Chapter 49

Jaxon POV

I’ve faced wars and betrayals, but nothing—nothing—has ever sent dread crawling up my spine like the realization that Elvira was missing.

The air was cold that morning, clouded with fog, and yet the emptiness in her room made everything feel ten degrees colder. Her scent still lingered faintly on the sheets, floral and soft, but there was no sign of her. Her bathroom was empty. Her towel lay discarded on the floor like she’d left in a rush.

“Elvira?” I called again, louder this time. 

Silence.

I stormed down the hallway, passing the guards without acknowledging their bows. I checked the courtyard, the inner garden, even the training grounds. Nowhere. Not even a footprint.

Where the hell was she?

A knot for