Suddenly, the night no longer seemed magical. The echoes of laughter and music in the distance became cruel, mocking sounds, so far removed from the sharp, sinking emptiness growing in her chest. Panic seized Leesa as she ran back toward the festival grounds, her voice trembling with urgency as she called for the guards. "Guards!"
Her heart pounded harder when she saw them—two figures crumpled in the dimly lit side lane. Her steps faltered, and her breath caught in her throat. One guard lay sprawled, motionless, while the other groaned faintly, clutching his side.
Leesa dropped to her knees beside the conscious one, her fingers heavy as she touched his shoulder. "What happened? Where is His Highness?"
The guard struggled to lift his head, blood trailing from a cut above his brow. His voice was weak, rasping with pain. "Ambush… masked attackers. They… came out of nowhere." He winced, grimacing as he tried to continue. "They struck us down… and as I defended the attack… His Highness vanished."
Leesa's blood ran cold, the words crashing into her like a storm. "Vanished?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Don't you mean kidnapped?"
The guard coughed, his breath laboured. "No, there were only three of them, and they all attacked us. There shouldn't be anyone left to kidnap His Highness. They were fast—too fast. I couldn't stop them." His eyes filled with shame as he slumped back against the cobblestones, his strength fading.
"Where? Which way did they go?"
Leesa stood, her chest heaving with a mix of fear and fury. The festive glow of the night seemed miles away now, replaced by an ominous chill. She turned toward the shadowed street, where she had last separated from Flavian as the festival night brightened once more with the last remnants of fireworks.
The night that had once sparkled with joy and wonder now felt like a trap, closing in with every passing moment. The distant sounds of the festival—laughter, music, and fireworks—faded into a dull, distant hum, swallowed by the weight of dread pressing on Leesa's chest.
Then came the pounding of hooves. Sharp and relentless, the rhythm of a horse's gallop echoed through the narrow streets, growing louder and faster. Leesa remained on her knees, frozen, surrounded by the royal guards. Leesa's wide eyes focused on the dark alley beyond—an abyss of shadows stretching endlessly. The dim lanterns flickered and sputtered, barely holding back the dark that bled from the alley's depths.
The horse's frantic gallop grew louder—closer—until it skidded to a halt mere feet away. The beast's breath was ragged and hot in the cold night air. The rider came down from the horse.
"Commander Leesa? What happened here?" The voice was steady but laced with concern, breaking through the suffocating silence.
But Leesa didn't respond. The words barely reached her, muffled by the whirlwind of thoughts crashing into her mind.
"Are you alright?" The voice was firmer, this time, closer. Elzar asked, putting his hand on Leesa's shoulder with a tight grip to stop her from sinking further.
She twinkled, the fog lifting just enough to see Elzar standing before her—his expression packed with worry, his eyes searching hers for clarity.
Her lips parted, but no words came at first. Then, her breath hitched, and the weight in her chest broke loose. "I…" Her voice cracked, raw with emotion. "I lost him." The words escaped in a broken whisper, but they cut through the air like a blade.
Elzar's expression darkened, his jaw tightening as he cast a glance at the unconscious guards sprawling nearby. He, for one, knew Leesa better than most, though only second to Flavian. It was impossible to fool her. Unimaginable to shake her focus. Yet this… this was the first time in her life that something so reckless, so irresponsible had happened under her command. And it shattered her.
He had seen Leesa face unbelievable odds, confront enemies without flinching, and command with precision sharper than any edge. But now, her shoulders sagged under the invisible weight of failure. It wasn't just duty pressing on her—it was personal. Because it was Flavian. Elzar knew the bond between Leesa and Flavian had grown beyond the commander-prince relationship. Even though Leesa had no clue.
Elzar inhaled slowly, steadying himself. This wasn't the moment to dwell on regrets. He knew Leesa would tear herself apart if he let her. "We don't have time for this," he said quietly but firmly.
Her eyes flickered to his, wide and raw with guilt. Leesa shook her head faintly, the image of Flavian being dragged into the shadows flashing behind her eyes. "I should've—"
"No." Elzar's grip on her shoulder steadied her. "Not now. You're not alone in this. We'll find him. But you have to move, Commander.
Slowly, she straightened, the weight of her failure still pressing on her, but no longer paralysing her.
Elzar dispatched his companions to post strict security near the borders of the capital and to capture anyone suspicious right away. Then the two acquired horses and set off for the Imperial Palace on horseback.
Leesa was not overwhelmed by the recent incident alone; it was something that she had faced before. This feeling, this cold rush of anxiety clawing through her chest, wasn't unfamiliar. It stirred something deeper, older. A distant memory flickered. A shadowed figure slipped beyond her reach. A hand stretched out, too late to catch hold.
The same frantic rush surged through her veins—the desperate need to protect, to save. But no face came to mind. No voice. Just the suffocating grip of failure and the hollow ache of something lost. The realisation coiled around her heart like ice. It wasn't just Flavian she was afraid of losing. It was as if she were chasing a ghost—an echo of a mistake she had made before, long-buried yet suddenly forcing its way back to the surface.
Elzar's voice cut through the haze. "Commander Leesa, we are here."
She blinked hard, forcing herself back into the present. Elzar's eyes narrowed slightly as if he sensed the shift in her, but he said nothing.
Whatever this memory was, whatever past failure haunted her—it didn't matter now. She wouldn't lose Flavian. Not again. Not this time. "Let's do this, shall we?"