87

The whole castle is in a frenzy the next morning.

First, the younger princess’ handmaiden was puzzled upon knocking on her door without receiving an answer. Only when she entered at her own accord, did she discover the bed made and empty, as though it had never been slept in the previous night.

Secondly, word spread that some of the human donors had fallen terribly ill overnight, burning with fevers, and that Jacques was nowhere to be found to help.

The last straw happens during breakfast where the two royal families are gathered around the table, all except Princess Dove. Of course, King Aldrich would be the first to ask about the princess’ whereabouts, to which Chelsea confessed that the last time she saw her sister was at the ball, right before she disappeared to the gardens with Prince Rubin.

Of course, all heads turned towards the prince, who innocently claimed it was the last time he saw her as well before she left him in the maze, running off to gods know where. It took him at last half an hour to find his way out, unfamiliar with the maze and its turns.

That only spurred Lorcan and Elle to exchange concerning looks. This was very unlike Dove to just disappear without saying a word.

“Did something happen that could explain her running off?” Lorcan questions, his steel blue eyes boring through the human prince.

Rubin frowns in contemplation. “I don’t think so, your grace. All was well, we danced, we shared a few laughs, but when I kissed her –”

“*Kissed* her?” Chelsea echoes, her eyes wide.

“Gross.” Emry pulls a face.

Rubin’s cheeks turn bright red. He didn’t mean for that to slip out. “Er…yes, I…it was merely a peck. I don’t think she enjoyed it, though. She ran off right after it happened. I tried going after her, but as I said, I got lost in the maze. She left her shoe, though –”

But no one is listening anymore.

“Where do you think she could’ve run off to?” Lorcan asks Elle, both thinking the same thing: that the kiss overwhelmed Dove and made her bolt.

Elle shakes her head, raking her thoughts. “There’s not a lot of places she goes to. My best guess is either the library or the laboratory.”

Chelsea chokes on her tea at that last part, covering her mouth with her napkin. Of course, it caught her parents' attention, nearly causing her to shrink into her chair when they both turn to look at her in question. Silently demanding an explanation.

The princess swallows nervously, clinging to the silent promise she made to Dove: that she won’t tell a soul that she fancies their healer. But her parents awaited an answer and withholding one would only indicate that she knows more than she should.

“Perhaps check the laboratory first,” Chelsea mutters, trying to be as vague as possible. “She usually assists Jacques with his work in her free time.”

“The princess assisting the healer?” Queen Rosanna echoes, aghast.

“But Jacques has vanished as well,” Elle mentions, completely ignoring the human queen’s remark. “Surely, it must be a coincidence.” She looks at Lorcan, saying more gravely, “Right?”

An all too familiar look passes the vampire king’s eyes before he abruptly stands, the force knocking his chair backwards with a heavy thud. With a frustrated growl and muttering ‘Why do the people in my life keep disappearing?’ under his breath, he marches out the dining hall with Elle close on his heels, heading right for the laboratory.

The rest of their children only exchange a look before jumping to their feet and rushing after their parents, too curious for their own good.

King Aldrich also stands to follow, but is ushered back down by Queen Rosanna, muttering ‘it’s a family affair, let them be’.

Gustav spent the entire morning cleaning up the mess Jacques made when he forgot about the cauldrons. Hunched over a sink, he scrubs away at the singed sides, putting all his anger, fear and frustration into his motions. He cursed his colleague in his head for being so stupid, for crossing the line and acting on his desires with the princess.

How could one person be so smart and yet so incredibly dumb? Or did common sense abandon him on its own? Now he was the one cleaning up the mess while thinking of every possible story he could come up with as to why both the healer and princess are missing. Their absence has probably been noticed by now. Sooner or later, Lorcan will sweep in and demand answers, if not –

The doors of the lab burst open for the king himself to sweep into the room, his family following him one by one. Startled, Gustav drops the cauldron, and it clatters on the ground, creating a terrible ruckus. His face blanches at the sight of Lorcan, and he feels seconds from passing out with from angst.

“Dove and Jacques, where are they?” He asks straightforwardly, backing the herbologist against the wall.

“Lorcan,” Elle warns softly, sensing the rising anger coming from her husband.

But her voice falls on deaf ears as he glowers at Gustav. “First, my mate gets taken by Vorigan, then my son by nomads, and now my daughter? There’s something deeper at work here, and you’re going to tell me what.”

Gustav is too petrified to even utter a sound. His life flashes before his eyes when a horrible, terrible thought dawns on him.

If Lorcan learns he had known about Jacques and Dove’s whereabouts and ‘activities’ the previous night, he’ll have his head for not telling him sooner. Gods forbid, when he finds out that the herbologist was actively involved in helping the two lovers flee the castle, he’ll rip him to shreds in front of his family.

“Is Jacques responsible for Dove’s disappearance? Did something happen to her? Tell me, Gustav!” Lorcan roars, the light in the room dipping when his shadows crawl up the walls in blind fury.

Air fills the herbologist’s head as he verges on passing out, only for a softer, feminine voice to rise above the ringing in his ears.

“Dove ran away with Jacques!”

In a single motion, all heads whip to Chelsea, who couldn’t stand the overwhelming emotions in the room any longer. Wrapping her arms around herself, she regretfully breaks her promise and tells her father the truth.

“She loves him, father, she said so herself. But she was too sacred to tell you because she’d know how you’d react.” She eyes Lorcan’s shadows to prove her point. “But I think it is my fault that she’s gone. Last night, I indirectly told her to listen to her heart and do what she feels is right. And now she’s gone…and the wedding is probably ruined…and…and…”

Elle surges forward to wrap her arms around her daughter, holding her tightly while she cried into her shoulder. Her eyes cut to Lorcan, a silent warning to not say or do anything else that would upset their children. They have bigger things to worry about, such as where Dove and Jacques could be and if they were safe.

Lorcan clenches his jaw, stepping away from Gustav to pace the room while planning his next move. Stealing a glimpse of his family and the worried look they shared, he knows Elle is right. First, they must find Dove and Jacques and bring them back to the castle. And after that, he’ll have a turn at yelling at them.

And probably kill Jacques.

“Fine,” he seethes and heads for the door. “I’ll summon Dresdan.”