#Chapter 141: Lucas’s Trail

Aria The moment I realized Lucas was gone, my heart stopped in my chest. One second, he was laughing with the other kids near the edge of the village square, playing make-believe knights with sticks as swords. And then the next moment, he was nowhere to be seen. My stomach dropped, a cold wave of dread washing over me as I scanned the crowd. “Lucas?” I called out, moving toward where I’d last seen him. There was no answer. I turned, my eyes darting around in search of his small head of chestnut hair, wondering if he had gone to the food table for more dessert. But he wasn’t there, either. The music and laughter around me seemed to fade into a dull roar as I pushed through the crowd, my eyes darting frantically from face to face. “Has anyone seen Lucas?” I asked. No one answered—just shook their heads, confused. My chest tightened, and I felt like the ground was tilting beneath me. I located one of the kids he had been playing with, a little girl wit