Understanding did not mean agreeing.
Irilanze was an elf, and she had responsibilities to shoulder. Annan could hardly fault her for that. But he could not help wondering why the Elven Royal Court had sent someone he knew so well.
"I need to know what's happening."
The usual cheer was gone from Annan's voice. Perhaps realizing that keeping him in the dark might cost her this human friend, Tadel told him what they had discovered about Dark Night and why Irilanze had been called up at short notice.
"It was an accident. No one was targeting you."
"I see..."
"Annan—"
Before Tadel could finish, Annan put away the World Tree Leaf.
I can't wait for the elves to solve this themselves...
Annan knew that much with absolute clarity.
It came back to the same problem: the elves had lived in peace for too long. They might find whoever was wreaking havoc in the Emerald Capital—Annan did not doubt that—but how long would it take?
The longer it took, the slimmer Irilanze's chances of survival became.
Annan would save her his own way. First, he would try the most useful tool he had: the Summoning Spell.
Among the things Irilanze had left with Annan was her Flower Basket. He used it as a medium and cast the Summoning Spell.
Magic power formed the spell, but no magic circle appeared...
Annan's heart sank.
That usually meant one of three things: the basket could not serve as a medium for Irilanze, she was not on the Main Plane, or her vital signs had changed.
He could rule out the first. As for the other two... the same thing had happened with Della, but an incubus had taken her away, so she might still be alive.
*Maybe Irilanze is being held on another plane?