“They took him,” Hayden says.
Those words ring like a cold iron bell as Elise stays frozen by his words, her face contorted into one of confusion and horror. She can barely make a word out as she pulls back her hand and caresses Hayden's face.
“W-What?”
“I don't—agh!” He groaned, his next words blocked by another spill of gray blood sputtered from his lips. But Elise could barely think at that moment. Not when her son was taken by the enemy.
“Elise, look at me!” Rygan cuts in, “I have sent words to my troops, but we need to get Hayden out of here; it's not safe!” Rygan's voice echoed until it broke her dark thoughts. Elise felt his hands touch her wet face, and that’s when she realized she was crying.
“I need to look for Ethan and my baby, Rygan. He can’t have gone far.“ Elise stands
