Found.

~Karl~

"What? Fortuna left the palace while you were on watch?" I shouted, my voice echoing through the hall. Rowland stood in front of me, his head lowered, saying nothing at first. He was in charge of palace security—yet he had no idea when she slipped out?

I could feel the heat rising to my face. It took them over an hour just to figure out she was gone. An hour! This palace was huge, sure, but that wasn't an excuse. She could've been anywhere—hiding in one of the buildings, the gardens, even the cemetery. But never, not once, did it cross my mind that she would leave without a word.

"None of the women are allowed to leave the palace without your permission. The guards at the gate said they saw her riding out, but they assumed she had your approval," Rowland said, his voice tight, trying to stay calm. But that didn't calm me at all. If anything, it made it worse.