The guards flinched at Ava’s tone. Several of them bowed their heads, uneasy and confused.

“Lady Ava,” the captain stammered, “we… we don’t know. The Princess was here last night. No one entered or left without permission. The patrols saw nothing unusual.”

Ava’s glare sharpened, “Are you telling me the Princess vanished while you were on watch? That none of you noticed anything, not even a whisper of movement? Do you even understand the level of incompetence that ...