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“Well…” There was a slight muffling as Cirilla talked away from the phone, and I barked at her impatiently.
“What’s going on?!” I yelled. “Cirilla!”
Saint strode toward me, straining to listen to my conversation, and I put the phone on speaker for him to hear the enchantress’ words.
“I can’t hear what you’re saying,” I snapped when Cirilla’s voice remained vaguely garbled. “Who are you talking to?”
Cirilla’s voice returned clearer now. “The warlock who’s running the tracker on Elix. She’s on the outskirts of Goldhaven, on the border of Ironhelm, in Copehaven. She hasn’t crossed over.”
“Copehaven!” I sputtered. “That’s two days away by car!” I whirled around and confronted my guard. “I need footage from every bus and train terminal in Copehaven immediately,” I ordered, striding toward the door as I disconnected the call with Cirilla without saying goodbye. It hadn’t occurred to me that Elix would have left the city, not when she had been so nervous to travel to Ironhelm on my arm. “Find me any footage available—anything and everything you can possibly find from here to there. Immediately!”
“Yes, Alpha. Right away!” The guards jumped into action as I hurried out of the apartment, my head whirling.
“Where are you going?” Saint demanded, following on my heels.
“To find your sister,” I growled, dialing out again with shaking hands. Sweat prickled along my hairline, but I didn’t stop to wipe it away. Time wasn’t on our side. I’d wasted too much already.
“We still don’t know exactly where she is!” Saint reminded me, but I at least had some kind of idea, and with that, I could formulate a plan to find her.
“Jace?” the deep tone answered through the cell phone. “Why are you calling so late?”
“Cade,” I exhaled with relief. I hadn’t been sure the King of Ironhelm would answer at this hour. “I need your help.”
Saint stopped in his tracks, his complexion blanching in my peripheral vision.
“What’s wrong?” Cade immediately sounded wide awake, alarm fueling his words. “Is there trouble? An attack?”
“No, no, nothing like that…” I drew in a breath. Suddenly, I was embarrassed to admit Elix had left, and I didn’t know how to explain it. But it was too late now, and as I headed out of the apartment building and through the unfinished concrete stairs, I stopped in the stairwell, signaling for Saint and the guard to wait.
Saint ignored the gesture, but the guard remained on the other side of the door.
“Jace? Are you still there?” Cade demanded. “Is everything all right? What’s happening?”
“No. I’m searching for Elix.”
“Elix? You think she’s here?”
“No… she’s in Copehaven, according to the locator spell, and I’m still at the palace. I’m coming now, but I’m hoping you can send your guards to the bus and train stations on both sides of the border in search of her. I’ll send you a recent photograph to work with. I already have my guards looking on the Goldhaven side.”
Cade drew in a sharp breath. “Why would she be all the way over here? Is she all right?”
I remembered how Cade and I had spoken when Elix and I had gone to the Ironhelm Tower, just after announcing our engagement. The King of Ironhelm had warned me about bringing problems into the kingdom, that my first priority as king of Goldhaven was always to the continent of Mystara. Now it was all coming to a head.
Would he help me if he knew the truth about Elix’s lineage, or would he be concerned about his own kingdom and leave us to fend for himself?
I decided it was best that he didn’t learn the truth, at least not yet.
“We’ve had a bit of a fight,” I explained hastily as Saint shot daggers at me with livid, green eyes. “She left here without telling anyone, and now I’m concerned.”
Cade doesn’t need to know. No one needs to know. All that matters right now is getting Elix home safe.
“I imagine so. Copehaven isn’t a place for the queen-too-be to remain unguarded,” Cade mused. “But knowing how powerful she is, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. Miss Elix can handle herself, undoubtedly.”
That did make me feel slightly better, but it didn’t change my desire to find her.
“I’m sure you’re right,” I agreed begrudgingly. “But I would still like to hear her voice, at least to be sure.”
“Of course. I’ll send my guards immediately. Keep your phone on, and I’ll let you know the minute we have word,” Cade promised, and my shoulders sank with intense gratitude.
