Chapter 151 : Hestia’s Lair

*Jared*

King Xander sent me an order to gather a team and clear out the Dark Forest.

I got Archer and Brandt together, along with many of my most trusted warriors, and we headed into the forest.

It was supposedly where Hestia's lair was, but all the searching we'd done in the forest before her death led to absolutely nothing.

Xander hoped that this time, it would be different. If nothing else, we could get rid of any lingering rogues or witches that were still hanging around, hopeful for Hestia's return.

The Dark Forest was crowded with old, thick trees that groaned in the wind.

My heart raced as I stepped onto the path. The air felt so close and heavy between the trees. I felt like there was a weight crushing down on me. The canopy was so dense that hardly any light got through, making the forest dark and eerie.

I had no idea what to expect within the forest. There was dark magic there, and rumors of terrifying beasts.

I could tell that my men were tense. Whenever the wind rustled dry leaves or a gnarled, twisted tree trunk groaned, they whipped around, brandishing their weapons.

Thick vines twisted around the tree trunks, making them look deformed, and some of them even looked like hunched-over people in the distance.

The shadows started playing tricks on us within seconds.

“Jared, there's a clearing up ahead," Archer spoke.

We all froze. His voice sounded so loud and harsh in the quiet, creepy forest.

“We'll start there, even if just to get a glimpse of sunlight. It might take the edge off." I nodded and took the lead, heading down the path to the clearing.

If I thought my mind would ease from entering the clearing, I was sorely mistaken....

Rising up from the center of the clearing was a tall, dark tower that blocked out the sun. It was a single spire, rising up into the sky, made of black stone. There was one door and no windows that I could see.

I tilted my head back and could barely see the top of the tower in the glare of the sun.

“This wasn't here before," I murmured, feeling my brows furrow.

What horrors were hidden in this tower?

“This must be Hestia's lair," Archer suggested.

I nodded and walked up the steps to the door. I knocked, and a loud echo rippled through the inside of the tower.

“It's possible that Hestia cloaked it with her magic, so we couldn't see it before."

“Killing her broke the spell," Archer continued.

“Everyone, on guard. This tower could be booby-trapped. Expect anything!" I ordered.

The men quickly took up a perimeter around the tower and stood at the ready.

“If her cloaking magic is gone, any protection spells she cast might be too," Archer pointed out.

“I'm not taking any chances. It doesn't take magic to put in booby traps and protect a secret lair."

I reached for the doorknob but Archer stopped me.

“Let me."

breath, waiting for some strange trap to trigger. I was ready to pull Archer out of the way in a second if

loudly, sending another echoing

step back and held the hilt

stopped. Nothing jumped out at

seems safe," Archer

with me." I pointed to several guards. “The rest of

went into the tower with several other warriors

out and look around but keep quiet and keep alert. Don't touch anything. If

and

headed to the left where the main entryway opened up into another

a few rooms on the first floor and then a spiral staircase that went all the way up through the

the first floor

here!" Brandt

followed his voice to another chamber. It was lit up with luminous stones, casting a dim light

shimmered in the dim light… so many moonstones of all shapes and sizes and

seen so many moonstones,"

and found an old grimoire splayed open on a

these moonstones and bring them back to the capital,"

ancient pages. Most of it was written in another language. I recognized a few words that indicated this book

was one section of the book that I didn't need

of Hestia's bloodline, showing her long

across the latest entries in the family tree,

wasn't alone here in her

“What do you mean?"

a loud wail

I nearly dropped the book. The cry echoed through the tower, a blood curdling scream. It tapered off into a soft

knew that kind

tapestry on

and I tore the tapestry down, revealing a hidden room

small beds. A boy and a girl, no more than five and six years old, were

my hands. The children had wide, terrified eyes, their

they?"

the grimoire again. “They're

get them out of here." I snapped to two of my

up and

the palace. Stay alert and let me know of anything suspicious you find," I

you back at the

nodded and made arrangements to get the children back to the castle

and nursed back to health. Or… their danger

the castle with the children, a new sense

to happen to these

that the right thing to do? Were they dangerous? What kind of dark powers

children had to

Is it right for us to condemn them for what they might do? Should we punish them because of who their mother was?" I spoke

do the

a chance to think of who their father might be before we arrived at the

the infirmary and met

bring Hestia's children back to my

Well, word traveled fast.

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