400 Dark lake (1/2)

Abigail's lips parted in shock as she looked at Zeke with wide eyes.

”This place… isn't this the palace where Alex… where Alex was…”

”Yes. This is the palace that he burned that night he left you,” Zeke responded, causing Abi's heart to pound harder against her chest.

She looked around again, looking for Alex. Did he remember? He must have, right? That was why he came here!

Hope surged inside Abi as she walked towards the debris. She was glad the moon was shining down so brightly that night and she was able to clearly see everything. There was almost nothing left of the once formidable looking castle. It was desolate and empty and Abigail knew that many bodies had been burned here that night because the scene that she saw was vividly flashing in her mind again.

But Abigail was not afraid. She didn't have time to think about ghosts in this haunted looking ruin because she was busy thinking about Alex and looking for him.

”Where is he?” Abi turned to Zeke who didn't move from his spot when she still couldn't find Alex. ”He came here, right?”

Zeke didn't respond, his gaze just zeroed down the lake. The ruined palace was situated by the legendary Dark lake which was the black dragon's favorite place.

Abi followed Zeke's line of sight, thinking that he had spotted Alex, but she saw nothing there but a calm body of water reflecting the moonlight.

Thinking that Zeke must be still trying to spot him, Abi decided to find Alex by activating her hearing power but what she heard first were a number of vampire's heartbeats. Her heart thumped even faster inside her chest but the panic subsided when she remembered the shadows of the vampires that left the palace.

”Your highness, he jumped into the lake,” a voice echoed and Abi snapped her head back to Zeke. That Raven guy was standing right next to Zeke and both men were looking in the direction of the lake.

”What? He jumped in the lake?!” Abi's eyes stretched. ”W-why?!” The worry and fear in her eyes burned as she approached them, seeking answers.

Raven looked at her and politely nodded at her. ”We followed him all the way here when all of a sudden, he jumped into the water.”

”Don't worry, even if he stays underwater for years, he will not drown,” Zeke butted in, casually walking towards a tree and leaning on it, seemingly ready to wait for who knew how long it took for Alex to appear again. ”Vampires that went through that type of craving reportedly described that what they felt was akin to burning. He must have just wanted to quench the heat.”

”Are you saying we are just doing to stand here and wait for him to come out?”

”Yes, Abigail, that's what we are going to do.”

Abi swallowed as she silently clenched her fists. How could she just stand there and wait when Alex must be suffering underwater?