Chapter 262: Beyond The Hidden Door
[Music recommendation: Lullaby of Woe - Ashley Serena]
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Meanwhile, somewhere on the other side of the dark tunnels, two more people maneuvered their way through the winding passage.
As they advanced, both remained silent. What had happened back in the study still echoed in each of their minds.
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Sometime earlier....
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Just as they were about to step into the hidden passage, the study door had begun to open.
Aliana had been certain they were about to be caught, and she had frozen, her eyes locked on the door.
Then, something so bizarre happened that she felt as if her brain had glitched.
One moment, she clearly remembered standing inside the study staring at the door, and the very next, she was on the other side of the passage with Gavriel, watching the hidden door click shut in front of them.
She had to blink multiple times to prove to herself she wasn’t hallucinating.
How? How was that even possible?
Had she spaced out so badly that she didn’t even realise she had crossed the threshold into the secret tunnel?
With the secret door shut, darkness swallowed them whole. That was when they heard the commotion from the other side.
Slap!
"You had one job! Spread your legs and keep the man busy! But you couldn’t even manage that!" Vance roared inside the study.
"Dad! What am I supposed to do when he’s been acting like this ever since he saw that snobby bitch!" Gwen yelled back.
"Who are you talking about?" Vance demanded.
"That Aliana! It isn’t my fault Cedric has been in love with her this whole time! I thought enough time had passed for him to get over her, but not only did she wrap a man like Gavriel around her little finger, but Cedric has been fighting for control ever since!"
Another violent coughing fit echoed through the study before Cedric managed to choke out, "What... is... happening...?"
"There isn’t time to argue about your failures," Vance snapped. "We need to get him to the chamber now."
The room fell silent for a brief moment before the familiar mechanical rumble echoed through the walls.
The bookshelves were moving.
Aliana’s eyes widened in the darkness as she instinctively turned towards Gavriel.
Without wasting a second, he scooped her into his arms and moved with astonishing speed through the passage until it opened into the same vast underground tunnel Jade and Cillian had discovered.
Spotting one of the narrow side passages, he slipped inside just as the hidden doorway opened behind them.
"Move him to the temple immediately," Vance ordered.
"Yes, High Star," the men carrying Cedric answered in unison before disappearing down the main passage, only a few metres from where Gavriel and Aliana remained concealed.
Only after the footsteps had faded into the distance did Aliana look up at Gavriel.
"Put me down," she whispered. "We need to follow them."
Gavriel lowered his gaze to meet hers before his eyes drifted towards her bare feet. "There is no way I’m letting you walk barefoot."
Aliana looked down at her feet before lifting her gaze to meet her husband’s unyielding expression and let out a quiet sigh.
"I’ll be fine, Gav. I can’t expect you to carry me the whole way," she replied.
"I can, and there is no other way," Gavriel retorted.
Hearing the footsteps fading further into the distance, Aliana finally gave in. "Fine. Let me get on your back."
When his brows furrowed at the suggestion, she quickly added, "It will make it much easier for you to move and react if anything happens. Now hurry! They’re getting away!"
Knowing that stubborn look on her face all too well, Gavriel didn’t argue. He complied, and together they set off through the dark tunnels, silently pursuing the footsteps ahead.
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Back to the present....
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Gavriel was quick to catch up with his long stride and stealthy grace, ensuring none of the men detected their presence.
But the moment they reached another turn, he came to an abrupt halt and slipped behind the stone wall for cover.
Peering around the corner, he spotted two men standing guard outside a heavy wooden door, the very one Cedric and the others had entered moments earlier.
Aliana’s brows pulled together, her body rigid with tension as she whispered into his ear, "Gav, what do we do?"
Suddenly, an agonising scream tore from Cedric’s throat, echoing down the corridor.
Aliana flinched, her grip tightening frantically around Gavriel’s neck. "G-Gav!" Her voice quivered with panic, knowing something horrific was happening to her friend behind those doors.
Gavriel’s mind raced as he calculated his next move. Had he been alone, slipping inside undetected to observe from the shadows would have been effortless.
But with Aliana on his back and guards watching the entrance, he couldn’t simply march in or carelessly use his abilities.
He had already taken a massive risk earlier by freezing time when they were about to be caught, moving Aliana to safety and triggering the hidden door to shut just before Vance stepped through.
Now, the distance was far too great to cover without raising suspicion.
It was a miracle she hadn’t questioned how they moved so fast, but given the high-stakes nightmare unfolding around them, it made sense her focus was on other pressing matters.
So he closed his eyes, and the next second, several stones cracked loose from the far end of the passage before crashing onto the ground. The loud noise immediately alerted the guards, causing both men to rush towards the disturbance.
The moment they disappeared down the passage, Gavriel whispered, "Don’t make a sound, Ana."
She gave a small nod and remained perfectly still, even though she couldn’t help thinking how perfectly timed the distraction had been.
Pushing the thought aside, she kept her eyes fixed on the open doorway, desperate to find out what on earth was happening in this place.
As soon as the guards cleared out, Gavriel slipped over to the heavy wooden door, positioning them near the frame so they could both peek inside.
The moment they did, a wave of pure shock rippled through Aliana’s body.
Inside the cavernous chamber, Cedric was strapped onto a stone platform directly in front of a towering black stone statue.
It bore the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a monstrous spider. Long strands of hair veiled her emotionless face, while dark streaks stained her hollow eyes and parted lips. Massive, razor-sharp legs stretched across the floor, surrounded by thick webs and human skulls embedded into the walls, giving the chamber an ancient, sinister presence.
For a brief moment, both Gavriel and Aliana found themselves staring at the grotesque statue.
Suddenly, a distant, reverberating voice echoed inside Gavriel’s head.
"Your Highness..."
A sharp pain lanced through his skull, forcing him to briefly close his eyes.
Meanwhile, Aliana felt her heartbeat quicken as she stared at the statue.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, her blood began to boil, and an overwhelming sense of anger surged through her, causing her fingers to curl tightly into fists.
Then another agonising scream ripped from Cedric’s throat, instantly snapping both of their attention away from the statue.