay Ashowan was striding through the great doors. He looked more like the cook he used to be for the first time since he had returned from his father’s ship nearly twenty years ago. He wore worn brown trousers, and a casual cream tunic. His hands were pressed deep into his pockets, and alongside him trotted his familiar Kraken who would chirp occasionally and Fin would answer.

Once Fin reached the King, his facial features sharp and tense, he shared with the ruler the contents of their dialogue.

“There is a cat in Austice who believes they saw Alina and Kat dressed as boys heading down the hill. They were amongst the taverns, but the feline witness doesn’t believe they went into any of them for a drink. Meaning they were there for something else.”

“This isn’t for certain though?” Norman asked thoughtfully while absent-mindedly stroking his beard.

“No, but it’s a possible lead where we have none.”

Norman nodded in agreement, and as he opened his mouth to issue an order, found himself interrupted.

One of the elite Knights had approached the Viscount and himself, his light brown hair brushing his shoulders and several days worth of stubble shadowing his high cheekbones.

“Your Majesty, might I… make an impertinent suggestion that I believe could be helpful in our search?”

Turning to face the man, both King and Viscount regarded him with an intensity that had him visibly sweating.

“What is your name?” Norman asked, his voice ringing sharply as soldiers and maids faded away from them with their shoulders hunched.

“Sir Vohn, Your Majesty. I was one of the escorts to the Princess the day she visited Austice.” The Knight had his hands clasped behind his back and his feet braced wide apart.

Norman and Finlay shared a glance before turning back to the Knight.

“What is this suggestion, Sir Vohn?” the King asked slowly, the edge in his voice difficult to ignore.

“Ask the Troivackian King where he thinks they would have gone.”

The room fell into complete silence.

Sir Vohn to his credit kept his eyes downcast, and despite the lump in his throat bobbing from a gulp, he remained firm.

“Why do you suggest that?” Fin’s voice was deceptively quiet, but his eyes were already gleaming.

“The Troivackian King has spent the most time with the Princess aside from Lady Katarina, and might have valuable insight.” The Knight’s voice had grown slightly louder, which indicated his nervousness, but his expression remained neutral.

“Are you implying that the King had something to do with the Princess and Lady’s disappearance?” Norman’s voice withheld most of his emotions, but his face was a slab of ice and his hazel eyes deadly.

“No. I am suggesting the King might have noticed someone suspicious, or know where the Princess and Lady may have wished to go because he would be aware of where her interests lie more recently,” Sir Vohn explained slowly.

Fin glanced at the King.

It was a good idea… the question was would Norman be receptive to it given his dislike for the Troivackian King.

For a moment, Norman said nothing, and Fin began to wonder if he went behind the King’s back and asked Brendan Devark himself, would it be perceived as ‘treason’?

“We will ask him. Thank you for the suggestion, Sir Vohn. It is a good idea. You are dismissed.”

The Knight bowed, and left the Viscount and King.

Norman and Fin shared a brief moment of eye contact, their communication clear.

As much as Norman didn’t like the King, he wasn’t about to let such a petty matter interfere with finding their daughters.

The two men mounted the grand stairs and strode purposefully to the Troivackian’s chambers.

When they knocked, Prince Henry was the one to open the door, his scowl indicative of his displeasure over recent events pertaining to his brother.

“Prince Henry, we need to ask the Troivackian King some questions that could be helpful to the Princess and Lady Katarina’s disappearance,” Norman greeted stiffly.

Henry’s eyes narrowed.

It was interesting to see the dual nature of the previously smiling and charming young man the Prince had first appeared to be upon arriving. He was clearly very protective of his brother.

“I was told there was nothing we could do to help. The Troivackian King hasn’t requested information, yet he also hasn’t been given the courtesy of-”

A large hand that could only belong to one person in the world interrupted the Prince’s refusal, and silenced him by resting on his shoulder.

Brendan Devark stepped forward, dark bags under his eyes, and his face unshaven, but aside from that, he looked every bit as controlled as ever.

“How can I be of assistance?”

Norman stared at the man, his thoughts unclear, but after a moment he let out a humbling sigh.

