Sophia and I ask everyone we can find in the palace, but no one seems to know where Justine has gone—or at least they aren’t willing to share the information with me if they do know. After I realize asking various members of the staff will get me nowhere, I head outside. Sophia is at my heels.

The only royal car that’s missing is the one Queen Constance took when she left. The Rosvalian royal family doesn’t have a private airstrip like we do back home, and I doubt Justine would make her getaway on a horse with a suitcase in tow, so that only leaves one option—a train.

“I need to go to the station,” I tell Sophia.

“I’m coming with you,” she insists.

The main rail station of the city is only a couple of blocks away from the palace, but I can’t get there fast enough. It isn’t as large as the one in Montovia, but it connects Rosvalia to several of the major cities of central Europe. Fortunately for me, only a few trains come in and out each day—it shouldn’t be too hard to locate her. She doesn’t have that much of a head start. Why, if I’m lucky, her train might still be at the platform.

As I head into the station, though, my heart sinks when I hear the sound of a train whistle. The only train currently at the platform is starting to pull out.

No. I won’t lose her. I won’t let her run away.

Without stopping to think about what I’m doing, I run for the train. It’s still moving slowly, but for every second it takes me to run across the station, it picks up more speed. I push through the small crowd of surprised travelers, throwing out apologies as I run by. I must make it to that train.

Only the back half of the train is still along the platform. It’s getting faster. I’m not going to make it. But I have to. I won’t let her go. I push myself to sprint faster.

I run as if my life depends on it. I feel as if my life depends on this, on catching this train. And I don’t even pause to consider the recklessness or the danger. I must catch her. I must.

When I reach the edge of the platform, I don’t hesitate. I leap, propelling myself toward the train, and for the split second I’m in the air a hundred different things float through my mind—that I’m a bloody idiot, that I’m going to kill myself, that there’s no way I’m going to make it. But before the panic has a chance to set in fully, my feet hit the balcony on the back of the final car. I fall forward, and I throw up my hands just in time to keep myself from slamming face-first into the back of the train.

As I’m recovering, I hear a thump beside me, then someone falling into me. I turn to find Sophia struggling to keep her feet.

Wait—Sophia jumped, too?

“Are you insane?” I demand. “You could have killed yourself!”

“So could you,” she says, straightening and shrugging. “And I didn’t, so I guess everything’s okay.” She grins. “I almost had a heart attack when I realized you meant to jump. But I wasn’t about to let you have all the fun.”

“Our brothers are going to kill me if they find out what happened!”

“Then don’t tell them. Simple.”

I growl. “Sophia—”

“You’re not the only one who’s allowed to be reckless.”

“I’m not being reckless. I’m being…romantic.”

She laughs. “I guess you are.”

I’m still furious that she’d even attempt something so dangerous, but it’s hard to lecture her when I just did the exact same thing. And she’s safe, so there’s no use harping on it now.

“Let’s just go find them,” I say. “It’s probably better that you’re here—that way you can stop me from killing that bastard for taking her from me.”

“Just doing my sisterly duty.”

We make our way inside the train car. This one is simply for storing additional supplies and luggage, so we move through quickly.

“What if we’re on the wrong train?” Sophia asks after a moment. “What if she was on one that left earlier? Or found some other way to leave?”

“We’re not going to think about that right now,” I answer stiffly.

We pass through two more cars—the first is another storage car, the next the dining car, which is currently nearly empty. Finally, we reach a car with passengers.

“We need to check every compartment,” I say.

“Obviously.” Sophia grins.

I resist the urge to throw a few brotherly insults at Sophia as we hurry down the narrow corridor, peeking in every compartment. Half of the compartments are empty. None of the rest hold anyone I recognize.

On to the next.

Sophia and I continue to the next car, then the one after that, investigating every compartment we pass. But I don’t see Justine or that bastard anywhere.

Sophia’s question floats back into my mine. What if we’re on the wrong train? What will I do then?

I straighten my shoulders. If I’m on the wrong train, then I’ll get off at the next stop, ride back to Rosvalia, and find the right one. If I have to chase the damned train all the way across this bloody continent, I’ll do it. I’ll find her.

Even if she doesn’t want to be found? Even if she’s running away to be with another man? That knowledge still makes my stomach churn. We’ve only been married for a short time, but somehow she’s still managed to get under my skin—I can’t explain it, but I need her.

We continue through the train, and I search like a madman. I peer into every compartment, knock on every washroom door. I will find her, no matter what it takes.

Even Sophia is starting to look more and more worried. She keeps trying to make helpful comments, joking that Justine will definitely be in the last place we check, but I can tell that even she is having trouble believing it. It’s starting to look very likely that I’ve made a mistake.

We must be nearing the front of the train when we run into a ticket inspector in the corridor. He looks us up and down, frowning.

“You’re not supposed to move around the train yet,” he says. “You should…oh! Your Highness! Forgive me, it took me a moment to recognize you.” He gives a little bow. “And this…?” He peers around me, looking at Sophia.

“My sister, Princess Sophia of Montovia,” I say.

“Of course, of course.” He bobs his head up and down. “Your Highness.” He gives her a bow. “I was wondering why Her Highness was traveling without you. I didn’t ask her myself, of course—I’d never dare to ask such a thing of Her Highness!—but I did wonder.”

“She’s here?” I say. “Justine?”

The man blinks, apparently confused, and I realize I’ve just revealed that my wife was traveling without me and that I have no idea where she is.

“I thought…” The man wrinkles his nose. “Well, I did wonder who that fellow was. But I’m not one to ask nosy questions of people, especially members of our most esteemed royal family. I thought…”

“We nearly missed the train,” Sophia pipes up. “Justine and…and my boyfriend came on ahead, but William and I stopped to get a meat pie from the stall at the station and almost didn’t make it in time. We don’t know where they’re sitting.”

“Oh, of course, Your Highness,” the ticket inspector says, looking relieved not to have been caught in the middle of a scandal. “They’re in the next car. Third compartment from this end.”

I’m already heading down the corridor, and I hear Sophia offer her thanks to the man before hurrying after me. I don’t wait for her. I move quickly into the next car and practically sprint to the third compartment. Through the window, I see two people, each stretched out on one of the padded benches. I can’t see either of their faces.

I don’t even knock. I throw open the door, ready to do whatever it takes to win back my wife.