Zita's search for Lord Arden continued into the night, with no sign of him in sight. But she didn't give up. She knew that he was still in the city, and she was determined to find him.
As she walked back to the palace, she received a message from an unknown source. "Meet me at the old dock at midnight," it read. "I have information about Lord Arden's whereabouts."
Zita's heart skipped a beat as she realized that this could be her chance to finally catch Lord Arden. She showed the message to Amina, who looked concerned.
"We should be careful, Zita," Amina said. "This could be a trap."
Zita nodded, her mind racing with possibilities. "I know, but we have to take the risk. Let's go and see what we can find out."
At midnight, Zita and Amina made their way to the old dock. The area was deserted, with only a few ships moored in the distance. As they walked along the dock, a figure emerged from the shadows.
It was Amina's contact, a man Zita had never seen before. "You're looking for Lord Arden?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.
Zita nodded, her eyes locked onto his. "Yes, we are. What do you know about him?"
The man hesitated, his eyes scanning the shadows before he spoke. "Lord Arden is hiding on a ship, preparing to flee the country. He's planning to set sail at dawn, and he'll be gone for good if you don't stop him."
Zita's eyes widened as she realized that this was her chance. She thanked the man and quickly made her way back to the palace, Amina by her side.
They alerted Lord Hastings and the palace guards, and they quickly hatched a plan to capture Lord Arden and bring him to justice.
As they set off towards the harbor, Zita felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was going to catch Lord Arden, no matter what it took.