Their Hidden Princess (Zora and Maximus) novel Chapter 261

Chapter 261

Valentin’s POV

Valentin tried to remain calm as Max, Kairos, and Thorne engaged in varying levels of panic, but it was difficult. His resolve was being tested by the moment.

One minute Zora had been here with them, and in the next she had simply vanished. What should have only been a small exercise of her developing ability had quickly become a nightmare.

Her new power must have been impressively strong for her to have disappeared to a place that not even Valentin could feel her anymore, but it was also terrible. She wasn’t in control, and now she was in danger.

He couldn’t help but blame himself. They should have started smaller, somewhere contained. Somewhere safe. He had led her outside, pointed her in a direction, and allowed her to go.

At the very least, though the bond with her was strained with distance, the four mates could tell that Zora still lived. That fact

alone, Valentin knew, was what gave them their only grip on sanity.

Yet even with it, the four were breaking.

They stood, as they had since her vanishing hours before in the same spot she had vanished. Valentin tried to concentrate, to feel Zora’s location in the distance, but he struggled, especially with Max’s worried huffing and Kairos‘ anxious pacing. Only Thorne was also quiet, though the look of grief on his face was disconcerting.

“She is still alive,” Valentin reminded all of them.

“We don’t know for how long,” Thorne replied at once, only adding to the anxiety of the others. “What if she teleported to the vampires? She could be in trouble.”

“I have to get to her,” Max said.

“Like you have the only right,” Kairos growled. “I need to protect her, too.”

“We all do,” Valentin said firmly, barely able to constrain his own wolf, who was growling inside of Valentin with its own worried fury. “But we need to keep our heads.” He looked pointedly at Thorne. “Making assumptions, or…” His gaze shifted to Max and Kairos. “Running into danger without a plan will not help Zora. We need to stay calm and think of a way to find her. Logically.”

“With all respect, professor,” Max started. “We’ve been standing here doing nothing but thinking for the past three hours, and we are no closer to a solution.”

“I actually agree with Maximus on this one,” Kairos said. “This is getting us nowhere.”

“It’s logical

–

“Logic can go to the hells,” Kairos said. “Think all you want, Lunerly, but I’m done with that. I’m going. Now.”

“Going where?” Valentin asked.

“On a hunt.”

“For vampires? That’s asinine. They will kill you.”

Kairos gave a crazed, wolfy grin. “They can try.”

Kairos turned, but Valentin moved at once, blocking his path. “If you get yourself killed, Zora will never forgive you.”

“She’ll thank me when she’s safe,” Kairos said, his voice more wolf than human now, coming out as a growl.

“She’ll never forgive us for letting you,” Valentin said.

Chapter 261

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“Don’t try to stop me,” Kairos said, staring to shift. “I won’t hold back.”

“Let the asshole go,” Max said, crossing his arms. “His impulsiveness will only make things more difficult for the rest of them.”

“Kairos, listen –” Valentin said, but Kairos was beyond that now. He chuffed at Valentin as he fully shifted, then darted forward. He shoved against Valentin as he went, perhaps trying to knock him off balance, but Valentin was a well–practiced warrior and dodged out of the way.

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