Chapter 376: The Old Headquarters
Evaline:
After Draven left, it took me way too long to fall asleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I found myself questioning if I was being too unreasonable.
I knew that my mates wanted to protect me, that they wanted to keep me safe at any cost, and I was grateful for their care. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel this undeniable pull toward these soul death cases.
It’s not like I hadn’t tried staying away from this matter. I had. But somehow, it end up coming back to me in one way or another.
When I was giving up on finding anything about the secret group within the Academy, I ended up finding out about their meeting. When I tried to distance myself from the case after that because Kieran didn’t want me to get involved, I found out about Naira, and now Elder Nicholas’ case that had filled my heart with a sense of fear I couldn’t shake off.
After contemplating all over again, I realized that even if I was being hasty or unreasonable, I wasn’t in the wrong to find more about these cases.
With my mind set and a plan already ready, I finally drifted to sleep... waiting for morning to come.
- - -
I waited until the house fell completely still before moving.
The sun had barely climbed high enough to warm the landscape, and the house was wrapped in a comfortable silence that came only when my mates were away at work.
As usual, River had left first before dawn. Draven and Kieran followed shortly after, and Oscar was the last to leave.
When I finally saw his figure fads into the distance, I exhaled a long, shaky breath.
It was time.
I dressed quickly, nothing that would draw attention - jeans, a plain black shirt, and a cap to shield my face. I tied my hair in a high bun to hide it under the cap, slipped on my sneakers, and checked my small bag. Wallet. Keys. Phone. And most importantly, the paper where I had scribbled the rough directions to the old council headquarters.
Lioren was fast asleep in Madam Elira’s care. I had peeked in just before getting changed, my heart clenching at the sight of his tiny hands clutching the blanket. "Be good, my love," I whispered softly, brushing a kiss against his forehead.
I told Madam Elira that I wanted to catch on a little sleep and wouldn’t be coming down for lunch.
And then I was gone.
The moment I stepped outside the manor, the late morning breeze hit my face, slightly cool and gentle, but the rush inside me was far from calm.
My pulse hammered in my chest as I walked briskly down the forest-lined road leading away from the house. I made sure to stay hidden from the plain sight of anyone watching from the windows of the house,
Every step felt heavier with the risk I was taking - if River or Kieran found out, I would never hear the end of it.
I walked for over half an hour before reaching Lakeshire. Thpugh there was a bus stand near the Academy, there were no busses stopping by since it was Tuesday and students weren’t allowed to step out of Academy grounds.
So I had no better option but to walk all the way to the town. Fortunately, I had done it more than enough times during the first term, and thus, I made my way into the town without any issues.
At the first rental service I could find, I handed over my ID and got the keys to a small silver sedan.
Sliding behind the wheel, I couldn’t help but smirk slightly.
It was Ethan had taught me how to drive, undoubtedly the only good thing he had ever done. Back then, I had disliked his controlling nature. Now, that skill was coming in handy in ways he could have never imagined.
The road to the old headquarters was long and winding, cutting through dense trees and empty lands that looked like they hadn’t seen life in years. The hum of the car engine was the only sound accompanying me, and yet, my nerves were alive.
When I finally saw the massive stone walls ahead, I slowed down.
The old council headquarters stood tall and imposing even now.
It had been decades since anyone worked here, and yet... it didn’t look abandoned.
The iron gates were still intact. The windows were unbroken. The stone walls, though darkened by time, were spotless.
I parked the car a short distance away and got out, scanning the surroundings. The forest behind the building stretched endlessly, while the front opened into a paved courtyard that looked too clean for an abandoned site.
My instincts screamed that I wasn’t alone, but I didn’t see anyone.
"Just a quick look," I whispered to myself, adjusting my bag.
The main doors were locked with a security lock, and I wasn’t foolish enough to try forcing them open. So, I circled around to the back, moving slowly through the shadows of the trees.
That’s when I found it - a metal trapdoor, half hidden beneath a layer of fallen leaves and vines.
I crouched, brushing the debris aside. The steel was cold beneath my fingers. I tugged at the handle, but it didn’t budge. Locked.
I looked around, checking the area again. Nothing. Not a sound.
With my heart pounding, I knelt and searched the edges of the trapdoor, finding a faint keypad attached near the side. I tried a few random combinations. Nothing.
And then I spotted something that made me frown - a second layer of security beyond the door. There was a scanner set into the ground just below the keypad. Whatever this led to, it wasn’t just an underground cellar.
I pressed my lips together, frustration building.
"Of course, there’s another gate," I muttered. "Because why make life easy?"
I leaned back on my heels, ready to give up, at least for now. Maybe I could come back with Rowan and find another way-
That’s when it happened.
A shadow fell over me.