"One of the reasons why Dream walkers had been hiding is because of people who wanted to use their skills to go to other realms. After all, not many people can walk between realms." The Shaman said. "For years, dreamwalkers had been hunted down like animals. They had been forced to do things that they didn’t want to. At the end of the day, they would have two options. Run away or... fight back. Many chose to run away and the ones that chose to fight back had to train themselves to become so powerful and ruthless. To not trust anyone. To live alone."
Ava frowned at that. For some reason, the Shaman’s words hit her. She had seen some of his memories and most of them involve him studying magick, runes, and many other things that would make him stronger. The Shaman didn’t just become like this because he was talented. It was also because he was hardworking.
And now, Ava just realized the Shaman’s greatest motivation.
It was survival.
"With that said, it is better for us to be more careful," Baba said. "For all, we know this is a trap."
Ava nodded.
"Do you think this has something to do with Matthew?"
"Is he in danger?" Baba asked.
"No. I don’t think so. Usually, I always feel that something is wrong. This time, I didn’t."
"Why would you feel it?" Drigo asked.
"Because she is his witch." Shaman said.
"I didn’t know that— "
"We shared a special bond," Ava reasoned. "Something that involves bed and fucking."
Drigo’s lips dropped, and his eyes widened before he cleared his throat. ’" I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to — you know."
"Apology accepted," Ava said. Of course, she intentionally said that because she didn’t want them to find out that she was Matthew’s mate.
"So... what are we going to do now?" Drigo immediately changed the subject. "Aren’t we going to find the Priestess?"
"No," Ava shook her head. "The previous Queen is planning something else and I don’t think it’s anything good."
"My mother— " Drigo sighed. ’She had changed since my father changed. It was just something — " Another sigh left his lips as she sat on his chair, his shoulders slumped down, it was as if he just lost a war. "A part of me refused to believe that she could do something sinister... especially to me, her son."
"Being a King has its own consequences," the Shaman said. "Lamenting about this is useless."
"Shaman..."
"I am going to talk to Ava," the Shaman declared. He looked at Drigo as if expecting him to leave his own study. Ava awkwardly looked at the Shaman and then towards Drigo. Clearly, the Shaman wanted Drigo to leave!
Ava cleared her throat.
"Your majesty, would you mind leaving us alone?" she asked.
"Oh?" Realization hit Drigo. He immediately got up. "Of course. Of course. I am going to leave..."
"Take Baba with you. She will keep you safe. At all cost." The Shaman said. With that, Baba went out of the room with Drigo along with his assistant.
"I can use my abilities inside this plane," the Shaman said. "But I won’t."
"What?’ Confused, Ava frowned. What does that mean?
"I cannot stay in this world forever. You have to learn.... Everything."
"What?"
"You have to learn everything before I leave."
"What do you mean?"
"I am dying. Very soon"
"Dying?" Ava knew that the Shaman has become weaker compared to his younger self but to actually say that he Is dying very soon? "How soon is very soon?" she couldn’t help but ask.
The Shaman smiled.
"Sorry..." Ava said. "I just— " As someone who had seen the Shaman’s memories and had become the Shaman’s only apprentice, Ava had this invisible bond towards him. It was something closer to that of a child’s bond to his or her father.
"You have to learn. Use this." The Shaman said. "I will be guarding your body."
Ava nodded. She already understood what the Shaman wanted. He wanted her to find Ulva on her own while she astral project.
Since she is astral projecting in the same plane, it would be easier for her to come in and out of her body. This was different when she was astral projecting inside Baba’s lair.
"You have to be careful..." the Shaman said. "Something is hiding behind the Queen’s smile."
"What does that mean?"
"I believe it might have something to do with Matthew’s disappearance."
Ava pursed her lips, as she stared at the Shaman.
"Go on... I will take care of your body."
"Let us talk about this later!" Ava said sternly. She then found a comfortable couch and lie down. Not long after, she used her magick to enter the astral world. Usually, it would take her at least a few minutes to be able to do this but this time, it only took her a couple of seconds to separate her astral body from her physical one.
She saw the Shaman use magick to hide her body. Then he looked at her and nodded.
Ava’s lips thinned as she decided to first visit the Queen’s palace.
It was not that far from the King’s Palace. She thought Margery would be there with the current Queen. To her surprise, she wasn’t. Next, Ava visited the previous Queen’s quarters.
Still, she couldn’t find her. After roaming around for a couple of minutes, she stumbled upon a conversation that immediately piqued her interest.
"Have you heard about it?"
"Heard about what?"
"The witches... I mean the one supporting the previous Queen seemed to have disappeared."
"Are you certain about it?" one of the three maids that had been talking in the garden said.
"Shhhh...." The other responded and looked around. After seeing that they were alone, she added. "My cousin was one of them. She left yesterday night and hasn’t returned since. Her mother had been worried. She tried asking the guards in the previous Queen’s palace but they, too, refused to help her."
"Are you certain that she disappeared? What if she just— "
"Shhhh! Don’t talk about this to other witches. I do not want to cause any more chaos."
"Chaos? How could it be— a revolt!?" one of the witches exclaimed, her eyes wide with horror. "Are they trying to revolt against the current King?"
"A revolt would be very stupid. The King wanted to give us rights. We have been serving the Lycan family for generations. It is only right that we get our own rights. A plot of land would be nice."
"Going out of the plane would be nice too. I have heard from the Princess that the outside world is very different from this plane."
"Unfortunately, that might not happen. If they really do a revolt..."
"This isn’t the first time that something like this happened but this is the first time that the other noble families joined hands to destroy the King."
Ava frowned as she listened to the rest of the conversation. Matthew already told her about the changes that he wanted and they knew that this wouldn’t be easy for Drigo. But to actually revolt just because of it?
Ava hadn’t anticipated it.
"The Previous Queen has gotten closer to the de Cene family lately. Do you think they are supporting her?"
"Shhh... will you stop that?"
"I agree. Let’s stop talking about this. The walls have ears. I do not want to get my family in trouble."
"Tsk."
Not long after, the three maids dispersed, leaving Ava there on her own. Obviously, they didn’t know she was in there as they couldn’t see or feel her.
Ava bit her lower lip and teleported herself to the de Cene family’s manor in this plane. As part of etiquette, each noble family was actually living outside of this plane. However, each of them has its very own manors inside.
They mostly use this when they visit the plane for some meeting with the King. Of course, they also use it when they join some special events like the coronation of the King or the wedding of one of the princes.
The moment she arrived in the manor, Ava immediately felt the thick sinister aura that seemed to surround the place. She shivered, and her face turned darker.
Then she carefully walked inside the house.
"They should be here anytime soon..." the Previous Queen’s voice echoed inside the living room. Opposite her was old man de Cene who looked just as malevolent as the smile plastered on the Queen’s face.
"My Queen... I believe hiding Ulva would be useless against the Shaman. There are rumors that the Shaman is even more powerful than Ulva herself. I think..."
"Even if he is more powerful, he wouldn’t act like a careless teenager and immediately find Ulva. He would wait. Time is in our favor. It wouldn’t take too long now..."
"I don’t want to sound ungrateful but... are you certain she will give us Matthew’s location? I mean... I always thought she hated Matthew."
In response, the Queen just snorted. "You naive fool..." she said. "I never told you anything about using Ulva to get Matthew. I said... she will be the key to getting Matthew." The Queen smiled.
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