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."

strange trap to trigger. I was ready to pull Archer

open, loudly, sending another echoing sound

step back and held the hilt

the echoing stopped. Nothing jumped out at

seems safe," Archer

me." I pointed to several guards.

and I went into the tower with several other warriors at

around but keep quiet and keep alert. Don't touch anything. If you find something

and

where the

there were a few rooms on the first floor and then a spiral staircase that

to secure the first floor first

Brandt called

his voice to another chamber. It was lit up

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

so

and found an old grimoire splayed open

to

ancient pages. Most of it was written in another language. I recognized a few words that indicated this book held all the dark secrets of Hestia and Lycaon. Xander might have scholars that could

section of the book that I didn't

was an extensive family tree of Hestia's bloodline, showing her long lineage of

the latest entries in the family tree, I

wasn't alone

“What do you mean?"

a loud wail

the book. The cry echoed through the

that

there." I nodded to a cobweb-covered tapestry on

the tapestry down, revealing a hidden

girl, no more than five and six years old,

nearly forgot about the grimoire in my hands. The children had wide, terrified eyes, their skin pale and sickly. They didn't

they?"

looked at the grimoire again. “They're Hestia's children. Orion

get them out of here." I snapped to two

children up and brought them outside

to the palace. Stay alert and let me know of

you back at

nodded and made arrangements to get the children back to the castle with Eliza's

and nursed back to health. Or… their danger levels needed to be

the children, a

going to

a father, my first instinct was to protect them and get the proper care. But was that the right thing to do? Were they dangerous? What kind of dark powers did they have?

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 about my worries to

and Lena will do the

barely had a chance to think of who their father might be before

to the infirmary and met

bring Hestia's children back to my palace?" He glared at

Well, word traveled fast.

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