Kael steps forward with a look of curiosity etched into his features. "Not what I was expecting. He can't be much older than us."

With white hair, sharp features, and a jagged scar running down his face, the assassin looks every bit the part of an elven outlaw. He smirks at the wide-eyed look of surprise I have no doubt is on my face. "What gave me away?"

I growl and pull him to his feet. "You're horrible at your job."

At full height, the elf is much taller than me, but not as tall as Arlin. Even so, I have the upper hand. I pin his hands behind his back, twisting his wrist a bit to show him what will happen if he tries to get away.

He tilts at the pain. "Ow. Easy there."

"You're in no position to make demands." I push him. "Move." I turn to Kael, who has a look I can't place. "Go get the Captain, please."

As Kael walks away, the elf looks down at me and grins. "My name is Ithael."

"I don't care."

"Well, while we're here, I think I should at least get to know your name."

"Shut up," I say through my teeth and squeeze his wrists tighter.

"Ow, ow, okay. Got it."

Kael reappears, flanked by his father, Tanru, and the Captain. The three men stop in their tracks when they see me pinning the man.

"Good work," The Captain says, stepping toward me with rope. "We've got it from here. Take the prince back to his room."

I nod and gesture for Kael to lead the way. The halls are lit by sconces every few paces, and once we're around halfway to his room, he stops.

"Sigrid, listen to me." His fingers wrap around my upper arm as he pulls me close. "Something isn't right. My father... He's not who everyone thinks he is."

My brows furrow. "Kael, you aren't making any sense. What's going on?"

"I can't explain it here." He steps back and cranes his neck to look through the corridor. "Come with me. We must get somewhere they can't hear us."

He pulls me along, much faster than we were going before. Cretus is outside the door when we get there, and Kael says, "My father requested you. He's on his way to the prison hall."

Cretus nods and stands up. When he's out of earshot, Kael grabs my wrist again and pulls me through the door to his room, shutting it fast behind him.

The adrenaline from earlier wears off, leaving behind a throbbing feeling in my head that pulses harder with every breath. "Kael, please. What is going on?"

"I overheard my father talking to Captain Eddard when I went to get them. They were talking about something you saw when you first got here. I don't know what they're planning, but I doubt it's good."

My heart drops. I knew that something sinister was going on when I saw the chained elf that day. Especially when the king asked me to stay quiet about it. "What do you want me to do?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know. Just be careful. I know what my father is capable of."

Someone knocks on the door, and we both jump. "Prince Kael? Have you seen Sigrid? She's been requested."

Kael and I exchange a look of worry as he walks to the door. "She's right here."

I step around him as he opens the door and am greeted by Captain Eddard's athletic frame.

"The assassin refuses to give us any information. He claims he'll only speak with you."

"I understand." I look back at Kael, whose body stands rigid as he watches the Captain. "What about him?"

"I'll send someone." Captain Eddard turns and starts walking. "Come with me."

With one last glance back at Kael, I follow the Captain.

The prison hall is housed in the East wing of the palace, and the further we get from the West wing, the scarcer decorations become. I was told that this side of the palace is reserved for the more political matters. Eventually, we reach a staircase. About halfway down, the polished stone of the castle walls turns to rough rock. The lack of windows means that our only light comes from sconces and lanterns.

At the end is a large corridor lined with cells. In the back cell is Ithael, legs crossed as he sits in the corner.

When he sees me, he lifts his head. "Finally."

Captain Eddard nods at me, then at the guard outside Ithael's cell before leaving.

"Why did you request me?" I cross my arms as I stare down at him. Earlier, I wasn't expecting to see an elf, considering their kingdom isn't the one we're at war with. Now, though, that surprise has worn, and a sense of pride warms my stomach. It isn't every day that a new guard gets to interrogate a prisoner, requested or not.

"I wish to know why you're always so angry." He narrows his eyes at me. "Or why you're trying so futilely to hide your elven identity."

I cross my arms and glower at him. "I'm not – no. I'm not here to talk about myself. Who sent you?"

He leans back against the wall, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. "Why does it matter?"

I scoff. "You know exactly why."

"Meh." He shrugs.

I fight the urge to shove my sword through the bars of his cell and up to his neck. "Are all assassins this petulant?"

"Meh," he says again.

"Open the cell," I demand from the guard beside me.

He steps forward, his large eyebrows knitted. "What -"

"Open the cell before I break it down myself." I clench my teeth. My anger bubbles up like a pot of boiling water.

The guard hesitates before grabbing the keys from a clip on his hip. He plucks one, and I memorize the key's shape before he shoves it into the keyhole. The door comes open with a click, and I stride in.

"Leave us," I say, hoping the guard will listen to me.

When his footsteps recede, I crouch in front of Ithael and lower my voice. "Look, I'm not one to inflict pain unnecessarily, but I know that my counterparts are not the same. Help yourself by helping me.

His face melts into a grin, except for the scarred side. "I don't fear pain. But your king should fear what happens when my companions find the prince."

Fear turns my veins to ice. I stand and run out of the room, shouting at the cell guard to lock Ithael back up.

Kael is clear across the palace. There's no way I'll get to him in time.

