e Alpha Bond 105

Chapter Hundred and Five

After leaving the caves, we drove back down to town, the winding roads making our descent slow and careful. The farther we got from the mountain, the more the town came into view, its rustic charm highlighted by the golden hues of the setting sun. The warm glow bathed the stone and wood buildings, making them appear alrest ethereal, like something out of an old storybook. Marrees cobblestone streets curved between charming little cafes, family-run bakeries, and souvenir shops selling handcrafted trinkets. The town was quiet but alive, a peaceful contrast to the cold, damp darkness of the caves we had just left behind.

I leaned my head against the window, watching the world outside blur past. Despite the picturesque scene, my mind was elsewhere, still inside the caves, wondering what we had missed. The riddle had led us there, but the tour itself had yielded nothing. No secret tunnels, no hidden symbols-nothing. It left a nagging feeling in my hest, like an unfinished sentence waiting to be completed.

"We should grab some food," Elijah suggested as he pulled the cat into a small parking lot near a restaurant.

Austin groaned from the backseat. "I still don't get why we didn't just break off from the tour and explore on our own. That was a waste of time."

Isaiah shrugged, unbuckling his seatbelt. "We didn't know if there was anything obvious we'd find. Better to start with the safe option before doing anything reckless."

I stretched as I stepped out of the car, shaking the stiffness from my limbs. "Well, now we know there's nothing obvious. So we're

going back tonight."

Alex frowned, crossing his arms. "We are? What if we get

lost?"

I smirked, patting his shoulder as I walked past him. "Then we'll leave a trail of breadcrumbs for you, Alex."

Austin snorted in amusement as we entered the restaurant. The inside was cozy, dimly lit with flickering candles on each table. The scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling meat filled the air, making my stomach growl in response. After placing our orders, we settled into a booth by the window.

the conversation shifted back to our failed

I pointed out. "The tour guide mentioned them, which means there are places we weren't allowed to see. We really didn't get to

"That's why tonight matters.

store to gather supplies. The place was dimly lit, the aisles narrow and packed with shelves

bottle of water.

a bundle of flashlights into the cart. "We'll

lighter and waggled his eyebrows. "Or, you know, we have our powers. I can light up the whole cave." He flicked his fingers, and a small flame danced at

at Austin's hand. "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves,

lighter into the cart anyway, extinguishing the flame with

sugar filled the air, and I couldn't resist grabbing one. The first bite melted in my mouth, sweet and flaky, sending

town's silhouette against

1/3

Chapter Hundred and Five

of this

at him in surprise. He wasn't usually the sentimental type.

It's beautiful here. Wouldn't mind

smiled. "I'd like

seriously romanticizing this place? We're here

"You just don't want to admit you're actually having fun. But if you don't wanna come, the rest of us

have every right to go wherever my

laughed, finishing our food before

hours passed slowly. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, restless. Something was waiting for us in those caves-I could feel it. The riddle hadn't led us there for no reason. My fingers traced the stone fragment we had found in the Whispering Willows, the rough edges pressing against my skin. What if the next piece was hidden somewhere deep inside

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