Chapter 131: The Forgotten Ruin
Jean was adventurous but not optimistic being led by this being. "Remembered as what? A fool? A traitor?"
"That depends on what you make of it," Lucius quipped. "But I promise, no harm will come to you. Just wait until you see what I have to show you."
The carriage rolled on, leaving the castle far behind. The moonlight bathed the landscape in silver, and the trees loomed like silent sentinels on either side of the road. Jean tried to focus on the thrill of discovery, but her fears gnawed at her resolve.
"What if someone recognizes me?" she whispered. "Or worse, what if this turns out to be—"
"Hush," Lucius interrupted, his voice firm but not unkind. "You’re overthinking. No one’s following us, and no one cares about a plain-looking carriage leaving the castle. You’re perfectly safe."
Jean’s lips tightened. "I didn’t even bring a shovel," she said suddenly, her voice rising in a panicked squeak. "How am I supposed to find things out if I don’t even have the tools?"
Lucius laughed—a deep, resonant sound that filled her head and sent a shiver down her spine. "Oh, Jean, you’re delightful when you panic. But don’t worry, little archaeologist. This place doesn’t need a shovel. Just your eyes... and maybe your courage."
Jean swallowed hard, trying to tamp down the mixture of fear and excitement that surged through her. She leaned out the small carriage window, watching as the road narrowed and the forest grew denser. The trees seemed to close in, their branches intertwining overhead like a canopy of secrets.
The horses slowed, their breaths visible in the cold night air. The driver muttered something under his breath, but Jean couldn’t make out the words. She turned to Lucius—or rather, the absence of him, his presence felt only in her mind.