By the time I followed Moreno back into the lobby, the alarm was disabled. Alana was leaning over the computer and starting at something on the monitor. Ashton wrinkled her nose and looked at another screen with a look of concern on her face. 

"Do you know the protocol for this?" Ashton ran a hand through her blue hair. "I don't think this has ever happened at Pacifica. We don't have time to ask Doc."

"Moreno," Alana turned to face her friend. "If you were greeting a golden guard, what would you do?"

"A golden guard?" Moreno swore. "Here? At Redwood."

"We have maybe two minutes," Ashton said. "What is the protocol here?"

It almost looked like she was panicking. Just ten minutes ago, Ashton had been in complete control of an interrogation. Now, she looked like an uncertain schoolgirl in fear of being told off by a teacher. 

Moreno bit his lip. "We should show giant hospitality. Ashton gets the foot-washing bowl and a plate of snacks. Alana, you should be at the door to greet the guard with me and Terri. We'll take the golden guard to the lounge and hopefully sort this out quickly."

Ashton immediately jumped to follow his orders. I guessed she was too rattled to even question him. Alana just sighed and adjusted the gold cuffs at the end of her uniform, marking her as a compound leader. 

"Any ideas why one would come here?" Alana asked. 

"Golden guards are the arbitrators and executors of the law of the land," Moreno sounded like he was reciting a textbook entry. "They serve the king. My best guess is he has a judgment for us, and this will make us take it seriously. The giants know we're wary of golden guards. They're the only people in Jontun with equal authority to uphold the law like us."

A knock came on the front door. Alana opened it with gloved, shaking hands. The golden guard was dressed like the giants who were traveling with Victor. The giant looked like a cross between a medieval knight and a Spartan from Geoff's favorite video game, Halo. 

Gold-plated armor covered the giant, who was no more than ten feet tall. A massive broadsword rested at their side. Their face was covered with a golden helmet and a reflective visor. 

"Greetings," Alana said. "Welcome to Redwood Compound. Please lay down your weapons and come in."

"You're the alpha?" The giant's voice was distorted behind the helmet. 

"That is an outdated term, but yes, I am the Lieutenant Commander of Redwood," Alana said. "Alana Theoden'daughter."

The giant pulled off their golden shoes and set their sword aside as Ashton appeared with a bowl of water for the giant to wash their feet. We waited with bated breath for them to finish. Then the giant removed their helmet and a mess of long dark blue hair spilled out around a feminine face. The giant didn't seem much older than Victor, but I knew that might not mean anything. 

"I am Sir Tomyris," the giant said. "And I bring you a judgment from the king."

"I've heard of you," Moreno said. "The youngest giantess in history to make the rank of Lieutenant Arbitrator. Welcome to our home."

The golden guard actually smiled at him. "And you must be Lord Jordan Horus'son. I accept your invitation."

Tomyris finished washing her feet and followed Moreno into the sitting room. A plate of charcuterie sat on the table, but no one touched it. Tomyris sat in a recliner, and even sitting, she was much taller than the rest of us. 

"What is your business with us, Sir Tomyris?" Alana asked. 

"The king received disturbing news from his old friend Sete that Lady Carisma Horus'daughter was kidnapped by rebels," Sir Tomyris said. "Then hours later, we intercepted an illegal radio broadcast telling someone that they will trade the young lady for Theresa Oakeley."

"We also found the broadcast," Alana said. "Our best people are trying to track down the signal as we speak. We will find Carisma and the king need not be involved."

Tomyris shook her head. "Under no circumstances are you to trade for Lady Carisma. The king asks you to consider her lost and cease your rescue attempts."

Silence settled over the room. The golden guard looked as if she took no pleasure in the judgment she brought down. Still, the king wasn't someone that she could deny. As a part of Nikone House, Tomyris was bound to serve. 

"The king wants us to give up?" Alana broke the silence. 

"It is unfortunate," Sir Tomyris said. "But it is what is best for Jontun. King Tytan regrets this, but he believes this is the best future."

"Bullshit," Moreno said. 

"Lord Ethesis, I understand you are angry," Sir Tomyris said. "But Ellenora Nikone is dangerous, and the king plans to deal with her himself."

"The king has had almost twenty years to discipline his daughter," Ashton snapped. "Is he actually going to send his guards after her this time, or will he continue to consider all the rebels she stirs up a 'halfant problem?'"

"The king has a plan, Miss—" Sir Tomyris said. 

"Lieutenant Commander Sims-Jones," Ashton supplied. "And I don't see the king doing anything to stop his daughter. She's been a terrorist, Sir Tomyris."

The golden guard stiffened. "I'm not at liberty to share the king's plans, nor do I know what he's seen of the future, but if he has ruled such, we must assume it is for the best of Jontun."

Sir Tomyris didn't have any idea what my grandfather was doing. Tytan had only sent her with a ruling. He didn't confide in his arbitrators any more than he did anyone else. He'd warned me to stop metaling in my last vision, and to make sure I was listening, he'd sent a golden guard to scare and intimidate us. 

"I know what's coming," I said. "And Tytan has done nothing but try to sideline me over and over. Ellenora wants me. That's why Tytan won't let us trade or even go after Carisma."

Sir Tomyris turned to face me. "I wouldn't speak so ill of your family. Tytan knows more than anyone else. He understands Jontun in a way that no one else can."

