“No, Madame. Is he a friend of yours that got lost? Should I help you search for him?” the guard offered with genuine concern.

“No! It’s ok…I…I have to go…” I said in a hurry before sprinting away.

I can’t waste any more time. Where could Reiner be?

I stopped in my tracks when a thought suddenly hit me.

The tree.

Without any more thought, I started sprinting to that old tree where I had spent time with him around when we first met. I was breathless by the time that I arrived. Then my heart almost stopped as I spotted a silhouette of a tall man deep in the...