#Chapter 136: Taken

Alaric’s POV To have Ethan back, only to discover that Mia is the one truly missing now, is like a punch straight to the gut right after trying to catch my breath. The wind is totally knocked out of me. Fresh fear flashes through me, but there is no time to fall victim to it. As long as Mia is out here somewhere, she is in danger. “Search the grounds. Every nook and cranny, under every tree and in every bush,” I tell all of my servants, anyone who will listen. “Mia is missing and we cannot rest until she is found.” The staff move at once, sensing my urgency as well as likely feeling some of their own. In the short time she has been here, Mia has captured the hearts of nearly everyone. What’s not to love? She’s such a kind little girl, so giving and sweet, with those doe eyes of hers. “Was she with you?” Cara asks Ethan. She’s trying to keep her voice calm, likely for Ethan’s sake, but she can’t hide the tremor in her voice very well. “When did you get separated?” “She saw