Three months had escaped her attention when Amberosia ran into the office with an envelope. 

"Sorry to barge in like this but it's a message from the fairy queen." She explained, waving the envelope vigorously. 

"Thank you, now remember to breathe, child." 

Amberosia looked at her wide eyed and then nodded.

"Yes, miss." 

She waited and after another ten minutes spoke up again. 

"Do you require anything else miss?" She asked, always.

"Wait a moment, let me open this and see if I need the dragon." She replied.

Amberosia sat down and waited as the empress opened it up and slowly read over the message-

       Godmother,

                     We've not heard from you in the last four moon cycles. Please come see us, we miss you.

    Lily, Colin and Willow

                   "Get the dragon, it looks like I'll be needing him." 

"Yes, miss." The apprentice replied, leaping up and exiting the office.

Ralvania started packing up anything that seemed useful for the trip. Twenty minutes later Amberosia knocked on the door.

"Come in." 

Amberosia entered slowly with her head hanging low.

"What's wrong?" 

"The dragon is...missing." She slowly forced the words out of her mouth.

"What do you mean?" She asked with a puzzled look. 

"He's not in the cave, it looks like he's been gone all night." She reported.

"I'm sure he's off somewhere. Besides it's physically impossible to kidnap a dragon." The empress pointed out.

"Is it magically impossible?" Amberosia asked.

"Well no but come on, it's Soranto, he's moody as hell. Who'd steal him?" Ralvania told her.

"Demons." 

"It's possible but I doubt it." 

"They had Kadrid's mother for decades, Phoebe wasn't it?" She reminded her.

"Yeah." The empress replied, a crackling of worry in her shaken voice.