“I would like to show you our findings, and see if you can make sense of them.”

Brendan didn’t say a word. Only stepped outside his chamber, closing the door behind him.

“Where would you like to discuss this?”

Grateful for his lack of attitude, Norman gestured towards the stairs. “The council room on the second floor, if you don’t mind.”

Brendan nodded.

The three men made their way back down the stairs to the council room, and once seated at the table, Norman folded his hands atop the table and fixed the younger man with a level stare.

“We have two options on what has happened. One being that Lady Katarina and Alina were in her chamber and abducted directly from the castle.”

Brendan shook his head. “Lady Katarina would not leave quietly. No matter what, she’d find a way to draw attention if they were being abducted. The only reason she could have for being quiet would be if someone had a knife to the Princess’ throat.”

Fin had to appreciate the truth of the man’s words. He too had had similar reservations…

“The second option comes from a potential eyewitness who believes they saw the Princess and Lady in Austice dressed as boys,” Norman continued briskly.

Brendan nodded. “They were dressed as boys when they were camping.”

“However, they were seen amongst the taverns, yet didn’t enter any of them. What could have drawn them to Austice? No tavern keepers or brothels have heard anything.”

Brendan didn’t answer immediately.

Instead his brows drew together, and he stared at the table thoughtfully in silence for a moment.

Then, his head snapped up and his dark eyes locked with Finlay Ashowan’s.

“She went to see the bard.”

Fin blinked, his eyes widening from surprise, then after a beat he turned to the King.

“Roscoe Vonousch,” the two men said together.

Brendan sat up straighter. “No, I’m certain the bard’s name was Reese Flaun or something to that effect.”

Norman shook his head, but he and the Viscount were already rising back to their feet.

“His name is Reese Flint, and there is someone with a deep grudge against him,” Fin explained while he and the King strode purposefully towards the door.

“Your Majesty,” Brendan’s voice boomed, stopping Norman in his tracks. “Include me in the search.”

The Daxarian King turned to stare at the younger man. His hazel eyes studying him scrupulously.

After two breaths in the sudden quiet, he finally gave a small nod of his chin.

Brendan needed no further invitation.

He was on his feet out the room in long strides with both the Viscount and Daxarian King joining his sides as they moved.

***

Kat continued staring boredly at their guard of the hour, Dexter.

Alina would occasionally drift off into a restless sleep, and Reese who had been beaten black and blue lay with labored breathing on his side.

Not Kat, though.

No, she hadn’t slept for a minute since they’d been taken, and somehow she showed no signs of fatigue. This alone was making the men grow even more guarded around her as she would alternate between chattering aimlessly and staring at them hungrily…

“So… is… is the plan to kill him? I thought that wasn’t what you were paid enough to do?” Kat asked with a long sigh while glancing at the bard on the floor beside her.

It would seem she was going to chatter.

Reese let out a garbled moan from the floor.

“It’s okay. Luckily for you, my father knows a deficient witch who can regrow bones and teeth. Real handy woman to know. I actually already lost my two front teeth thanks to Harold the donkey, but in fairness, I deserved it. Anyhow, she regrew them for me! Mighty painful, but absolutely worth it.”

“Shut. Up,” Dexter enunciated with great difficulty as he reshuffled the worn cards in his hands to redeal himself in his solitaire game.

“Why? Am I growing on you? Are you feeling guilty and wanting to send us home?” the redhead asked brightly.

“If I could have stabbed you every time you opened your mouth I would have,” Dexter growled as he began dealing himself on an overturned crate.

“You seem moderately good at your job to have lived this long. You must know that we shouldn’t stay in one location this long. Even if we were just the daughters of wealthy merchants and not say the Princess and daughter of a hero…” Kat observed idly while rolling her eyes to the ceiling.

Alina had noticed that despite Kat always sounding calm and in control, her temperature had steadily risen since they’d been captured. She could feel it through their clothes as they sat practically pressed together on the small pile of hay behind them. However, Alina hadn’t had a moment of privacy from their captors since their first night to ask if that was a normal thing.

“I don’t make the calls I just make suggestions,” Dexter ground out irritably.

