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."

door. I held my breath, waiting for some strange trap to trigger. I was ready to pull Archer out of the

creaked open, loudly, sending another

step back and held the hilt of his

echoing stopped. Nothing jumped out at

seems safe,"

several

tower with several other warriors at our

touch anything.

nodded and

where the main entryway opened up into

on the first floor and then a spiral staircase that went all the way up through the tower.

secure the first

in here!" Brandt

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

center of the room was a mound of moonstones. They shimmered in the dim light… so many moonstones

so many moonstones," Brandt

and found an old grimoire splayed

bring them back to the capital," I suggested as I

the 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

was one section of the book

of Hestia's bloodline, showing her long lineage of dark

across the latest entries

Hestia wasn't alone here in

“What do you mean?"

wail

the book. The cry echoed through the tower, a blood

knew that

there." I nodded to a cobweb-covered tapestry on the wall. “There's

I tore the tapestry down, revealing

boy and a girl, no more than five and six years old, were wrapped

children had wide, terrified eyes, their skin pale and sickly. They didn't look well,

they?"

grimoire again.

of here." I snapped

children up and brought them outside into the

and finish getting all this packed up. I want it shipped to the palace. Stay alert and let me know of anything suspicious you find," I ordered as I

meet you

nodded and made arrangements to get the children back to the

back to health. Or…

castle with the

to

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? Did Hestia pass her

the case, these children had to be

for what they might do? Should we punish them because of who their

do the right thing,"

to think of who their

sent the children to the infirmary and

bring Hestia's children back to my

Well, word traveled fast.

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