Five days had passed since the ordeal, and Valex had visited the Appex Pack. He sat upright and unwavering on the royal chair while Kael stood behind him. The High Chief sat on his throne a bit farther back. Valex sighed and remarked, "It has been five days, and Malrik's body is nowhere to be seen."
The High Chief questioned, "What have his guards said?" Valex looked at the Chief and replied, "His personal guard, Orien, said he last saw Malrik leave the palace in a rush on his horse."
A silence fell between them as they both contemplated the situation. Valex broke the silence, saying, "His horse was found in a forest clearing, but there are no traces of him." The High Chief's voice took on a firmer tone as he stated, "If your curse is truly broken, then he is definitely dead. His elders couldn't testify about his whereabouts before their beheading, so they must have known before they died; they had to be very loyal men."
