His Missing Treasure!!

Coral's usual haughty stride was replaced by a hesitant shuffle as she approached her father, King Hati.

It was the first time she was summoned to see him in his throne room and it was one of the rare times when she got to see him.

Unlike Selene, who got to see him once a month, the same could not be said for his other children.

"My King." Coral whispered bowing deeply.

Her voice was shaky, like the rest of her body.

A low chuckle rumbled from the throne. "My princess. There's no need to be so formal, I am your father after all." King Hati a figure of imposing darkness, observed her with eyes that seemed to swallow light .

His masked face gave Coral the chills. One hand toyed with his thick beard, while the other clenched into a fist, knuckles white. The air in the room was already heavy and it grew thick with unspoken menace. .

Coral straightened her posture gently with her eyes landing briefly on Lyra, the king's bodyguard.

King Hati did not miss the glance.

"Don't tell me you're still scared of Lyra." He said with a low unsettling sound of laughter. "She may appear stern but she possesses a…certain sweetness."

Again, Coral glanced again at the well built young she wolf, who had short spiky jet black hair, dark eyes and a deep cut running from her forehead to her jaw that matched her usual grim face.

"Now, tell me why I have summoned you." The King asked straightening his posture.

His Jovial tone vanished like mist and the dark room seemed to get darker for Coral.

"I..I don't know father." She stuttered genuinely.

Hati scoffed maintaining an angry stare with his daughter.

"Everyone who comes here, knows why they are called. You have my blood flowing in my veins and so I refuse to think you are that dumb." He gestured with a ringed hand, the jeweled fingers glinting in the dim light. "Tell me, daughter. Why. Are. You. Here?"

Coral swallowed hard as beads of sweat covered her forehead. She had begged Connor to come with her but he had told her No.

He had given her one tip though, 'Never lie to him, he can sniff lies like a wolf sniffs blood!'

Coral thought of her mother who was only just recovering.

"I'm here because of Selene." Coral blurted out shakily.

She was not certain why he would be calling her about Selene but she had never been called by him and Selene's disappearance was a recent incident .

Hati relaxed on his throne.

"Now tell me, did you not notice that your personal security guards and maids have been changed?"

"I did." Coral answered immediately.

"Do you know where they are?" He asked and she shook her head in response.

Her personal maid had told her they had to go for some job for the King and Coral was naturally nonchalant when it did not affect her directly.

"They are dead," Hati said, the words falling like stones. " because of you."

Coral's breath hitched. He wasn't joking. She didn't get to see her father often but she was aware of what he could do.

"Your sister is missing." he continued with his voice laced with a chilling calm, "and I've heard… unsettling tales of your treatment of her. Tales of cruelty and torture."

Coral's knees trembled. She could feel the icy grip of death closing around her. She could see the end already. She was going to die.

"Please! I am very sorry father!" She begged shakily.

"Don't!" He growled and she gasped in fear and shut up at once.

"Don't apologize. After all, you are the daughter of the dark king so of course there should be some darkness in your heart. In fact I should be impressed…..." He said with a shrug. "I only have a problem with your target."

The tears were streaming down Coral's face even though she wished she could stop it. She tried to sob silently but she made whimpering noises and was visibly shaking.

"What do you suggest Coral? How do I punish you?" He asked in a calm tone.

Coral dropped to her knees.

"I didn't do anything to make her disappear. I have no hand in it. Please forgive me father. Please don't kill me." She said crying hard as mucus dripped from her nose.

Hati rolled his eyes. Of course he knew she did not do it, she was not that smart.

One of the Kings men came forward with a bow.

"The sorcerer My King." He alerted.

"Send him in." Hati said and then he sighed at his daughter's crumpled figure as she cried hysterically.

"Get up and get out. When it's time to repay, you'll know." He said.

Coral stood up shakily still sobbing hard.

As she turned to leave, her father spoke.

"Enjoy your last day with your personal maid, you won't see her tomorrow ."

Coral fled the throne room crying hard just as Monrel made his entrance.

He bowed respectfully to the King.

"Nothing, I presume." Hati welcomed him in a disappointed tone.

"My King, It's impossible to track her. Her ….. abilities make it hard." Monrel said.

Hati was burning with insatiable fury.

"Nothing is impossible." He said in a low warning tone. "I want her found now! I want something! Anything!"

His fists came down on the throne heavily that even Monrel shook slightly but he remained in his position.

There was a wave of silence and then Hati sighed.

"You have something to say, don't you? Say it!" He ordered.

The sorcerer hesitated.

"I warned you against indulging your… impulses. The darkness craves her. You should have kept your distance until she had met with a regular wolf…."

"Oh shut up!" Hati said with a snort. "I did nothing. I left her."

"Infringement on her purity in any type of way can bring bad luck to us, I told you that too my King ." Monrel said treading carefully with his words and his tone.

Hati growled lowly to himself. He could not believe that this was happening at this time. His rage threatened to consume him. Twenty years of careful planning, and now this?

"She's alive, " The King said but his statement held desperation and hope.

"The ball still glows." Monrel confirmed and then he hesitated again.

"Spit it out,"The King demanded.

"She is away from you. No restrictions, My King. She is exposed! We have to act very fast, this is risky. Everything can be ruined now!"

"Don't you think that I know that?!" Hati hissed angrilly.

Monrel was not intimidated. "You should send out someone you trust to the only ones who know of her existence." He suggested. "When the shadow fighters arrive, I may have something to aid in her search."

Hati opened his palm, revealing a scrap of Selene's red cloth. His heart, dark and bottomless, felt a rage that promised terrible vengeance. Whoever had taken his treasure would pay a price beyond imagining.

Ten people in the realm, excluding the King and Monrel knew of Selene's existence. At least one person should know her whereabouts.