Page 67 of Unmasked

“It’s something.”

He paused for a long moment. “Nobody has time to talk to me.”

My lips parted.

“What?”

His stare hardened. “I call to check in, and something is happening. No one is telling me what is going on. Able is in a meeting and refuses to be disturbed, and … he’s not answering his phone. I can’t figure out what’s happening, but something is happening.”

“Your Grace.”

At the wave towards the doors, my head shook. I was backstepping, lifting my hand.

“I need a moment. Begin the hunt without me.”

I spun, leaving the lounge at a fast pace. The Reeve was at my heels as I burst into my hall, eating up the floor with every wide step. I needed my phone. I needed to call Vaughn.

I shoved my door open, jerking to a stop at the strange man in my room. He was older and bald on the top. He wasn’t quite six feet and was on the leaner side. My purse was emptied on the bed, and all of the snacks I’d had tucked away in my travel bag were scattered across the cream comforter. Even the drawers to the bedside tables were opened.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Rowan quickly put me behind him as he headed forward, towards the man. His mouth was gaping, and his eyes were jerking around guiltily.

“I… I’m King Lawrence’s personal… physician. He… said you weren’t feeling well. I…” He stopped, holding his hand out towards Rowan as if to ward him off. “I wanted to make sure what you were eating wasn’t contributing.”

“So, you decided to go through my things without my permission?”

“I-I⁠—”

I looked at my empty purse. At the mess my room was in. Danger bells rang in my head. What if he would have gone through my phone? What if he would have found something?

This… and Vaughn nor Able answering?

Something.

Was.

Wrong.

“Guard! Guard!”

My voice was so loud it echoed from the room. Footsteps pounded in the distance, and I leaned in closer to Rowan, whispering.

“Something is wrong. Call Mark. Get him here now.”

The King’s guard rushed in, and I pointed to the man who said he was the physician.

“You call King Lawrence right now. You call him!” I held to Rowan’s shoulder as he put the phone to his ear, but something in me told me to be louder. To cause more attention. Attention was power.

“Get him now! Right now!”

Old feelings surfaced from nowhere—emotions from my time of first being taken and of when I was trapped with Marian. The panic edged in heightening my anxiety, and the room spun underneath me. The pressure from the trials were nearly crippling to my control, adding to the severity of panic taking me over.

“Now! Right now!”

What if Vaughn was hurt? What if he was captured or being tortured because they found him? He said he was killing Katia. Had the SLB come? Had he been arrested? Injured? Dead?

“Get him right now! Get King Lawrence!”