Days bled into one another as Alaric searched relentlessly for Amaris. He scoured every corner of his kingdom, leaving no village, no remote hideaway untouched. He sent spies beyond the borders, into distant territories and neighboring empires, each returning with empty hands and haunted expressions. It was as though she had vanished into thin air, leaving not even a shadow behind.
The only thing tethering him to sanity was the ring he'd secretly slipped onto her finger as a silent promise he thought would last forever. When she disappeared, the ring was all that remained—a cold, silver band resting on the very spot she had been taken from him. He carried it with him constantly, gripping it until it felt as though he could imprint her memory into his skin.
As he sat on his throne, starin
