High lord Karle was consumed by anxiety, his brow glistening with cold sweat as he waited for Prince Aldric. Despite sending messages back to the palace and dispatching scouts, there was still no sign of him.
"Didn't you claim to have seen Prince Aldric?" he snapped at his assistant, who flinched at his tone. His nerves were frayed, and he lashed out at those around him.
His assistant responded cautiously, "That was the report from the Fae guard stationed at the border."
Lord Karle gripped the bridge of his nose tightly, fighting to contain his rising anger. The pounding of his heart reverberated through his chest, fueled by his worst fears. Aldric was nowhere to be found, intensifying his dread. Yet, the thought that his assistant might have been mistaken from the beginning was even more terrifying. Would all this be for nothing?
"Bring forth the fae guard who claimed to have spotted Prince Aldric," he ordered with a chilling tone.
