Anna hurried through the bustling corridor, her head swivelling from side to side in search of Kyren's familiar figure. Suddenly, her eyes locked onto him as he exited through a door at the far end of the way.
"Kyren... wait for me!" she pleaded, her voice filled with urgency, but her words fell upon empty air as the grand duke had already made his departure.
Without a moment's hesitation, Anna pulled up her skirts and broke into a determined run, chasing after him.
Passing through the same door, she found herself outside, the world beyond the palace walls unfolding before her. She anxiously scanned the surroundings, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of her husband, but he seemed to have vanished without a trace.
Worry gnawed at Anna's heart, causing her chest to heave with each breath, her body still recovering from the exertion of her sprint. Just as despair threatened to overwhelm her, her eyes caught sight of a long leg protruding from the side of a majestic tree.
