There came another round of hysterical laughter that could send anyone shiver in their spines. Clutching the sweaty head in her warm embrace like the last bit of her life, Esme's gaze wandered around desperately searching for the person that had been laughed over her pitiful state.

Suddenly she felt freezing cold in her embrace as she looked down hesitantly. But the following moment, she screamed out of her wits throwing away the figure that she had been holding so far.

Smashing against the raw leaves, she crippled backwards hastily as her expression turned grim and worried. The body that she had assumed as Aaron was only a mere skeleton with no facial expression. His face was scratched drastically that anyone would be afraid of taking a glimpse of it.

Much to her surprise, she figured out that the skeleton imposed more like Aaron from back. Frowning hard in concern, she shouted from the top of her lungs,

" Aaron... Aaron.. where are you? Where.. are you? Please.. Please let me know .."

Her vague words echoed in the air of Dark Forest along with the shivering whisper of winds. Esme gazed around hopefully to see his glimpse but there was no one around and suddenly the forest fell in dense silence.

Somehow she felt relief gazing on the skeleton that it didn't belong to Aaron. Thus her heart held the tiny hope of finding Aaron in this dangerous place.

On the other side

IN SASHA PALACE,

After the rough inter course, Athena's power was all wasted off by Ethan even though she had a good stamina in comparison with human. She kept lying down showing her back and heard his vague words as he caressed her back softly,

" When you come back to your sense, we will talk about it Athena. I don't want to force you to confess everything right away. I will be waiting for you."

Athena didn't respond and only shifted in her spot uncomfortably. The guilt was traveling all over her veins that couldn't be avoidable by any means.

Ethan kept his eyes focused on her back that didn't provide him any response. Sighing helplessly, he kissed the nape of her neckline softly and mumbled,

" I have to return to my castle now. You should rest. I will be back again."

He waited a bit but still the other party didn't give him the expected answer. Thus he stopped asking anymore and slowly got up from the bed after grabbing his clothes from the floor.

Athena heard the sound of zipping clothes as she secretly clutched the bedsheet tightly in her fists. She again put danger in another life just like Edward.

Her breathing hitched as she held back the muffled screams in her stomach. After putting on the clothes, Ethan gazed at her back for a few seconds before spoke with concern,

" Rest Well. I'm going."

Athena closed off her eyes shut tightly and heard his footsteps going away towards the corridor slowly. Reaching near the corridor, Ethan glanced back at her lying figure once again and found no trace of concern.

He gulped down his own saliva bitterly and thought inside his mind,

" Sometimes silence can kill anyone terribly more than words."

Exhaling a painful sigh, he summoned Siemus who was waiting for him in the rooftop. Reaching down after his command, Siemus found the air between them turned stiff as she wanted to interrogate further. But looking at Ethan's dull expression, she didn't like the idea and stopped midway.

Athena only turned back when she heard the loud snarl of Eagle outside in the sky as her heart left with vacant.

DARK FOREST, SOUTHERN PART

The air inside the forest had changed its direction and started blowing abruptly. Esme still gazed around suspiciously as she sensed a present nearby. Her subconscious mind gave her the thought that someone might be watching over her from the branches.

Unexpectedly she didn't spot anyone except those jungle trees and the moonlight from the giant sky above. She hauled up hesitantly and stepped forward near the old tree.

As she thought of moving forward once again, she heard thousand whispers coming out from the tree along with a rows of black shadow creating circles in the air above.

She tried to hear their words but couldn't understand a bit except whisperings. Those voices increased more roaming around her figure and danced rhythmically.

Esme observed them carefully and made a safe distance from touching or brushing against their balls. She remained unfazed and paid a great observing about her surrounding.

All of sudden, a female voice came out from the back of the tree angrily,

" Stop! She isn't the same as him."

Esme jolted slightly before gazing on the way boldly. Another shadow started appearing out from the back as she took a step backward for safety.

This was the same woman that she had seen with Aaron that day!

What was she doing here in Dark Forest? Is Aaron with her?

RIVERGREEN VALLEY,

At the same time, the two enemies who were secretly friends had arrived at their discerned place under the covering of their trained guards.

Jeremy suggested Ester to chose the most uncommon spot inside the forest. Thus they both had gone over the wild pool that hadn't been used for years. Standing beside the pool, Ester was far more anxious and questioned Jeremy repeatedly,

" Will she really appear? Why is it taking so long? I will be going back if she takes anymore time."

Jeremy could only give him helpless glare and occasionally glanced on the path. Very soon, a figure started coming out on their way covered in a thick shawl that hid her face behind it completely.

Jeremy let out a sigh of relief and informed Ester fast,

" She is here, Master."

Ester glanced back on the path and saw the figure that he had seen a few years ago. Ester laughed sarcastically and welcomed jokingly,

" Welcome, welcome Queen Mother. I thought, I needed to wait for a year to see your face."

The figure paused before grunting annoyingly and pulled off her shawl. Queen Mother's face had darkened in anger as she responded,

" Do you think that it's easy for me to meet you any time? I have been living in fear of exposing for this years. Lucky Athena had sealed her mouth in front of her brother. Or else I would have existing in the prison by now."

Ester shrugged his shoulders indifferently and asked,

" It's none of my business. Now tell me, why did your useless guards couldn't finish Ethan Chole? Do you think that I have so much time to play anymore? He is fighting with me for the throne. "

Queen Mother sighed before replying back,

" Even I don't know what happened on that day exactly. One of them only told me that they had lost their visions for a while and heard a woman's tongue. As for who it was, they had no idea. What's my fault in that? Tell me.."

Ester grained raking his fingers through his hairs and said,

" I don't want to hear anything. I helped yoy seven years back to save your reputation. Even I betrayed my own blood for you. "

Queen Mother laughed at his words and replied with mockery,

" Come on Ester, don't lie anymore. We both know that you did for your own sake. Don't drag me into this. Now speak out. What do you want again? I have already paid off your debt. "

Ester sneered and demanded stepping forward,

" You haven't, Queen Mother. I wanted to kill Ethan but he is still alive. How can you say that you have paid off? I want you to attack him again unless... "

Queen Mother frowned and asked coldly,

" Unless what??"

Ester smirked and continued,

" Unless you don't want to go in prison and hated by your children till death. "

Queen Mother shouted out,

" Ester..!!! "

Ester hissed lifting one of his arm sarcastically and cleared her words,

" Don't shout back, Queen Mother. You know that what can I do to you."

Queen Mother glared at him hatefully and fell in dilemma.

Inside the cave,

Ayra had woken up from her sound sleep suddenly. Her tiny hands rubbed her sleepy eyes but immediately became alerted realising the grumble in her stomach.

Blinking away on the entrance of the cave, she figured out that it was another full moon day and she needed to drink black. Turning back to see Anna who was in slumber sleep, she thought of heading out on her own.

Thus she got up cautiously not wanting to wake up Anna and headed for the forest nearby. Shortly after, she arrived at the middle of the forest and started wandering her eyes for her prey sharply.

Walking ahead without knowing her destination, she vaguely heard some noises coming out from the pool side as her tracks paused in puzzlement.

Who came here in this valley? Sister Anna told me that no one stays here except us.

REMINDER: Just to remind you once again guys, vote for this book as much as possible. If it crosses 500 within Sunday, there will be an extra chapter on Monday night.

So cheer me up ❤️

P:S I have prolonged the story a bit. So I will tell the story of Aaron and Esme for another month.. hehe ❤️