Page 134 of One True Love (Love Mark 1)

When I next opened my lashes, I was still in the Throne Room, draped across a settee, where Caulder was pacing not far away and Yasmin sat in her chair, biting her fingernails.

“Anniston,” I said, trying to sit up.

“Vienne.” Nicolette grasped my hand, making me realize she’d been sitting beside me, watching over me the entire time.

I took her fingers urgently. “My baby,” I demanded. “Where’s my baby?”

She shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “Everyone’s looking for her. They’re all out there, looking.”

“But she’s not out there,” I spat, pushing to my feet. “She… I left her in my bedchamber. That’s where she is.”

Ignoring everyone who urged me to remain, I raced from the room and ran all the way up to my bedchamber, determined to retrieve my baby. I’d left her with two maids and three guards, after all. How could anything wicked possibly reach her?

But when I burst inside, the room was empty. No maids. No guards. No Anniston. I could feel her absence like an anvil on my chest.

Shaking my head and chanting, “No, no, no, no,” I tore the room apart, searching the place, in the crib, on my bed, under chairs, everywhere.

But Anniston wasn’t there.

“Where’s my baby?” I screamed.

I raced back down to the Throne Room. Caulder turned when I entered, and regret shimmered in his gaze. “Vienne,” he started, but I held up a hand.

“Tell me everything you know. Who took her? Why? How?”

“We don’t know how or why; we just know who.” He held up the small rolled piece of paper in between his fingers that he’d showed us earlier. “Far Shore.”

I grabbed the miniature scroll and unrolled it.

You have stolen from us, so we shall steal from you. The blood of this royal child is on YOUR hands.

“What?” I growled, shaking my head. “What the fuck does this even mean?”

Caulder shrugged. “I have no idea. I sent a message back but haven’t received a reply yet.”

“Well, send another, dammit! I want my daughter back. Right now.”

“Vienne,” the king started logically, but I held up a hand.

“No. Do not look at me with pity in your eyes. Like I’ve lost something. I didn’t lose her. She’s not gone. She’s not…”

Tears filled my eyes.

Nicolette tried to approach, comfort clearly her intent, but I screamed at her to stay away. Hugging myself, I bent at the waist.

My baby was gone. I’d been off, kissing a man who wasn’t my husband, and someone had taken my child. A sob rose up my throat as I fell to my knees, unable to see through the tears as agony coiled in the pit of my soul and sprang loose until I was flooded with it, drowning in it.

“Vienne?” a low, familiar voice said.

I looked up, blinking Urban into focus as he strode into the Throne Room, his blue eyes filled with worry.

“Did you find her?” I asked, scrambling to him and clutching the front of his tunic. I knew he must’ve been out looking with the others. He had always tried to get me what I wanted, and right now, all I wanted was my baby.

Regret shimmered in his expression as he took my hands and squeezed. “Not yet.”

A gasp of denial left me. I shook my head before pushing him back and snarling, “Then why are you here and not out there, still looking?”

Startled by the venom in my voice, his eyes flared wide and his mouth opened to speak. “I…”

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