"The Soul Tree must've been taken into Mother's domain," Reuben said as he appeared beside Thalia and Shannon.
Compared to the other two, he clearly had a better grasp of what might be happening within the clan grounds.
The moment something went wrong with the Soul Tree, Louise would no doubt have immediately sealed it away within her domain to protect it and the soul bells attached. After all, her domain tied to her thoughts was the safest place it could be.
But now, the situation didn't feel that simple.
"What about the rest of the Wynthropes?" Shannon couldn't help but ask.
The clan grounds had been sealed off by a barrier. No one inside could leave, so there shouldn't have been any need to draw the rest of the clan into the domain too. It didn't make sense.
"We have to find the elders first," Reuben replied.
He and Louise had long suspected that one of the elders had fallen under Vlad's control, but they couldn't be sure who it was.
If one of them had indeed turned, the others should have reacted by now. They could find Louise if they could find the elders.
Neither Shannon nor Thalia objected. The three of them began following the faint traces through the Wynthorpe Manor.
Though Thalia was somewhat familiar with the grounds, she couldn't compare to Reuben.
She and Shannon had mostly moved through the central gardens, but multiple side gardens lay beyond that. Each was an independent courtyard with its individual halls and hallways.
Reuben didn't lead them toward the side gardens where the elders usually resided. Instead, he headed straight for one of the clan's most forbidden grounds.
It was a burial ground of the ancestors. More than just a forbidden ground, it was the final stronghold for the clan's ruin. Even Thalia had never been here before.
As the three drew closer, they sensed the faint presence of the clansmen from within and a darker trace of malign demons.
Malign demons…
Shannon and the others stayed expressionless. Upon confirming Kael's identity, Reuben's gaze turned ice-cold. "So, it was you."
No more words were needed.
Supernatural energy surged around him as nine tails unfurled behind his back. His figure vanished like a flash of lightning as he lunged straight toward Kael.
Shannon and Thalia didn't hesitate either. Their supernatural energy ignited as they dove straight into the heart of the malign demon horde.
Within the barrier, the elders didn't cheer for reinforcements. Instead, they shouted in alarm, "Don't use your supernatural powers!"
The more supernatural power used, the faster the malice latched on.
Sure enough, the air thickened when the three unleashed their powers. Black malice seemed to gain form like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves catching the scent of prey and surged toward the three in a frenzy.
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