DEREK POV
I stared at Gerrick, not sure I heard him well. “What did you just say?” I asked slowly.
“Her scent was picked at the Queen Mother’s court,” he repeated.
I took a step forward. “Gerrick, do you even know what you’re saying? Are you sure about this?”
He nodded. “Yes. We sent the best tracker. He confirmed it. Her scent trail ended right there.”
He paused, glancing at Madam Kaelene before looking back at me. “At first, we thought maybe she ran through that route to escape, but the strange part is—”
He stopped for a second, like he wasn’t sure how to explain it.
“The scent was tampered with,” he finally said. “Something was used to cover it up. Not just any masking oil—this is a high-level concealment mixture. It takes skill to use it properly. And honestly, I don’t think a w
