Kazi jolted awake, her nightgown soaked through with sweat. Images of her missing crew flashed through her mind - their cheerful waves as they departed on the trade ship, never to return.
Throwing off the sheets, she swung her legs over the side of her bed, wincing as her aching body protested. It had been weeks since the crew's disappearance, and the lack of answers, or even a trace of them, was slowly driving her mad.
Kazi stumbled towards the pitcher of water on her nightstand, gulping it down thirstily. She hadn't been sleeping well since the crew's disappearance, and her normally brown skin was pale and sallow from lack of sunlight.
"I have to find out what happened," she muttered, bracing her trembling hands on the cool marble of her vanity. Kazi quickly gathered her short braids into a ponytail, trying to regain her composure. But her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Stepping over to the window, she stared out at the moonlit estate grounds.
"Who could possibly want to shatter the peace between our kingdoms?" Kazi whispered, her voice thick with despair.
Her grip tightened on the window's edge. Whatever was out there had to be stopped, by any means necessary. A cold feeling settled in the pit of Kazi's stomach. No more missing crews. No more silence. She had to find the answers, even if it meant risking her own life.