“Even if it’s your life on the line? Gods, man!” Kat guffawed.

Dexter stood up swiftly and glowered down at her.

Instead of looking startled or fearful as Alina did, she merely smiled in satisfaction.

“I’m beginning to think you like being hit.” Dexter growled the words while eyeing the bruises around Kat’s throat where Roscoe had strangled her when she had told him he had the personality of a midget horse.

“Not really. I just know the worse I look, the worse my Da will hurt you, and you’ve pissed me right off. So I want you all to know what a horrible mistake you’ve made... The vision of Roscoe being electrocuted and screaming like a little girl brings me great pleasure,” Kat laughed joyfully.

One would have thought her on a delightful outing with friends. Her composure was sparkling, her disposition sunny…

It was disturbing.

Alina had begun ignoring the oddness of it as of that morning.

She was tired, and she constantly worried about inducing a breathing attack if she didn’t remain in charge of her emotions.

Reese Flint had remained cheerful until the third round of ‘questioning’ he had received.

While he lay beaten and bloodied, he had not given a single word of information, and the longer it went on, the more Alina and Katarina respected the man for it.

“Why… can’t… the Viscount... Find… you?” Reese’s weakened blood filled voice burbled from the floor interrupting Kat’s conversation with the mercenary.

“Ah. That’d be because at no point in this venture have I felt afraid.”

Alina’s head snapped to attention. “What is he talking about?”

“Ah… well, my father can see pictures of a place if someone who lives in his home or family is in danger. However, I am not in danger, and I have known this the whole time,” Kat explained with a shrug.

The irony being she had a split lip in two different places, and cheek to match. Despite Roscoe having threatened to hurt Alina multiple times, he must have wanted to air ever so slightly on the side of caution… just in case they weren’t lying…

The only reason Kat was the exception was she took every chance she could to annoy them, and right then, Alina was more than a little annoyed with her friend as well.

“We have been kidnapped, and you two have been beaten for two days, you don’t think we’re in danger?!”

Kat laughed. “Which is a problem! Though, even if you lived with us at the estate, he couldn’t sense you being in danger because we aren’t on the grounds of the estate. No… at great distances he can only sense if my mum, my brother, or myself are afraid, and like I said… I’m not.”

“You honestly don’t think these men are an inch away of really hurting us?! Why?!” Alina burst out vehemently.

“Not really. Dexter isn’t paid enough of that nonsense. Roscoe’s friend there… Patrick was it? He may want to, but won’t unless Roscoe tells him to. Yeah. We’re fine.” Kat’s sigh was world weary, and it only incited a deeper rage from the Princess.

“Our definitions of ‘fine’ are not the damn same you crazy bitch!” she burst out.

“Awe! I love you too!”

“Reese is suffering, I am terrified, why in the name of the Gods do you not care?!” Alina demanded, as tears rose in her eyes and her bound hands gripped into fists.

Dexter who had witnessed the entire exchange was frowning, and a swell of panic was rising in his brown eyes. He was growing more and more convinced that the insane redhead had been telling the truth…

“Oh, I do care. I can’t help that I’m not afraid, Alina. I’m sorry. I really am, it… it has to do with…” Kat faltered then. Her bright facial expression suddenly frozen before her golden eyes drifted to the ground.

“What does it have to do with?” Dexter growled.

“You stay out of this!” Alina barked with a tone so imperial the man unconsciously straightened his shoulders for a moment.

Kat sighed, her shoulders slumping forward.

Maybe Alina would understand, and maybe she wouldn’t… her guilt over knowing her inability to feel fear was far more than she let on, but all she could do was continue to keep the mood cheerful and distract the men from hurting her friend…

“I just... I’m sorry. I guess because I know how powerful my father is, and know he’ll find us. I just can’t make myself feel fear.”

Alina knew if she spoke she would curse and be angry over her friend’s strange emotional processes, and so she turned her face away, her teeth clenched together as her throat burned.

What she didn’t know was that her friend had lied, and Katarina Ashowan had to confess that perhaps in some ways… she did feel fear… just not the kind that could get them help.

After all, she wasn’t sure anyone would be able to look at her the same if they knew the truth…