Kael’s POV
I stride back toward the settlement with Blackwood trailing behind me, his nervous energy practically radiating off him in waves. The scent-masking potion lingers in my nostrils—proof that this Elara didn’t bolt blindly into the woods like some frightened animal. She planned her escape.
“Your Highness,” Alpha Blackwood says, quickening his pace to match mine. “Perhaps we should discuss this further over dinner. You must be exhausted from your journey.”
I don’t slow down.
“I’m not tired.”
“But surely you’d like to rest before beginning your search? The feast tonight will give me time to gather more information. Harper has prepared all your favorite dishes—”
“How would she know my favorite dishes?”
He stumbles slightly.
“Well, she—she researched. Asked around. She’s very
