Alberto's POV
I strode through the halls of the palace, my mind was a storm of unease. Sapphire was gone. No letter, no sign, nothing. It wasn’t like her. Even when she was angry with me, she never just disappeared. Something was wrong.
“Find her,” I ordered my men, my voice sharp as steel. They nodded and scattered, knowing better than to waste time.
I turned toward the main doors, intent on visiting her parents’ home. Perhaps they had heard from her. Perhaps—
“Going somewhere, Alberto?”
I stopped in my tracks, fists clenching at the sound of that voice. Gonzalo. He stood just inside the palace entrance, a smug grin stretching across his face. He always had a way of showing up at the worst times, like a vulture sensing weakness.
“I don’t have time for you, Gonzalo,” I said through g
