Page 76 of Crown of Light and Ashes
"He never reported, my lord. We assumed he was still with Lady Nesilhan."
"Find him," I order. "Bring him to me immediately."
Hours pass in methodical searching. The palace is turned upside down, every chamber examined, every hiding place explored. I interrogate anyone who might have seen Nesilhan—servants, courtiers, guards. None provide anything useful beyond confirming she's been missing since her distress in the garden at sunset.
When Emir returns, his expression tells me everything before he speaks.
"The blood matches Lady Nesilhan's," he reports grimly. "And Damir is nowhere to be found."
“Find the fairy!”
Emir’s expression says more than his words. “She’s missing also.”
My control shatters. Shadows explode outward, cracking the marble floor, the temperature dropping precipitously.
"Seal the borders," I decree, my words deadly quiet. "No one enters or leaves without my approval. Summon the shadow hounds. Every tracking spell, every tracing magic—find her."
I examine the ring more carefully, noticing it's undamaged—simply dropped or torn from her finger in the struggle. My shadows probe deeper, searching for any trace of magic or clue.
"Clever girl," I murmur, recognizing her habit of leaving subtlesigns when in danger—something I'd observed about her careful, calculating nature. "But what were you trying to tell me?"
"My lord," Emir says, keeping a cautious distance from my shadows. "The guards who searched Damir's quarters found something concerning."
I turn sharply. "What?"
"Maps of the palace with certain areas marked. Instructions written in a cipher we haven't broken yet." Emir hesitates. "And he's missing, too."
Damir. My guard. Missing alongside my bride. 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?" Emir asks, practical as always, even in the face of my rage.
I consider our options. The blood bond, while muted by whatever interference blocks it, 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," Emir 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.
"I'm coming for you,hatun," I murmur, buckling my final weapon into place.
When I emerge, Emir 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 Nesilhan's ring. "This will be more effective."
