"That's the thing—she hasn't turned up."
My heart began to beat a whole lot faster. "What do you mean? Has she backed out again?"
"No. At least, I don't think so. She was pretty determined to hash everything out with Carwyn tonight." She paused, and even through the phone's tiny screen, her worry was evident. "Risa, I think something has happened to her."
Chapter 9
For a second I swear my heart stopped. Just thinking that something had happened to Ilianna made my stomach churn so badly, it felt like I was about to vomit. Damn it. I couldn't lose Ilianna. Not when there was a very real possibility we would lose Tao.
Panic surged, thick with fear, but I somehow reined it in and said, "Have you tried calling her?"
"Of course—"
"What about Tao? Or her parents?"
"Yes and yes. No one's heard from her, Risa. She's just gone. Completely and utterly disappeared."
No, I thought, swallowing heavily against the bile rising up my throat. She hadn't disappeared. She was somewhere. It was just somewhere Mirri couldn't find.
"What about the hospitals?" As much as I hoped she hadn't been hurt, it was always a possibility, and certainly one we had to consider before we pressed the panic button too far.
"Also checked. Nothing."
At least that was something. I took a quivering breath and released it slowly. "I'll find her, Mirri." I hesitated. "What about Carwyn?"
"He's here with me at the restaurant. He's got a friend in the police force he's going to hit up for any information that might come through official lines."
If it came through police sources, then it wouldn't be good. But Mirri knew that just as well as I did. "I've got to go across to the Brindle, so I'll talk to Ilianna's mom. Maybe she can scry for her or something."