I race to the main hall, hoping my memory serves me correctly. It does, and when I reach the hall to Kael's room, I stop dead in my tracks. "Arlin!"

Arlin is on the ground, blood seeping from a gash in his forehead onto the marble floor. I kneel next to him, pressing two of my fingers to the artery on his neck. It pulses beneath my skin, and I let out a shaky sigh of relief. He'll be okay.

Kael's door is wide open. His belongings are strewn across the floor, blankets hanging completely off the bed as if he was dragged out.

I search around – pounding my fists against the wall, ripping books off his bookshelves, pushing his clothes to the side to look at the back of the closet – hoping to find a secret passage or tunnel that can lead me to him. When I find nothing, I cry out, slamming my body against the wall behind me.

I wipe the tears from my eyes as I stand up. I must tell the king I failed to keep his son safe. Failed to do the one thing I knew I was supposed to do.

I check on Arlin one last time before I run back through the halls of the palace, wiping my face repeatedly to hide my emotions before I find the king.

Castien finds me first, followed by Eddard and the king. I run into Castien, almost knocking him over. His hands grasp my forearms, keeping them still as he steadies me. "Sigrid, what's wrong?" He watches me closely, his eyes wide, his mouth tight, lines of worry creased in his forehead as he waits to see what I'll say

"The - Ithael said – I..." My words come out as pants, separating my words and making it hard to speak.

"Calm down," he says, leaning down so that we're at eye level.

I take deeper breaths until my breathing comes easier and my heart slows its racing pace. The terror in my stomach has faded some, but the worry remains. "Ithael said there were others. I ran as fast as I could but... Kael is gone. And Arlin is hurt." I pause to take a breath. "I don't know where they went.

"No," King Finn whispers, falling to his knees. He rests his face in his hands, and the fear in his features makes him seem feeble in a way I couldn't have expected from him. Despite all his pitfalls, losing his son affects him. He looks mortal for once.

"Gods." Eddard runs a hand through his graying hair, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I'm sorry." I bow my head. "I should have been a better guard. I should have known."

Castien shakes his head. "No, it's not your fault. You did what you were told. None of us could have predicted that." He turns to look at King Finn, who is slowly trying to stand again. "What do we do?"

"I don't know yet." He wipes his face. "Eddard, gather the generals, please. Castien, escort my wife and daughters to the meeting hall, please. They need to know. And send someone to tend to Arlin. Quickly. Before more damage is done."

He turns to Castien and I. "Sigrid, do not fear. One of our healers is an elf as well, and she has healing capabilities beyond anything available anywhere else in Towen. In the meanwhile, we must discuss the search for my son."

I furrow my brows. Does he really think that I can focus on that right now when my brother is injured and unconscious?

Castien looks at me, seeming to understand the meaning behind my confusion. "Will she be staying here while the search party goes out?"

The king shakes his head. "As my son's guard, it is part of her duty to protect him. I have no other use for her at the moment."

I blink, trying to keep from showing too much emotion and risk making him as angry as I am. "Sir?"

"Your brother will be healed by morning. You three will head into the village to search for him while another party searches the forest behind the castle."

Whether Arlin will be healed or not, it will still be taxing on his body to search right after having magic used on him. Even though magic can speed up the process, it takes a toll. He's not going to be ready.

"Please do not argue with me on the subject. I would hate to have to make an example of you both." The king crosses his arms.

Castien flinches a little at the king's words.

We both bow our heads.

"Yes, your highness," I say. "I apologize."

The king looks at his feet, closing his eyes and grimacing in regret. "I should have sent a second guard to protect my son in your absence. I blame myself." He straightens and sighs. "In any case, the reason I am sending you three is that if anyone were to find him, he would be most likely to come with you."

Why wouldn't he come with me, if he'd been kidnapped? No one would stay with their captors willingly unless there was something else going on.

"What about Eddard?" Castien asks.

It's a good question. If Eddard is his head guard, as well as his most seasoned guard, why not entrust him with the task, instead of three new recruits?

"I need Rius by my side. I cannot leave myself completely unguarded." He shakes his head. "The last thing this kingdom needs is its king and queen being murdered or kidnapped while their eldest son is missing as well. The princesses are not old enough nor trained enough to rule."

I nod. His reasoning makes sense. And at sixty and eighty summers, the princesses weren't much younger than me, but I was forced to mature faster than others because of how I grew up. As princesses, they've been sheltered. They have everything and have never known loss. They would know nothing about their subjects if they took the throne. Though, I suppose the same could be said for Kael, even through his lifelong preparations.

"I understand, your highness."

King Finn stops in front of two large oaken doors. "Inside this room, I ask you to stay silent unless I call upon you. These generals will not take kindly to a woman being present. Can I trust you to be quiet?"

I bow my head. "Yes, my king."

"Good. I trust all of these men with my life, but they are a bit old-fashioned and are easy to offend. Too many good guards are lost in horrible accidents." He rests his hand on the door. "I would hate to see something terrible happen to you."

A dark look passes over his face, and I realize that I may be severely underestimating the king. This is not the type of man to mess with.  Offending him would not be in my best interests.

"Shall we?"

I bow my head as the king leads the way through the door and into the wolves' den.