"My Queen, there is a problem."
The voice was a panicked, ragged whisper, a stark contrast to the roar of the crowd. Lola, watching the high-speed race on the massive screen, barely registering the guard beside her:
"What problem?" she asked, her attention fixed on the blur of competing cars.
"Princess Ellen's car is missing."
"...What?!!"
Lola launched to her feet, the velvet seat practically smoking beneath her. Her movement was so sudden that people around the royal box turned, staring in confusion. The world-famous Space Race was suddenly irrelevant to her.
"Sorry, I will be back," she said, her voice thin, and quickly bolted from the section, the terrified guard scrambling to keep up.
_
The moment they cleared the arena's main entrance, Lola snatched the elaborate crown from her head, tossing it over her shoulder to her Advisor. The elderly, three-eyed woman caught the artifact in confusion, turning to see her Queen moving at a near-run.
