"What?"
"She got caught?"
A hoarse voice filled with disbelief echoed in the room. The man's chest rose and fell heavily as if the words themselves were too heavy to carry.
"How is this possible? It has been years since it started. Once taken, they can never be found out. So how can this happen?" His words trembled with both anger and fear.
"We do not know what happened," the servant answered carefully, his head lowered. "Still, we should be cautious."
The man sat in silence, his face darkened with a heavy shadow. For a moment his expression shifted, sharp and filled with dread, as though his very life was being weighed by unseen hands. His mind raced, trying to make sense of this sudden blow.
He clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles turned red, then stood up with a loud thud, the sound of his chair falling back echoing across the cold chamber.
"He, along with the others, is in the capital now. This is crucial. We should use this chance to leave."
