Chapter 953 White nudged him with its little head, sensing his gloom, trying to offer comfort.
Evan said, "White, you don't want him to be sad, do you?" White flicked its forked tongue out at him in response.
Evan chuckled, "Good boy, White! Let's head back, and I'll treat you to a feast! We've got to nail this mission to keep him from being down in the dumps. Let's go, off to find Grandma!" Finding Grandma's ashes without him knowing was the plan. If he didn't know where they were, it wouldn't break his heart.
Evan leaped gracefully to the top of the garden wall and then jumped down into the yard.
Following the route he had scoped out earlier, he quietly moved several hundred meters forward until he reached the forbidden area's gate.
The red-brown wooden gate was securely locked. No getting through that.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtEvan decided to scale the wall to get inside.
The forbidden area was pitch-black, not a single light, and unguarded.
The night breeze rustled through the leaves, creating a spine-chilling atmosphere.
But Evan wasn't scared. Turning on his flashlight, he ventured deeper.
White jumped off his shoulder, leading the way.
They passed through an archway into a courtyard.
At each of the courtyard's four corners stood a temple, each housing a fierce, wide-eyed statue brandishing weapons, as if guarding the interior.
In the middle of the courtyard was a well, its mouth wide, covered with a large stone slab secured by a chain. The well cover and the stone were engraved with cryptic runes that were indecipherable.
White circled the well, returning to Evan's side, flicking his red tongue.
Evan squinted, "A dried-up well? This has got to be the place!" Just then, Elliot's voice cthrough the earpiece, "The ashes are right beneath your feet!" Evan responded, "We've found a dried-up well in the forbidden area. It's definitely in there, but the well cover is chained. Can I just break the lock?" "No, we can't be 100% sure the ashes are Grandma's. We've got to be sneaky; we can't alert Gideon." The plan was for Evan to stealthily retrieve the ashes for Tarquin to identify.
When they first learned that Gideon had Grandma's ashes, Tarquin assured them he could identify his mother's remains. He had his ways.
Elliot thought, if Tarquin could confirm it, then it was all the reason needed to give Gideon a hard time.
But if they weren't Grandma's ashes, then he'd continue to deceive Gideon as 'Alpha Thorne' until they found the real ashes.
Therefore, the retrieval had to be done quietly, without Gideon finding out.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThey also didn't tell Tarquin because...
If it was a mistake, he'd be disappointed.
If it wasn't, he'd be heartbroken.
After all, knowing your mother's ashes were kept in such a place would enrage and sadden anyone.
Evan stared at the heavy chain, lost in thought, "Can't break the lock, gotta think..."
Elliot suggested, "If you can't find a better way, try the abbot's assistant. He's got authority, likely has the key to the well.
It'd be best to steal the key, but if you can't, just confront him. And after you've threatened him, knock him out to ensure he can't alert Gideon." "Alright! I'll think of something."
Just as Evan finished speaking, a sudden noise from behind made him whip around, only to face a looming shadow! mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1