Ivy’s eyes widened in surprise. “The villagers still haven’t told us where the cave is?”

Gallagher shook his head. “Both of those families–there are only old folks left at home. Their sons disappeared into the mountains with their… wives. No one can reach them–there’s no cell signal out there. The elders have no idea where they’ve gone.”

Jamison frowned, skepticism in his voice. “If that’s the case, then what’s the point of you going? If even the villagers don’t know, how do you expect to find it?”

On the other end of the call, Warren answered, having overheard Jamison. “Miss Windsor, here’s what we know: the family who bought your things–the one with the young man, Silly, who has cerebral palsy. The other villagers say his family probably knows where the cave is. We went to talk to Silly. When he heard you’d come to Silverfen, he said he wants to see you. He promised that if he could meet you, he’d tell us how to find the place in the mountains. So—”

Ivy cut him off before he could finish. “Good. I was planning to visit Silly anyway. I’ll head out now.”

“Great, we’ll wait for you.”

As soon as she hung up, Ivy gulped down the rest of her breakfast, stood, and turned to the man beside her. “You stay at the hotel and get some rest today, all right? I’ll ask Derek to take a few people with me to the village.”

Jamison immediately objected. “No. I’m coming with you.”

She shot him a hard look. “Absolutely not. You’re badly hurt–you needed more than ten stitches and barely slept last night. If you hike up the mountain now and your wound splits open, what then?” Her tone was firm, brooking no argument. “You’re not going anywhere today. You’re staying put, understand?”

Jamison’s face grew serious. He met her eyes. “Either I go with you, or you’re not going at all. Choose.”

Ivy didn’t bother responding. She tossed a few things into her bag and strode out in search of Derek.

But Derek looked uneasy. “Ma’am, Mr. Jamison didn’t give the go–ahead. We can’t just take you to the village after what happened yesterday. That was–honestly, it was terrifying.”

“There are plenty of police in the village now. Nothing’s going to happen,” Ivy insisted.

Derek still refused.

Ivy’s patience snapped. She tried to hail a cab herself, but the bodyguards blocked her path.

While the standoff dragged on, Jamison appeared, calm as ever, coming out of his room. As he passed, he tossed her a curt, “Let’s go. I’m coming with you.”

Furious, Ivy stared at his broad, unyielding back and called hoarsely after him, “Jamison, maybe you don’t care about your own health, but I do! Do you think it doesn’t hurt me to see you injured?”

Her voice cracked, and before she could stop herself, tears spilled down her cheeks.

Embarrassed by her own outburst, she wiped her face with a trembling hand and glared at him.

Jamison froze, caught off guard by her tears. His chest tightened painfully.

He turned back to her. Standing close, he saw her eyes red and brimming, her face both angry and wounded. The hard edge in his expression softened instantly.

“Silly girl. You yell at me, but you’re the one crying,” he said gently, reaching out to brush her tears away.

“Don’t touch me!” Ivy snapped, slapping his hand aside in anger.

Jamison winced, his brow furrowing with pain.

Only then did Ivy remember the wound on his back. Alarmed, she reached for him. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Jamison sighed, exasperated but patient. “I’m fine. I can go with you. I wouldn’t be able to relax with you heading out there alone, not with the way things are–even with the police around.”

And besides, he thought to himself, the main reason was that she’d have to deal with that family herself.