Clair looked out of the window of her carriage, she saw that they were going up a hill, the lights and glimmer of the Gorgon city were fleeing behind them, she couldnt believe that she was leaving the city, correction, she was forcefully kidnapped from her home by none other than her friend Adui Hampshire.

After the mercenaries shoved her into this carriage and she regained consciousness, she still had hope that she would be able to run away from there. She believed that at the City Watch’s check post, she would be rescued. But she was wrong, those guys didnt do anything, that half-burned bastard just handed the soldier a glowing rock, and all of a sudden the soldier became his loyal dog.

When even the soldiers of city watch didnt help her, then there was no way anyone could, she knew that Adui was powerful, but she had no idea that he was so powerful, he was not the weak little man who used to get beaten by the bullies of their village, he had changed.

‘Even if that fucker had changed, he had no right to drag me with him. This is kidnapping, nothing more, nothing less. I am sure that when Jarad would come back, he would be furious when he would find out what Adui did. I am sure he would command the Royal Army to come and find me.’

As she looked out of the window, she noticed the mercenaries that were escorting them, those able-bodied men looked like they had seen some battles. It must have cost Adui a fortune to hire them, her husband had told her about the price of veteran mercenaries and they do cost a penny. And it is then she couldnt help but ask herself, whether Adui was right. She knew that he was not a bad man, at least when she last met him. 

Without any information, she didnt know what to think. If Adui was indeed right, then she had a right to know what kind of danger they were facing. She may not be the smartest woman out there, nor was she an awakened one, but she was mentally strong, and she could handle anything that these guys would throw at her, she was so sure of it. So why is no one telling her anything?

She sat up straight and looked through the window located behind the driver of the carriage, one more carriage was moving in front of them, she had a feeling that her daughters were there with Adui. She knew that old Adui wouldn't harm those girls, but she couldnt help but be nervous, he had changed, he was not the same guy that she knew in the past. Maybe it was her paranoia talking, but she was really scared that he might do something to her daughters.

It is only when they finally stopped around midnight, for dinner and rest, did she saw a hope to be able to meet with her daughters. Her carriage door was locked from the outside, while the window of her carriage was unbreakable, which is why she couldnt move from her place, even if she wanted to.

When the mercenaries had lit a fire, and they have settled the camp, it was only then Adui came to her carriage, to let her out. And she was ready for it…

She saw him heading towards her carriage, which was her cue, she had ripped apart a piece of her clothing and wrapped it around her fist, and then she curled up in the corner, acting as if she was helpless and tired. When he opened the door and stepped on the stairs by the door, that was her signal.

Like a hungry tiger pouncing at its prey, she jumped on it, tackled him and both of them fell to the ground.

AARRGHH

He groaned from pain, as she landed on him, she was fine, but this was not over. Immediately she made a fist and started punching him in the face, her knuckles hurt every time her punches connected, but it was alright, she could live with some pain.

She connected 5-6 punches on his face before Ben and some mercenaries successfully removed her from above him.

“LET ME GO!” she struggled, she was not done yet, not by a long shot.

She moved her hands and legs, trying to free herself, but the mercenaries were too powerful for her, and easily she was overpowered and outnumbered, they soon tied her hands and legs, and moved him away from Adui, as soon as possible.

She was not able to kill him, but she did break his nose and punch him blue and bloody, and from what she felt, she also broke a few of his teeth. It was not merely as satisfying as it should have been, but it was better than nothing…

She sat near the bonfire, basking in its warmth, while one of the mercenaries was stationed beside trying to keep her in check, there was no sign of her daughters or Adui, and now she was panicking, considering and imagining every bad scenario that her mind could bake and none of them were comforting.

It is only Adui who came and sat beside her, she sighed with relief, his bandaged face gave her some comfort, but it was not enough, she wanted to know where her daughters were…

“So are you happy now?” came a muffled sound of Adui, his mouth was covered in bandages, making him difficult to say anything.

She glared at him. “Where are my daughter you monsters?”

“Your daughters?” he asked with eyebrows arched upwards. “Wait a minute… Did you beat me up because you thought I did something to your daughters?”

She didnt say anything, and that was enough for him to get his answer. “Unbeleiveable Clair! Did you really think I would do anything to you or your daughters? Are you fucking insane?”

She couldnt believe, he had the audacity to say something like this, he was the one who was behaving like a complete lunatic, he was the one that kidnapped them from their home, he was the one who was acting weird, then how dare he point his finger at her.

“YOU ARE THE ONE ACTING WEIRD ADUI! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT KIDNAPPED US! HOW COULD I TRUST YOU WHEN I DONT EVEN KNOW WHY ARE WE OUT HERE?”

He remained silent, from his eyes she could see that he was thinking deeply about something, “What? Cat got your tongue?” her provocation didnt get her any reaction.

But after a few seconds of silence, he did speak. “Diane and Julia are in the carriage. I have tucked them in under a warm blanket. They are sleeping, you dont have to worry about them.” He said. “If you want then you can travel with them… you know what, you should travel with them. You are their mother.”

She was at a loss for words, she had many more reasons to be mad at him, but she stopped, as she saw the glimpse of old Adui for a second. 

“Why are you doing this Adui?” she didnt expect any answer from him, but she couldnt just take it anymore, she needed to know what was happening here, and what are they doing out there.

Adui then came closer to her and sat down. He then gestured to the mercenary that was keeping an eye on her and he went away, and it is then he started telling her everything that he knew. He told her how all of this started, how he was given the order to acquire the land, and how he was tortured ruthlessly by Gizelle and her family because he saved Jarad’s ass by telling everything to the Royal family.

He told her about all the bad things that the Ulaspas family was doing right now, and how they are stuck in a hopeless situation because their enemies are so strong that no one in the kingdom could come even a little close to their strength.

It was all too much to take in, she couldnt believe half of the stuff that he told him, there was no way in the world that there were some people in the world who could kill normal humans, just to gain some amount of power, it felt very alien concept to her.

“Are you telling the truth?” She couldnt help but ask, but she couldnt believe what the man told her.

“I am telling the truth.”

It is then the feeling of dread filled her heart, she remembered that Jarad had gone to Baron Geon’s territory, the place where the evil people of Ulaspas family had taken their residence. She then turned to Adui, she hesitated a little bit, her throat got parched up, and she couldnt get herself to ask him this question, but she had to do it.

“Adui..” She said in a low voice. “Do you think… Jarad. Is he…”

He didnt wait for her to finish the question and answered straight away. “I dont know. The chances are… that he is. But there is also a chance that he might be alive. It is very hard to say.”

Tears started rolling down her eyes, now she understood why he was so adamant in bringing her. She had known that man since he was a kid, she knew that he didn't any rash decisions, he was probably planning all of this for a very long time.

It was then it started clicking her, she remembered the black liquid that he made her and her daughter swallow. It was an attempt to protect her and her family. As she cried her heart out, she couldnt help but ask herself one crucial question…

‘Why did he wait this long to hand over the liquid to them? If he wanted then he could have handed it over many days ago, and maybe then Jarad could have been with them, not lost in those monster’s territory.’

Her grieving mind then started making connections. 

What if she was giving him too much credit, what if Adui is the real monster here? She started thinking that maybe, he wanted her, and that is why he orchestrated all of this to get to her.

She looked at him, he was still sitting beside her, there was a very clear distance between them, but she couldnt help but be suspicious of him.