I move to the adjoining door, the one that connects her chambers to Nadya’s. I knock once, then push through.
Also empty.
My brows scrunch together, and a strange feeling coils in my stomach.
I try not to panic. I asked her to think about whether she really wanted to be betrothed to me, and what if her answer wasn’t justno, but a definitivenever? What if she left because she would rather be alone in Delasurvia than be with me?
And of course Nadya would go with her.
Is that what happened?
Fuck!
A small piece of my heart crumples at the thought.
I turn back to Celeste’s room, taking in the sight of all her things. Strange. If they fled, they left everything behind.
Which means either they left in a hurry, or they didn’t leave of their own accord.
A sour twist writhes in my gut.
No. No, she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t run—not like this. Not without a word. Not after everything.
Still, the seeds of doubt root deep.
Maybe she couldn’t bear it. Maybe she decided marrying into this damned court was too high a price. Maybe she—
No.
I slam the thought down.
“Should I be worried?” Sir Holden asks me, scanning the room.
For a moment, I’m not sure what to say. Fear of embarrassment—and fear of facing that truth—keeps me from telling him she might have left, that she might have rejected me.
But there’s still one more place to check.
“I’ll check with the magister. She might be at an early lesson.”
He nods, his hand on the hilt of his sword. “I’ll ask the other guards if they’ve seen her.”
“Thank you, Sir Holden.” I turn on my heel and storm through the halls, ignoring the curious glances of passing guards. The corridors blur past as I make my way toward the eastern wing, to the narrow staircasethat leads to the tower classrooms.
Ezra. If Celeste needed counsel—or comfort—that’s where she would have gone.
I take the steps two at a time, the rough stone scraping beneath my boots.
When I reach the top landing, the door to the classroom stands ajar.
I push it open but find no one.
The desks sit empty. The hearth has burned low, faint embers casting a weak glow against the stone floor. Shelves sag under the weight of ancient tomes, untouched.
No Ezra.
No Celeste.
No Nadya.
