They knocked again and again, but there was still no sound from inside. Guinevere's eyes widened. "You think he's actually frozen in there?" Selina's frustration vanished. Fear shot through her chest. His betrayal could wait. She hit the door with both hands, shouting, "Anthony! Wake up! Get up, damn it!" Guinevere's voice joined hers, loud and panicked. "Anthony! It's freezing! You need to wake up now!" Nothing. The silence inside was so heavy it hurt their ears. They were certain he'd gone into the room next to theirs. They had heard him climb the stairs, close the door, and never come out again. The air in the hallway had grown even colder. Their breath hung in front of them like white mist. Even with blankets and layers of clothes, both girls shivered hard. If Anthony was still asleep in there, he'd be dead soon. Selina didn't hesitate. She pulled back her leg and kicked the door with everything she had. The sound echoed through the hallway as the door swung open easily. She froze. The door hadn't even been locked. The two of them rushed in, their boots crunching against the icy floorboards. The bed was empty. Guinevere's voice cracked. "Where the hell is he?" Anthony's room was right next to theirs. They knew what they heard. The room was small—two narrow beds, a cracked wardrobe, and a dirty bathroom. Nothing else. Selina threw open the wardrobe. Empty. Guinevere yanked the bathroom door open. Also empty.Anthony was gone. Selina exhaled, her breath shaky. "At least he's not dead." But as the words left her mouth, shame followed. He had betrayed her, and here she was worrying like a fool. He didn't even tell her anything. She pulled her blanket tighter around her and turned for the door. "He's fine. That's all I care about. Let's get back before we freeze." Guinevere grabbed her sleeve. "Wait. Something's off. Where could he go this late?" Selina snapped. "Who cares? He can do whatever he wants. Maybe he already went home." Guinevere shook her head hard. "No way. He fought you just so he could stay here. He'd even break up with you just to do that. He wouldn't suddenly leave." She pointed toward the wardrobe. "Look. His backpack's still here." Selina frowned. The old bag sat where he had left it. That meant he hadn't gone far. He couldn't have gone to Rastopia. But she didn't want to care. "He's an adult. He made his own bed. Maybe he went scavenging around town. Either way, he's not our problem." Guinevere's eyes narrowed. "No, Selina. Think. Those people earlier broke the back door to get in. That means it was locked from the inside. If both doors were locked, how could Anthony have left?" Selina's brows pulled together. "Maybe he used the front door." Guinevere didn't stop to think. "Then let's check. I won't sleep until we know." Before Selina could argue, Guinevere grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the stairs. The inn was silent, their footsteps echoing in the cold air. When they reached the first floor, both froze. The front door stood sealed tight, the bolts and locks still in place.Selina's eyes widened. "That's impossible." Guinevere's voice trembled. "If the door's been locked all night, he couldn't have left. So where is he? People don't just disappear. Something's wrong with this place." Selina hesitated. "The innkeeper seemed nice. She wouldn't do anything." Guinevere nodded slowly. "Yeah. She did seem nice." It was strange. Neither of them could explain it, but they both trusted the woman. Even Selina, who had every reason not to, couldn't bring herself to hate her. And her boyfriend wanted to break up with her over that innkeeper. Guinevere frowned. "She's fine. But her husband? He gives me the creeps. And we're the only ones here besides them and those two new people. So if something happened to Anthony—" A man's voice suddenly cut through the stillness. "What are you two doing down here?" Both girls jumped and spun around. The innkeeper's husband stood behind them, his face half-lit by candlelight. The flicker made his features twist into something dark and unsettling. Guinevere stumbled back, her throat tight. She'd just talked about him behind his back. Selina forced her voice to stay calm. "Sir, when did you lock the front door?" The man turned his head and glanced at the door. His tone was low. "Before nightfall." Selina swallowed hard. "And you haven't opened it since?" If Anthony had gone outside, someone would've had to unlock it again. The man shook his head slowly. "No." Selina's chest tightened. "Got it. Thanks. We'll head upstairs." They turned fast and hurried up the stairs. Their footsteps creaked against the wooden floor.Once on the second floor, they pressed close together, whispering. Selina's voice shook. "If the door's been locked this whole time, then Anthony never left. So where is he? Every other room's closed off. He couldn't have gone anywhere."