Treyan's Promise | The Empire Saga Novella #2

Chapter Seven

Treyan blinked as feeling returned to his body. At first, he was able to move his fingers, and then his toes, and suddenly the pins and needles of circulation returned to him tenfold. Bearing through the discomfort, he jumped from the bed, only to crumple to the floor as his knees gave away. He didn't know how long he had been lying there in his comatose state, but he already knew it had been too long.

He had to find Alex.

"Councillor!" he shouted as he ran from his room, ignoring his nudity as urgency swept over him. "Jamison!"

The halls around him were quiet, and he stopped to listen a moment. No one stirred, as though the whole of the palace was still asleep.

What magic was this?

He heard footsteps coming from the hallway nearby, and Treyan readied himself in a fighting stance so as not to be caught unawares from another attack.

"Treyan!" Jamison yelled in response, unarmored but sword in hand. He turned the corner and viewed Treyan standing in the hallway, a smirk upon his lips at the prince's appearance. "It seems you had a good night?"

"She's gone, Jamison."

Jamison's face fell at Treyan's announcement. "What?"

"The Empress has been taken," Treyan repeated, rushing past Jamison, motioning him to follow. "What happened?"

"I... I don't know," Jamison admitted, following in step alongside his prince. "The guards were on duty, as scheduled."

"Your guards allowed Reylor into the palace."

The announcement stopped Jamison in his tracks. "The Betrayer? My prince, I assure you none of my guards would have allowed-"

"I know," Treyan assured him, glancing over his shoulder but keeping his pace. "I need you to ready your best ten men and have them prepared within the hour."

"Of course, my prince." Jamison saluted and veered down a nearby hallway while Treyan continued on his way. One item down, one more to go.

The Councillor sat at the main table within his chambers surrounded by piles of scrolls. His advisor glanced up upon his entrance, the look on his face almost identical to Jamison's upon discovering his lack of clothes.

"Good morning, my prince. You seem to have misplaced your pants."

"Alexstrayna has been kidnapped," he announced as he stormed into the room, leaning on the table to center himself. "Reylor and his mages infiltrated the palace overnight and they've taken her."

"That's impossible." The Councillor waved Treyan away as though he was an annoying fly. "The coronation celebration had extra guards posted throughout the castle, so there was absolutely no way the Betrayer could step foot within the Empire without me knowing. No, the Empress is most likely relieving herself, or-"

Treyan slammed his fist upon the table in frustration. "He took her from me and I was helpless to do anything!"

The Councillor raised a brow in challenge. "How...?"

"He had mages with him. And Jamison informed me none of his guards had any knowledge of visitors. Magic was at work here, darker magic than we've experienced before."

The Councillor held Treyan's gaze. "My prince..."

"I need you to alert the lords as we prepare for the trip north," Treyan continued, standing at attention. "Jamison is readying his ten best men now. We should be able to move fast with a smaller group and catch them before they've hit the Borderlands."

"You aren't planning to send men into the Borderlands..."

"Of course I am! Reylor has Alex and I need to bring her back!"