"I'm Terri Oakeley, Princess of Jontun, and I do not agree with this," I said. "Tytan should know better than to interfere in halfant business."

"Princess Theresa, you cannot override your king," Sir Tomyris said. "I'm authorized to stop you if you try."

"Then I agree with Moreno," I said. "This is bullshit."

Sir Tomyris raised an eyebrow. "You're hardly a princess anyhow. You have no authority here. I came as a courtesy to Victor. He thought it would be better to monitor you, Theresa."

I glared at the golden guard. This was Victor's idea? I thought for sure that he was on my side. Now, I was learning he was interfering in my life, just like his father. The stupid Nikones wouldn't just leave me alone.

"Don't call me Theresa," I said. "My name is Terri, but it's princess to you."

"Then it's a good thing I'm staying," Sir Tomyris said. "And the king wants you to know, princess, that he had his eye on you."

Ashton turned pale again and looked at Alana. If both the Lieutenant Commanders were worried, we were really up a creek without a paddle in deep and over our heads. Alana went back to tapping furiously on her wrist unit. Was she contacting Doc?

"You're staying?" Moreno asked. "That's unprecedented. Halfants have their own jurisdiction. We don't need supervision."

"It's oversight," Sir Tomyris said. "The king wants proof that his rulings are being followed to the letter."

"Doc has approved the giant staying." Alana looked up. "We are to comply with the king's commands."

"You can't be serious," Moreno said. "Alana, we aren't going to listen to the king when one of our own has been captured by the enemy."

Alana raised her wrist unit to her mouth and spoke. "All units return to the compound. The search for Carisma Ethesis is to cease immediately. Repeat. All units return to the compound."

A voice cracked through the wrist unit, and it sounded like Abel. "Copy command, but it'll be harder to find her if we pull all our units. Over."

"All units are to return," Alana repeated. "The search is over. Over."

Moreno stood and swore loudly. I tried to reach out to grab his wrist, but he pulled away from me. He ran out of the room, and I heard the front door of the compound open and close. Moreno was gone, and it was all Tytan's fault. 

"Ashton," Alana's voice was frosty. "Please take Sir Tomyris to her quarters."

For the first time, Ashton jumped into action without another word. She led Sir Tomyris from the room. Alana picked a remote off the table and pointed it at the television. A moment later, it lit up with a five-way video call. 

I recognized Doc, Cato, and the Hoarfrost woman that Doc had been video chatting with at Half Circle. There were two other men on the video call. One had dark brown skin and brown and gray dreadlocks. The other was younger and had kinky curls pulled into a puff and light brown skin that set off his bright blue eyes. 

"You heard everything Sir Tomyris told us," Alana told the group. "I called off the search. What do we do now, especially since we have a golden guard in residence?"

"I've never heard of the king doing such a thing," the Hoarfrost woman said. "There have been golden guards sent to the Frost Clan before but never to Pacifica, Redwood, or Snowdon."

"It's been a long time," Doc said. "But a golden guard came to retrieve me on the eve of Terri's birth. One has never stayed before, though."

"They cannot continue the search if the guard remains," the man with the dreadlocks said. "It would be the height of foolery. My lieutenant will need to be clever."

"I agree with Bryan," the other man said. "We shouldn't give up the search, but it can't continue at Redwood."

"Should we send out another team, then?" Cato asked. "We don't have any resources to spare. We barely had enough to send Ezra, Monty, and Ashton to Redwood."

"We'll discuss it further, and we'll have a ruling within the hour," Doc said. "Until then, Miss McDonald, where is Moreno?"

"He left the compound when I called off the search," Alana said. 

Doc swore. The other leaders all looked concerned except the man with dreadlocks—Bryan. The Commander of Redwood Compound merely looked thoughtful.

"Do you think he went to the edge of the world again?" Bryan asked Alana. 

"Yes," I said, realizing something. "I know exactly where he is."

"How would you know such a thing?" The Hoarfrost woman asked. 

I merely tapped my temple next to my golden eye. I'd seen Moreno in my vision with Victor. I had a feeling that he was exactly where he was in that vision since we'd talked about how he'd run off, and at the time, I didn't know what I was seeing. Now it all made sense. 

"Bring him in," Doc said. "In handcuffs, if you must."

"Take Abel when he gets back," Alana said. 

"No," I said. "I want to go alone. It's not far, and I can defend myself."

"And if you're captured, Miss Oakeley?" Bryan asked. 

"Then they'll take me to Carisma," I said. "But I know this is safe. I've seen it."

"Make it happen," Doc said. "This conversation is moving to station epsilon."

The video shut off. Alana turned to me, and I could feel the purple fire in her eyes. She was a lot less composed than I realized. Her fists were balled, and she looked like she wanted to punch something.

"Do you really know where he is?" She asked.

"Yes," I said. "And I'll bring him back before he does something that gets him killed."    

Alana reached out and gave me a quick hug. It was so unexpected from the girl who hated to be touched that I barely had time to register it before she pulled away. I smiled at her as she balled her fists again and shrank into herself.

"Thanks," she said. 

"I'll find him," I said. "I promise."

Hey everyone!!! So Terri has finally met a golden guard. What happened to Moreno?  Let me know what you think of this chapter. Do you have any predictions? Until next time!!