Zoey Jadeburst's Arc

Chapter 1 of 4

Zoey's hands shook as she grabbed Emarosa's arm. Her cousin's words hit like a punch — dragged by a puppy into a lava cave. This was it. The first real lead since her daughter vanished three days ago. Every hour of silence between them before this felt like weight on her chest now. Emarosa pointed past the twisted vines and withered roses clinging to the old stone cottage ahead. The building sat crooked at the base of the volcanic hillside, its purple door hanging open like a broken mouth. Scattered across the path leading to it were frozen cupcake sculptures, each one stamped with tiny paw prints in the frosting. Zoey's breath caught. Those damn puppies had left a trail. She ran toward the cottage, boots crunching over cracked stone. Just outside the doorway, half-buried in volcanic ash, sat a painted wooden doll. Purple and gold swirls covered its surface. Zoey knew it instantly — her daughter had carried it everywhere as a child, then kept it on her desk through college. Zoey dropped to her knees and picked it up. The paint was still bright. Fresh. The cave entrance yawned beyond the cottage threshold, glowing orange from somewhere deep inside. Zoey stood, the doll clutched tight in her fist. Her daughter had been here. Might still be here. She stepped through the doorway into the heat.