Cade. My guard. Missing alongside my mate. The coincidence is too convenient to ignore.
"When I find him," I say, my voice dangerously low, "he will beg for death long before I grant it."
"Where do we start looking?" Emmett asks.
I consider our options. The completed mating bond, while muted, isn't completely severed. If I focus entirely on it, push beyond the barriers, I might sense her general direction.
"The tunnels beneath the east wing," I decide. "They lead beyond the palace boundaries, away from our magical protections. My centuries of rule have taught me every secret passage in this place—some remain intact that others have forgotten."
"Those tunnels haven't been used in centuries," Emmett points out. "Most are collapsed."
"Not all of them," I reply grimly. "One passage remains intact."
I stride toward my chambers to prepare. I need weapons—the special kind forged in shadow-fire, designed to inflict wounds that never heal.
"Gather your best trackers," I order. "And the shadow hounds. We leave immediately."
In my chambers, I exchange court attire for hunting leathers, strapping shadow-forged daggers to my belt. As I dress, I reach once more for the bond, stretching my awareness to its limits.
For just a moment, I feel something—a flicker of awareness, distant and fragile. Fear. Pain. Then the interference returns, muffling the connection once more.
But it's enough. She's alive. My mate lives.
"I'm coming for you, Omega," I murmur, buckling my final weapon into place.
When I emerge, Emmett awaits with guards and three massive shadow hounds—beasts of pure darkness with glowing red eyes and teeth that can tear through enchanted armor.
"The palace is secured," he reports. "The hounds have her scent from her chambers."
I offer Seraphina's ring. "This will be more effective."
The largest hound approaches, its head level with my chest. It sniffs the ring, red eyes flaring with recognition before turning toward the eastern corridors, hackles raised.
We reach a section of wall that appears solid to untrained eyes. I press my palm against the stone, channeling shadow magic into hidden mechanisms. The wall slides aside, revealing stairs descending into darkness.
"The tunnel hasn't been used in decades," I warn, shadows flowing ahead.
The descent is steep, walls glistening with moisture, air heavy with old magic. The hounds move confidently through the tight confines, following the faint trail.
"My lord," Emmett speaks from behind, voice hushed. "There's something else we found in Cade's quarters."
I pause. "Speak."
"A vial of what appears to be fairy dust."
The implications hit me instantly. Ivy—she's part of Seraphina's disappearance.
"So Cade knew about the fairy," I murmur, mind racing through possibilities. "But was he working with her, or against her?"
"Either way, it explains how he might have found this tunnel," Emmett observes. "Fairy magic can reveal what shadow magic conceals."
After winding pathways, the air freshens, carrying the scent of night-blooming flowers—and underneath it all, the faintest trace of vanilla and light magic. The shadow hounds grow agitated, their massive forms quivering with anticipation.
"Stay alert," I command, signaling the guards to halt while I extend my senses through the shadows ahead.
The tunnel opens into a clearing enclosed by twisted trees. Moonlight dapples the moss-covered ground. The hounds circle before converging on a path leading deeper into the enchanted forest, confirming what I already suspect—Seraphina was brought through here.
I scan the area, searching for any clue. My shadows spread outward, probing every inch of the clearing, finding nothing until…
