Chapter 272: A Night Of Fear PT 1

Ivan ran out of the maze as fast as he could.

"Lydia!"

His voice echoed through the garden.

He looked around quickly, searching every path and corner.

"Lydia!"

There was no answer.

He rushed toward the garden entrance and looked outside.

People from the ball were standing around, talking and laughing. Some were holding drinks while others were speaking in small groups.

But Lydia was nowhere among them.

Ivan’s heart began to pound.

He stepped into the ballroom.

The music was still playing, but he barely noticed it.

He moved through the crowd, looking from one face to another.

"Lydia."

No answer.

He turned around and searched again.

Nothing.

People began to notice him.

The Grand Duke was moving through the ballroom with a look on his face that made everyone stop and stare.

Whispers quickly spread among the guests.

"What happened?"

"Why is His Highness looking for someone?"

"Is something wrong?"

Ivan ignored them.

He pushed past several people and hurried toward the exit.

Boris, Katherine, and Anna had already noticed something was wrong.

They followed him.

"Ivan!" Boris called.

Ivan did not stop.

He moved quickly through the palace halls and headed straight for Lydia’s chambers.

He opened the door.

Empty.

His breathing became heavier.

He looked around the room as though Lydia might suddenly appear.

She wasn’t there.

Boris entered behind him.

"What happened?"

Ivan turned toward him, but for a moment, he couldn’t speak.

His mind was filled with one terrible thought.

He should never have left her alone.

"I should never have left her alone."

Katherine frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Anna stepped closer.

"Where is Her Highness?"

Ivan looked at them.

"Lydia is missing."

The words made everyone go silent.

Anna’s face immediately lost its color.

"What?"

Katherine stared at him.

"How could she be missing? She was at the ball."

"I don’t know."

Ivan’s voice was strained.

"I went to find her, but she wasn’t there. I searched the ballroom and the garden. She’s gone."

Boris immediately understood the seriousness of the situation.

He turned toward one of the guards standing outside.

"You."

The guard quickly approached.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Lock the gates."

The guard looked surprised.

"Your Highness?"

"Nobody leaves the palace."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The guard quickly turned and left to carry out the order.

Boris then looked back at Ivan.

"We’ll find her."

Ivan shook his head.

"I should have been with her."

"Don’t blame yourself."

"How can I not?"

Ivan looked toward the door.

"She was right here. I left her alone."

Katherine stepped closer.

"We don’t know what happened yet."

"But something happened."

His voice broke slightly.

"I know Lydia. She wouldn’t simply disappear."

Anna’s eyes filled with worry.

"Maybe she went somewhere else in the palace."

Ivan shook his head.

"I checked her chambers."

Boris placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We’ll search every room if we have to."

Ivan stood up.

"I have to find her."

He moved toward the door.

"I can’t let anything bad happen to her."

Just as he reached the doorway, someone appeared.

Irina.

She looked from Ivan to the others.

"What is happening?"

She glanced down the hallway.

"Why is there such a ruckus?"

Her eyes moved around the room.

"Where is Lydia?"

Anna shook her head.

"We don’t know."

Irina’s expression changed.

"What do you mean you don’t know?"

No one answered immediately.

Irina took a small step backward.

"Lydia is missing?"

Anna nodded.

Irina looked frightened.

Then another thought seemed to cross her mind.

She quickly looked around.

"Where’s Damir?"

Nobody answered.

Irina’s voice became more urgent.

"Where is Damir?"

---

Lydia slowly opened her eyes.

For a few seconds, she couldn’t understand where she was.

Everything around her was blurry.

Her head felt heavy.

She tried to move, but her body felt weak.

She closed her eyes again and took a slow breath.

Then she remembered the ball.

She remembered walking through the palace.

She remembered feeling strange.

After that, there was nothing.

Lydia opened her eyes again.

She looked around.

She was inside a wooden carriage.

Boxes and large sacks were piled around her.

Some of the sacks were filled with goods. Others were stacked near the walls, leaving only a small space for her.

Her hands trembled as she slowly pushed herself up.

She immediately felt dizzy.

She held her head.

"What happened to me?"

Her voice was barely a whisper.

She looked toward the front of the carriage.

Two men were riding it.

She didn’t know either of them.

They were talking casually as though nothing unusual had happened.

One of them laughed.

"Did you hear what happened at the market?"

"No."

"The baker’s son got into a fight with one of the merchants."

"Again?"

"Again."

The two men laughed.

Lydia listened carefully.

Their conversation meant nothing to her.

She only wanted to know where they were taking her.

She carefully looked through a small opening between the boxes.

Trees surrounded the road.

They were passing through a forest.

Her heart began beating faster.

She didn’t know where she was.

She didn’t know how long she had been unconscious.

And she didn’t know what these men wanted from her.

Lydia lowered herself again.

She didn’t want them to know she was awake.

The carriage continued through the woods.

After some time, it finally slowed down.

Lydia heard one of the men speak.

"We’re here."

The carriage stopped.

Lydia quickly closed her eyes.

She forced her body to remain still.

Footsteps approached.

She felt someone grab her.

One of the men lifted her from the carriage.

Lydia wanted to fight.

She wanted to scream.

But she knew nothing about these men.

She didn’t know where she was.

So she remained still.

The man carried her into a small cottage.

She felt the change from the cold night air to the warmer room inside.

He carried her through a short hallway before placing her down.

Lydia listened carefully.

Boxes and sacks surrounded her.

The room looked more like a storage room than somewhere a person should stay.

She kept her eyes closed.

The two men stood nearby.

One of them sighed.

"Why are we going through all this trouble?"

The other man looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"We could have just killed her."

Lydia’s heart stopped for a moment.

Killed her?

She remained perfectly still.

The man continued.

"Why bring her all the way here? Why put her in a carriage? Why carry her into this cottage?"

The other man shrugged.

"The lord wants to speak to her first."

"And after that?"

"He’ll probably want to watch her die or something."

The first man laughed.

"Strange."

"Who cares?"

The second man looked toward the door.

"We’re getting paid."

The first man nodded.

"True."

"He’ll be here anytime."

He looked back at Lydia.

"Once he gets here, we can get this over with."

Their footsteps moved away.

Lydia heard the door close.

Silence followed.

She waited.

One second.

Then another.

She remained still until she was certain they were gone.

Slowly, Lydia opened her eyes.

Fear immediately filled her chest.

She looked around the room.

Boxes.

Sacks.

A small window.

One door.

She sat up carefully.

Her head was still spinning from whatever drug they had given her.

She pressed her fingers against her temple.

"Think."

Her voice shook.

She needed to get out.

She didn’t know who the lord was.

She didn’t know why he wanted her dead.

She didn’t know where she was.

But she knew one thing.

She could not stay here.