A few hours later Amberosia looked all over the castle for the empress. Checking the office, bed chamber and dungeon but no empress. That was odd she was usually in the office all the time. As she looked around the castle she ran into Sage.

"Have you seen the empress?" She inquired.

"She went to the courtyard for coffee at least an hour ago." He told her.

  "Thanks." She replied.

                         Heading off to the back of the castle, but the empress wasn't there. Coffee and an empty plate. Looking down the cherished spell-book was on the ground, as if it had fallen from her. That wasn't normal- ever. Running back inside she checked every single room of the castle, twice. No empress. She dashed off and checked Soranto's cave and found nothing more than a few bats hiding out. 

  Then by chance she checked the gargoyle's cave, but no one was there. He was on one of his evening flights so there was no clue when he'd be back. The sorceress hoofed it back down the steep mountain and across the courtyard then into the castle. Scared and worried for the empress, she paced the hall then went to the office and sat down. 

She had a horribly bad feeling about it and didn't know what to do. Summoning the hob-goblin, who'd arrived in a few short minutes.

"Yes?" 

"We have a big problem." She stated.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"The empress is missing." She spit the words out of her mouth as if they had been toxic for her to say.