Jill’s pov
Two whole days since Chloe had vanished into the night, and we were no closer to finding her than when Nash broke the vanity table in her room.
The estate was choking on cold, suffocating chaos. Nash was out on the southern ridge with his elite trackers, driving himself and his warriors to the point of collapse, but every lead had gone cold at the river crossing.
I walked quietly down the corridor toward the lower parlor.
The door was slightly ajar, casting a warm yellow light across the stone floorboards. Inside, Alma sat on the velvet sofa, her hands trembling so hard she couldn't hold her embroidery needle. Tears leaked quietly down her wrinkled cheeks as she stared at the empty armchair where Chloe usually sat with her herbal books.
"Oh, Goddess," Alma wept softly into
