The sky was clear, with a few clouds hovering around. Life in the rogue land was peaceful, but Elias's heart wasn't at ease—not when no word had reached them. Rowan was silent, and his attempts to get Derick to gain access to the land were useless.
Within the Lord's apartment, in the eastern wing, which now belonged to Consort Elias, Derick stood before Elias, his head bowed to the ground.
"Same?" Elias asked.
Derick nodded, but his mood was off.
"What's wrong? Did anything happen?"
Derick sighed, then sat down, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Not only was I refused entry into the Forgotten Court, but the soldiers specified it was on the Empress's orders from the king."
Elias's heart skipped a beat; his fist tightened. "Rowan?" he murmured.
Derick nodded nonchalantly.
"To top it off, rumors are going about that the party of the Twin Kingdom did return, but ever since their departure, no one has heard or seen the king."
