chapter 13

As I raced through the winding corridors of the palace, my heart pounded in my chest. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, driven by a mixture of urgency and bewilderment. How had she, a mere human, managed to breach the palace's impenetrable defenses?

The palace guards scrambled to keep up, their boots echoing against the marble floors. Rowan ran at my side, his brow furrowed with equal parts concern and confusion.

"Which way did the cameras last capture her?" I demanded, my voice sharp and authoritative.

"The eastern exit, my lord," Rowan replied quickly. "But the trail goes cold after that. She must have found a way to evade our surveillance."

I cursed under my breath. Of course she would be cunning enough to slip through our defenses, but the how of it eluded me. She was human, with no known abilities beyond those of her kind. Yet she had managed to vanish as if into thin air.

Dante's voice rumbled in the back of my mind. "She's out there, alone and unprotected. We must find her, before anyone else does."

I knew he was right. The palace grounds were vast, and there were many who would seek to do her harm, whether out of malice or simply for the chance to undermine my claim to the throne. I could not afford to let that happen.

As we burst through the grand entrance, the afternoon sun glared down upon us. I paused, letting my enhanced senses take over. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, focusing on sorting through the myriad scents that assaulted my nose.

There - a faint trace of her familiar fragrance, carried on the gentle breeze. It was as if the very elements conspired to guide me towards her. Without a moment's hesitation, I broke into a sprint, the guards trailing close behind.

"This way!" I called out, my voice laced with both urgency and determination.

I would find her, no matter what it took. She was mine, and I would not lose her again. But how had she managed to evade our security so effortlessly? What other secrets might she be hiding?