"Can we all take a breather, sit and talk," Casmian pointed towards the sitting area in Kamian’s room. This was the first time Aselia was seeing Prince Casmian in person. She had heard about the man and seen him on TV but this was a whole new experience.

The man exuded elegance and charm. There was this brightness in his eyes that spoke volumes about the kind of man he was.

"I don’t want to sit, what I want to know is what’s wrong with your brother, Prince Casmian. He seems to be a completely different man from the one I came here with," Aselia stood there with accusing eyes, not moving an inch.

Jaguar on the other hand was still recovering from his injuries and the overexertion of his brain because of all the memory loss he had experienced.

Waves of pain erupted in his brain again and he doubled over, clutching his head. Casmian rushed to his brother and caught him before he could fall.

Guilt built up in Aselia’s heart and somehow she knew she was responsible for his condition. She wanted to go to him but he wasn’t even acknowledging her existence and she didn’t want him to hurt any more. She had already slapped him.

"He needs a doctor," Aselia mumbled.

"Doctor inspected him last night, he just needs rest," Casmian guided him to the bed and made him lie down.

"What happened to me? Why can’t I remember how I got injured?" Jaguar hoarsely asked his brother. Not only did his head hurt, his heart hurt too. And then there was this girl standing in his room accusing him of forgetting her.

"Sleep for a while. We will talk when you wake up. It was a mission but it’s over now," an extensive amount of confusion lifted from his eyes and he closed them, understanding he must have accomplished whatever he was sent for.

Once Jaguar was asleep, Casmian turned to Aselia, who was still watching them with a guarded expression, utterly confused and a whole lot of angry.

"If you would follow me, we can talk in our study. Let him sleep, shall we?" he gently asked and Aselia nodded.

Casmian led the way and Aselia followed. Once inside his study, he offered her a seat beside his. She quietly sat down and looked at him with expectant eyes, eyes that demanded answers.

"I think he might have told you that I am the one who sent Kamian to keep an eye on you," Casmian clasped his hands in front of him, his gaze taking in her confident stance.

"He did. May I ask why?"

Casmian took a deep breath and tried to remember the half-truth half-lies-filled tale he had concocted to tell Aselia.

"We want to get rid of Phantom as much as the elven race. He has been hunting them for centuries now, especially young elven girls. He has some sinister plan involving them so my organisation tends to keep a check on them. There are very few left and you are one of them. We just wanted to keep you safe, although you are a hunter, we can never be too careful. Jaguar was sent for this very purpose but he swayed from his mission and was punished for it. My organisation doesn’t take lightly to people who don’t take their missions seriously. These are the consequences of his actions and because of that, his memory is a bit affected for now. He can’t remember you."

His words sent pangs of pain to Aselia’s heart. He had been good to her, too good and all she did was hurt him.

"Ohhh! Did you have to be so strict with him? He saved my life, you know. Took care of me," the guilt was now gnawing at her heart. Why couldn’t she love him back? If she had, he wouldn’t be so broken today.

"Yes! Actions have consequences. This was his mission, he failed to keep his emotions in check," Casmian’s voice was almost void of any sentiments now. He was speaking like Aldridge, all business.

"I take we won’t be seeing each other again and he won’t be returning with me?"

"It will be for the better that he won’t and I have made arrangements for you to head back safely. I am sorry for all the inconvenience my brother has caused you," Casmian was apologetic, his lips had thinned almost forming an expression of disappointment at the way things had ended.

"That’s not how I wanted this to end," Aselia sighed, taking her head into her hands, she lowered her gaze, guilt was eating her raw.

"There was no easier way. He was in love, you weren’t. He had to end up heartbroken."

"What must king and queen think of me?" she lifted her eyes, which dripped with sadness and disappointment.

"I will handle that too. Don’t worry, they will understand. One day he will find someone who would love him," Casmian gave her a reassuring smile and she nodded before getting up.

"Please take care of him," Aselia requested and Casmian nodded at her.

Aselia left soon after, Casmian’s car and guards took her to Xiran’s private jet and soon enough it left for Lahoire City. Turmoiled and broken, with even more questions than answers about the man she saw. At least she knew he was real, now all she had to do was find him.

----------------

Earlier, the woman with raven hair had exited the Masquerade Ball, the security was tight and she was led outside by a royal guard. Her links had provided her access to the ball but she couldn’t sneak in her mobile phone or any devices.

Once outside, she made her way to the hotel she had booked and entered her room. With a sinister smile on her face, she extracted her phone from the bag on her bed and dialled a number.

As the call connected, she triumphantly said:

"I found her. Your son was here, both of them were glued to each other."

"You did? Are you sure it’s the same girl? Did she smell like an elf?" the eager voice sounded from the other side.

"I am sure because of the way he was acting with her. She had no scent, it was masked so vampires won’t go crazy."

"Then it was her because he had masked her scent when she was with him on that beach. Hudias told me," he replied, a knowing smile spreading on his thin lips.

"From the information I have gathered, she came here for the ball and would be returning soon to wherever Xiran has hidden her," Treia informed him.

"Now, listen carefully Treia. Go to the airport and put a tracking device on Xiran’s private jet. Take help from Jihlia (a Wendigo hybrid whose shapeshifting size and appearance were like a bat’s). He will travel with her on it and hide her wherever he had been doing it. This will lead us right to it," Phantom instructed her in his deep cold voice.

"That’s a piece of cake, I know his private jet. Travelled with him on it a couple of times. But how are we sure he will send her on it?" Treia was double-minded. What if he hid her somewhere here in Emeradius City? Or didn’t use his private jet.

"Because he is my son and I know him better than anyone else. He will use his jet. Just find out her location and let me know. I will do the rest and you will be rewarded substantially," he gave her the final instructions in a dooming voice and ended the call.

Treia had Jihlia place the tracker on the jet. Using the Wendigo hybrid, which was tiny in size. He flew in and out of the airport without being detected, as everyone thought it was a bat. They also used nighttime to their advantage.

The pilot was sleeping because he wasn’t due to fly it till the next day.

Treia then waited patiently and sat in her own jet. While the Wendigo kept an eye on Xiran’s jet. Once Aselia had mounted it and the jet became airborne he informed Treia and she began tracking. Her heart palpitated in anticipation and soon they began to follow the jet. Theirs had been provided by none other than the Phantom himself.

Aselia’s jet landed near Lahoire and Yurian was there to pick her up. The exact location was traced by the tracker and Treia received it. Their jet requested permission and landed soon after.

Yurian’s car had a flat tyre on the way so he was a bit late in coming to pick up Aselia. This gave Treia ample time to land and follow Aselia.

Once Aselia and Yurian left in the car, Treia stumbled out of the airport. Jihlia had already shape-shifted and was hiding in the duffle bag Treia carried. She saw them speeding away and let Jihlia out so he could follow them. It was already evening time and the sun was setting, so he blended well with falling shadows. A triumphant smile graced her reddish lips, she was so near her goal now.

There were two cities close to the airport and Treia had decided to wait for Jihlia in the nearby one. She hauled a taxi and asked the driver to take her to a hotel. Jihlia already had a communication device in his ear so he would be able to contact her once he will pinpoint Aselia’s location. It was going to be a long night.