CHAPTER 56: BRING HER BACK

"Do you have a death wish, Thalia? How could you delay a matter of such importance?" Viktor said, his tone slightly raised as he stared at the woman, who kept her head bowed in shame.

They had just listened to Thalia recount everything that had occurred between Fiona and Lilith during their visit to the market.

"Forgive me, Lord Viktor. I should have spoken up as soon as she reported to me," Thalia apologized, regret thick in her voice.

"It’s not my forgiveness you should seek," Viktor replied sharply. "You should be praying to the gods that Hades doesn’t rip your head off when he finds out."

Thalia lifted her head, her eyes wide with fear. "P-please, don’t let me die. I made a terrible mistake, and I sincerely apologize. It won’t happen again," she pleaded, her voice trembling.

Viktor let out a loud sigh. "I’m afraid I can’t control what the prince does," he said, pausing. "But we’ll deal with that later. Right now, we need to focus on finding Lilith before it’s too late."

Just then, the sound of footsteps descending the stairs drew their attention. They turned to see Lucian approaching.

"Lilith is not in the prince’s chamber. Nor is she in her own," Lucian announced as he reached them.

"She didn’t return from the market with the other maid," Viktor informed him grimly.

Lucian’s brow furrowed in confusion. "What!? When did this happen? Why are we not questioning the maid about Lilith’s whereabouts?"

"F-Fiona had nothing to do with her disappearance," Thalia replied quickly. "She left Lilith for a short while, and when she returned, Lilith was gone—nowhere to be found."

"And you trust her word? How can you be sure she’s not lying to you?" Lucian asked, narrowing his eyes at Thalia.

Thalia swallowed hard. "Fiona isn’t like that. I’ve known her for a long time, and I know she would never harm anyone—especially not Lilith."

"Can you vouch for her? Even in front of the prince?" Viktor asked, his tone firm. "Think very carefully before you answer. Just know that if it’s proven she had anything to do with Lilith’s disappearance, you will be held responsible. Do you understand, Thalia?"

"I understand, my lord," Thalia replied quietly. "But I’m certain—Fiona would never hurt her."

"Very well, then," Viktor said, turning to Lucian. "You should go to the town and ask around. Question the traders they bought from—see if anyone saw anything."

"I’ll see to it immediately," Lucian responded with a nod before quickly walking away.

"You may return to your chambers," Viktor told Thalia. "I need to inform the prince of her disappearance."

Without wasting another moment, he headed toward Hades’ chambers. The door was unlocked, so he pushed it open and stepped inside. The prince sat at his desk, flipping through papers, his expression one of sheer boredom. As Viktor entered, Hades looked up lazily, his gaze indifferent.

"I am busy, Viktor. What do you want?" Hades said, running a hand through his hair.

"There’s a problem," Viktor replied.

Hades arched a brow. "Lilith is missing. She went to the market with a maid and never returned. The maid claims she left her briefly to handle something, and when she came back, Lilith was gone." Viktor watched him closely, waiting for a reaction—but none came. Not even the twitch of an eyebrow.

Hades calmly gathered the papers on his desk, stacked them neatly, and rose from his chair. He walked around the table and made his way to the window, staring out into the darkness of the night.

"Grim, you have an errand to run," he said, breaking the silence.

Grim crawled out from inside the dresser, approaching the prince. "Yes, Master. What would you have me do?"

Hades turned his head slightly. "How long has she been missing?"

Viktor paused to think. "About four hours."

Hades shifted his gaze back to the window. "Find the girl. Four hours by carriage wouldn’t take her too far—walking, even less. She’s still within the borders of the town. Leave no tree unchecked. I’ll join you soon."

"Very well, Master," Grim said, bowing deeply. As he straightened, his form began to shift, bones cracking and reshaping until he had fully transformed into a massive crow—far larger than any ordinary bird. He let out a piercing cry before launching himself through the window and vanishing into the night.

Hades turned away from the window, his movements fluid. He grabbed the dark coat draped over his chair and slipped it on, adjusting the collar and smoothing the sleeves with eerie calmness as he strode toward the door.

Viktor, who had been silently observing every move, finally spoke, his voice laced with urgency. "Where are you going?"

Hades paused, the faintest smirk touching his lips. "To bring back the girl," he said, as though the answer should have been obvious.

"Should I come with you?" Viktor stepped forward, his voice firmer now. "We can cover more ground if we search together."

A low chuckle rumbled from Hades’ throat, though it lacked warmth. "That won’t be necessary." His eyes gleamed as he looked back at Viktor. "I will have her before the break of dawn."

There was something final in the way he said it.

Viktor held his gaze for a moment, then gave a slight bow of his head. "Very well, Your Highness. I’ll be waiting for your return."

Hades flashed him a faint, acknowledging smile before turning and striding out of the room, leaving Viktor standing alone in the thick silence.

There was something unsettling stirring beneath Viktor’s skin—an unease he couldn’t quite name. He had known Hades for years, watched him move through the world like an immovable force—cold, composed, and utterly unchanging. But now... now there was a shift. Subtle, yet unmistakable.

Something was evolving in the prince.

And that was the part that terrified him the most.

Because change, when it came to Hades, wasn’t just rare—it was unnatural. And if something in Hades was beginning to shift, then it could only mean one thing: something dangerous was waking. Something not even Viktor was sure he understood.