The next morning, the group gathered in the hotel lobby, ready to depart before the city stirred. The streets outside were quiet, with only the faint sound of a merchant setting up his stall in the distance.

Adrian adjusted the strap of his pack as Ava joined him, her golden eyes glinting with excitement. "I took care of the horses," she announced with a proud smile. "Picked the fastest ones they had. We'll make good time."

Adrian nodded approvingly. "Good thinking."

The others soon joined them, each looking prepared for the long journey ahead. Lilith stretched lazily, her crimson eyes scanning the quiet streets. "So, where's this stable of yours, Ava?"

"Just a block away," Ava replied. "Let's get moving before the city wakes."

The group reached the stable, where seven sleek horses awaited them, their coats gleaming even in the faint pre-dawn light. Ava gestured toward the horses, her grin widening. "Only the best, of course."

Eris inspected the animals with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't try to haggle for these, did you?"

Ava smirked. "I may have made a sweet deal with the stable master… one he couldn't say no to."

Adrian shook his head but didn't comment further. "Mount up. We leave now."

They quickly put saddles on their horses and rode out of the city. The cobblestone streets soon gave way to dirt paths, the stillness of the early morning wrapping around them like a shroud.

No one spoke for the first leg of the journey, each lost in their thoughts as the horses carried them away from Grozh.

By the time the sun began to rise, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink, they had covered a significant distance. Adrian called for a halt near a small clearing by a stream, the sound of running water offering a brief respite from the silence.

They dismounted, securing the horses as they prepared a quick meal.

Medea leaned against a tree, her dark eyes fixed on Adrian. "You'll need to start training soon," she said bluntly. "The Shadow Court is gathering, and we don't know enough about their plans."

Adrian took a bite of the bread in his hand, considering her words. "We'll handle the Shadow Court, but not yet," he replied. "The priority is releasing all the goddesses. There are only two left. Once we've freed them, we can return to Zarpha to regroup and train."

"Zarpha?" Eris asked, her emerald eyes narrowing. "Why are we returning there? Isn't that where all the politics and noble nonsense happen?"

Abyss, who had been quietly sharpening her blade, glanced up with a possessive gleam in her violet eyes. "He's returning because of Queen Alannah," she said with a slight smirk. "Isn't that right, Adrian?"

Adrian shot her a sharp look. "Enough."

Lilith chuckled, tossing a piece of bread into her mouth. "She's not wrong, though. You do seem awfully eager to go back there."

Ignoring the jab, Adrian stood and dusted off his hands. "Eat quickly. We need to keep moving."

The group fell into a tense silence, though the occasional smirk from Eris and Abyss's smug expression lingered in the air. Adrian's mind, however, was elsewhere.

As they prepared to leave, his thoughts drifted to Queen Alannah. He hadn't seen her since their last brief meeting in Zarpha, but the memory of her remained vivid. She had always been a strong ally and maybe friend too, someone who understood the weight of leadership and sacrifice.

But his thoughts didn't linger on her for long. Another face came to mind—Elena.

His chest tightened at the thought of her, his wife, lost to the cruelty of the Shadow Court. He could still remember her laughter, the warmth in her eyes, the way she had been so excited about their future together.

And the child they had been expecting... a life stolen before it even had a chance to begin.

The goddesses had made him a promise. Once they were all free, they would help him bring Elena back. It was the only thing keeping him going some days—the hope of seeing her again, of holding her in his arms and telling her he had avenged her.

"Two more to go," he murmured to himself as he mounted his horse.

With each goddess released, his strength grew, his resolve hardened. When all the pieces were in place, he would tear through the Shadow Court like a storm. They would pay for what they had done—for every life they had ruined, for every dream they had destroyed.

And when it was over, he would bring Elena back. He would stand before her and proudly say that he had avenged her, their unborn child, and the future that had been stolen from them.

The sun climbed higher as the group pressed on, the horses' hooves kicking up dust along the winding path. The landscape shifted from rolling fields to dense woods, the shade providing a welcome relief from the growing heat.

Selene rode quietly beside Adrian, her silver cloak fluttering in the breeze. She hadn't said much since they left the city, her gaze distant as if lost in thought.

"Selene," Adrian said gently. "Are you all right?"

She glanced at him, startled from her reverie. "I'm fine," she replied quickly, though the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her.

Adrian didn't press further, but he made a mental note to keep an eye on her. Whatever she was dealing with, he knew it wasn't something she could face alone.

The rest of the group was more lively, though their banter carried an undercurrent of tension.

Eris was the first to break the silence with a dramatic sigh. "So, what's the plan when we get to this next temple? Are we going to just walk in and hope for the best?"

Lilith smirked. "That's usually how we operate, isn't it?"

Medea shot them both a withering look. "The assassins will be on our tails. We'll need to be careful. Recklessness will be costly."

Adrian nodded in agreement. "The last two temples will be the most dangerous. The Shadow Court knows where we are with those maps of theirs and might have an idea where we are going."

Abyss tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "Let them wait. It'll be their funeral."

Adrian smiled slightly, but he felt the heavy burden of his mission. Two more temples. Two more goddesses. And then… the reckoning.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.