Chapter 195
The sky was coated in blue, Cain stood at the gates of Vehiron. Behind him stood ten of his most trusted warriors, silent and armed. Each of them knew the name of the place they were about to enter: The Valley of Death. None of them spoke it aloud.
He didn’t choose them to go with; they all volunteered. Lydia stepped forward, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She looked like she hadn’t slept either.
"You’re really doing this?" she asked, her voice low.
Cain didn’t look at her at first. His gaze was locked on the forest ahead. But when he did turn, something in her chest squeezed. She stepped closer.
"Cain, doing this..."
"Will bring her back," Cain interjected quickly. Lydia glanced at him, her heart heavy. "Don’t," he said.
Lydia was part of those who believed going into the Valley of Death was a death sentence. As much as she loved Avery and was praying for her recovery, she just couldn’t stop thinking about the numerous people that forest has swallowed. After more than a thousand people died there, it was given its name: Valley of Death. She glanced at Xander who stood behind Cain. Her brother was also going with him, and maybe that was what scared her the most.
She tried to talk him out of it, but he refused. ’Avery’s my friend, Lydia. This is the least I can do to help her. Besides, I swore loyalty to Cain. After everything that’s happened with Callum, he needs someone on his side,’ he had said. There was no changing his mind either.
"You’ll look after the pack in my absence," Cain voiced out.
Lydia’s throat tightened. "You don’t know what’s waiting for you in there. That forest has taken better men than you. This isn’t like the other missions. You’re going into a place that was never meant to be entered. That forest—it’s cursed. It’s where souls go to die."
Cain’s jaw clenched. "Avery’s soul is trapped because of him. And I won’t let her stay in that limbo a second longer. All I have to do is find Celeste’s heart."