I knew something was wrong. Fortuna was hiding something and trying to cover her tracks. I sat in the carriage with my heart weighing me down like a stone. My chest ached as we began the journey back to the palace.
I kept asking myself what she was hiding. What did she really go to that store to get? What if it was not just about buying or selling? What if it was something deeper, something bigger? My thoughts were spinning, and it hurt more because no matter how hard I tried, I could not figure it out.
"We still have hope," Marissa said gently, trying to comfort me. She knew how worried I was. Normally I would not care this much, but something in me would not rest. My heart kept warning me that if we did not uncover the truth on time, something terrible could happen.
"My heart is troubled, Marissa. I know what I feel," I said, my voice breaking as tears filled my eyes.
"But we met Xavier," she reminded me with a soft smile. "He promised to help us find the other Xavier."
