Trouble?

Cerin's been gone too long. She missed the Winter Festival it's unlike her. Roan scans from above in his raven form. Two weeks now and we can't find any trace of her. Mother will be furious when she learns we've lost her. Father will be worst, she's always been his favorite. There are only three days before the next full moon, nearly not enough time to find her. Cerin is like our mother, she can only be found when she wants to be found.

They are mercilessly unforgiving. From what Noah told us she left with the northern Wolf Prince. Yet even the Prince doesn't know where she went. Whatever occurred between them he won't say, yet his remorseful enough to help look for her.

Roan lands before me as we both change back into our human forms.

"What should we do?" Roan asks.

"Perhaps it's time we ask uncle for help," I say as Eira comes bounding down the road.

"Their back," she say, not needing to specify who she means by they. For the look in her eyes and the wave of energy that hits us is enough of an answer.

###

"I can't believe out of all the females in this realm you had to insult the Winter Kings, niece. Dark King and Shadow Queens daughter," River says as we track for Princess Cerin.

"I can," Naomi chimes in, "just look at him. His overly arrogant, great in battle terrible with females he thinks his look will compensate for it."

"Enough," I say as a wave power hits us. All be dammed the Dark King will have my head right after the Shadow Queen is done with me.

###

"Mother, Father" Selene, and Roan great as the enter Enrique's study. Ryan smirks at me as he takes in their somber look.

"Should we tell them?" Ryan sends.

"Not yet," I send back as the Wolf Prince of the North enters the chamber followed by two of his pack, his sister River and her mate Naomi.

"What do we have here?" I say as they fall to their knees. "The great general must have committed a grave sin to bend a knee to us."

"Forgive me, my Queen," the Wolf says, "you are above all any would be foolish to insult you."

"And yet you kneel," Ryan says enjoying the fear that radiates from all present, "do you not know the Shadow Queen detest kneeling as much as she those apologies."

"I...

"Forget it," I say, taking a swing from the carafe Alexander presented me the moment we arrived. It seems he had gone after the children returned from their assignment only to return the moment Cerin vanished. "Tell me what sin have you committed?"

"I have insulted your grace and the princess missing is all my fault."

"Is it?" Ryan moves as swiftly as a shadow. Lifting the Prince by the collar, "Tell me what you did to her?"

"I was only jesting, but the Princess miss understood finding me too bulger she cloaked her self in shadow and banished."

"Is that all?"Ryan's voice is like sweet venom, "did you touch her? Hurt her?"

"No your Majesty."

"Your Majesty if I may," River looks from Ryan to me. I nod and she proceeds, "my brother is great at battle but terrible with females. He always says the wrong thing."

"If he's so great how is it he was unaware of who he was dealing with?" I ask too which no one answers. "Tell them." I send Ryan taking a sip of honeysuckle wine.

"But I wanted to toy with the bastard longer," he sends.

"Ryan."

"Fine."

"Cerin isn't missing," Ryan says, "she is undergoing ascension, it seems shell surpass me. At only nineteen and she's already reached full cultivation."

"What? How is that possible?" Selene asks. Envy radiating from her.

"Your sister spends more time cultivating and less time chasing tail," I say, turning my attention to the wolf, "it's time you underwent your own trial. Don't mess it up," I move forward tapping his crown as light engulfs him sending him off to were ever fate may lead.