Ileus narrowed his eyes. Suddenly, the past three months seemed like the best ones he had had in a long time. With Siora on loose, he knew that things would take a downturn soon. He sucked in a sharp breath as anger flooded him. With his legs planted wide and nostrils flaring, he said, "Send a message back to Galahar that they should launch a manhunt for her." 

Rolfe, of all the people, felt responsible for this mess. With tightness in his face, he nodded once. He slammed the door shut and walked out. 

Ileus turned to Kaizan. "I am sure that Siora already knows that Iona is not in Galahar. That means two things—one, she is hunting for her in the kingdom and two, she has left Galahar if she has found out that Iona isn't there." 

Kaizan held the edge of the table as he studied the map again.. "If a messenger has come to tell us that she has escaped, then this information must be at least four days old. It takes that much time to come here. This means that Siora's escape is no longer a secret and she won't be a fool to remain in Galahar. There are high chances that she has escaped from there." 

Ileus' jaw clenched. "In that case she must be coming towards Draoidh." 

Kaizan shook his head. "She isn't a fool to make it so obvious." He rubbed his hand over his mouth. 

"In either case, put our soldiers on high alert, especially on the borders. Also send a unit to the trade path that leads to Zmjia. We have to cut her off with her allies," Ileus ordered. "And where is Haldir?" He started to leave when Kaizan stopped him. 

"Why is it that Ed is refusing to let you all use the portal near the inn? That is the only place where you can use the portal for easy transport. And he should allow it for emergency purposes!" 

Ileus stiffened. This had been a subject of debate between him and Ed. "Ed has special orders from the head council to not let anyone use the portals over there. The only reason is that only the kings and queens of different worlds can use it. And in order to not jeopardize their safety, no one else can use the portals. It is a different thing that sometimes if their ministers are traveling with them, they have to take special permission." He knew that there was a deep stairwell that led to the inn from the base of the mountains, but it had been sealed for reasons unknown by his parents. They never ever answered his questions about it. 

Kaizan gritted his teeth. "I think your parents should put this up in the council next. Your father is the head of the council. He should know it better than anyone else!" 

"Do you think that I haven't tried this earlier?" Ileus replied almost irritatingly. Saying that he left the study. And there was something ticking him at the back of his mind—something he couldn't place. 

--- 

Siora had been traveling deep inside the Northern Mountains. She would rest for the day and travel during nights to keep the guards low. She didn't interact with the travelers, didn't stay in the inns, stole food whenever possible or just ate whatever the forests gave her. She focused on rejuvenating her magic. Slowly, she knew that it was building within her. And she was pooling it all to unleash on the weakest person—Iona. The girl didn't have magic and what could be better than that. From whatever little she gathered, she came to know that Vilinski was now free from Etaya's rule and King Ian and Queen Áine were now its rulers. Did that mean that Etaya had run away? Or was she killed? Would she find Etaya in that cave? 

Siora would scowl at her. The bitch was using her mind to improve conditions in Galahar. She was making the people equipped with power. And Siora was sure that because of her ill advice, Rolfe must be draining the treasury like water. Siora had halted that day near a lake that flowed out of the Silver Vales. She had tied her horse to a birch and then walked to the lake to take a bath. But she knew that this lake was once infested by the serpents whose king was Rhys. The king was their ally and she had to send him a message somehow. She hoped that the lake still provided a means to send him a message. 

Siora emerged an hour later from the lake. She walked to her horse and camped for the day. It would take another three nights to reach the destination. She had sent the message to the serpent king to meet in the cave. She needed all the allies and this time she would lead the battle. She had no intention of giving anyone else the opportunity. If Etaya was in the cave, she would not allow her to head the allies. Siora was angry that despite giving her all the support she needed, she couldn't succeed. 

She spread the stolen furs on the wet ground and slept under the birch. 

--- 

"Were you able to locate Aed Ruad?" Ileus asked Haldir. They had just had the court and now he was sitting in the council meeting chamber. 

Haldir took a deep breath. There were dark circles under his eyes. "Not as yet," he said. "There is absolutely no indication as to where he has disappeared." 

"Did you track his movements after the war at Vilinski?" 

"We did, but we lost them after Silver Vales. My soldiers have been questioning the locals. Some say that they saw a group traveling to the west towards Aztec. I sent the message to Brantley. He tracked the group. A few locals over there said that he had gone towards Zor'gan." 

Ileus' brows drew tight. "Is he in Zor'gan? That could be possible considering that his father was a winged demon." 

"He could be…" Haldir replied absent-mindedly. And it was clear that a lot was going in that mind. 

"When is Theodir coming?" Ileus asked after a moment of silence. 

Haldir replied immediately, "The day after!" and then lowered his head. 

Ileus got up and went to where his friend was standing. He placed his hands on his shoulders. "You have to convince him to not take Ruvyn. Inyanga will be devastated. Who will look after the child?" 

Haldir nodded. "Ilyana is also coming. And she is craving for a child…" 

"Gods!" Ileus breathed out. Ilyana was Haldir's former lover, but Theodir had married her in the games of royalty. Haldir was so devastated after that, that he had left Evindal and come to earth. Over hundreds of years on earth, he had finally found his mate. And in these years, Ilyana hadn't given an heir to Theodir. So when she heard that Haldir had had a baby, she wanted the baby, not because he would be the heir of Evindal, but because he was a part of Haldir. The whole thing was very twisted and Ileus hoped that Inyanga held her calm. The elf brothers were so strong that if they came at swords, they could destroy the whole Lore. "You have to tell Inyanga about it.

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