Chapter 134 Stay hidden

Chapter 134 Stay hidden
~ Taren's POV ~

The air inside the cellar was stale and unpleasant, carrying the scent of age, dust, and stone that had not seen proper ventilation in years.

Every breath reminded me that I was hidden beneath the pack house rather than walking freely through its halls. It was uncomfortable, but I endured it because I had no other choice.

I had already spent several hours down there inside a concealed compartment that nobody knew existed, or at least nobody except Elder Cross.

The space was cramped enough to make the passing hours feel even longer, and with nothing to distract me from my thoughts, my mind had spent most of that time replaying every event that had brought me there.

The morning had begun normally enough.

After Alpha informed me that they would be embarking on a short journey, I naturally asked whether I would be accompanying them. I had expected to be included, especially considering that he was going with Lyra. Instead, I was told I would not be going.

Although I had been disappointed, I accepted the decision without argument.

After they left, I headed toward the garden. The flowers Lyra loved were blooming beautifully, and I decided to gather a fresh batch for her room.

It had become something of a habit for me. I carefully selected the healthiest blooms, making sure each one was perfect before arranging them together. Once I delivered them to her room, I returned to my own quarters intending to prepare for breakfast.

At the time, it had felt like a completely ordinary morning.

Nothing about those moments suggested that by the end of the day I would be hiding underground in a secret compartment.

The moment I entered my room, however, I immediately noticed something unusual. A folded note had been left where it would be impossible to miss.

My first reaction was confusion. I picked it up and unfolded it carefully before reading the contents.

“This is a warning you need to take seriously. Do not have breakfast this morning with the others. As soon as you finish reading this note, go to the cellar and hide. You will see directions to the best hiding spot when you get there. Make sure to eliminate all evidence and turn off your phone when you get there. Again, take this seriously. You may not survive it if you don't.”

The words instantly caused my brows to furrow.

I read the note once, then I read it again, and then a third time.

Each reading only left me with more questions than answers.

There was no signature, no explanation, no clue regarding who had written it.

I stood there for several minutes staring at the paper, turning it over repeatedly as though some hidden detail might suddenly reveal itself. My mind raced through countless possibilities. Was it a prank? A trap? A genuine warning? Had someone mistaken me for another person?

The longer I looked at the message, the more conflicted I became. Part of me wanted to ignore it entirely.

After all, blindly following anonymous instructions sounded incredibly foolish.

Another part of me could not ignore the possibility that the warning might be real.

If there was even a small chance that someone was genuinely trying to protect me, dismissing the note could prove disastrous.

In the end, curiosity won the battle.

My cautious side urged me to throw the paper away and continue with my day, but my curiosity demanded answers. If someone had gone through the effort of delivering a warning, I wanted to know why.

So I decided to investigate.

When I arrived at the cellar, I immediately discovered something that made me take the note far more seriously.

Just as promised, small arrows had been placed at intervals, directing me deeper into the underground passages.

The sight sent an uneasy feeling through me. Someone had clearly planned this, and that someone had expected me to follow.

I stood there for a moment debating whether to continue before eventually deciding I had already come too far to turn back.

Carefully, I followed the arrows.

Each time I encountered one, I removed it after memorizing the direction it pointed. If someone wanted the evidence erased, then I intended to erase it completely. I gathered every piece of paper I found while paying close attention to the route itself. I memorized every corner, every turn, every narrowing passageway.

The deeper I ventured, the quieter everything became.

Eventually I arrived at what appeared to be a dead end.

The space was so narrow that it felt as though I was standing between two walls pressed close together. I barely needed to extend my arms to touch both sides. At first glance, it looked like the path simply ended there.

Then I noticed another note waiting for me. I unfolded it and read the message.

“It is safe here. I will explain everything when I see you.”

That explanation did absolutely nothing to ease my confusion. If anything, it made the situation even stranger.

Who was this person? Why all the secrecy? Why not simply speak to me directly? And most importantly, what exactly was I hiding from?

None of it made any sense.

I waited for several long minutes, hoping whoever had orchestrated this bizarre situation would finally appear and provide some answers.

Nobody came.

The longer I remained there, the more ridiculous the entire situation began to feel.

Eventually I decided I had wasted enough time. Whatever game this mysterious individual was playing, I wanted no part of it anymore.

I turned around, preparing to leave and return upstairs.

Before I could take more than a few steps, however, I heard the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps.

The noise immediately put me on alert. Every muscle in my body tensed.

Although only one person seemed to be approaching, I instinctively prepared myself to defend against whatever came next. I still had no idea why anyone would want to harm me, but the secrecy surrounding the entire situation had already put me on edge.

My eyes remained fixed on the passage ahead as the figure finally emerged into view.

The moment I recognized the person, genuine shock swept through me. Out of everyone in the pack house, he was the last individual I had expected to see.

“Elder Cross,” I blurted out, staring at him in disbelief. “What are you doing here? What is the meaning of this?”

The questions came out immediately because at that moment nothing else made sense.

Of all the possible people I had imagined standing behind those mysterious notes, Elder Cross had never once crossed my mind.

His appearance only deepened the mystery, and as I stared at him in the dimly lit passageway, I suddenly realized that whatever explanation he was about to give would likely change everything I thought I understood about the day.

“I understand your surprise and confusion,” Elder Cross said, lowering his voice despite the fact that we were buried deep beneath the pack house with nobody around to overhear us. “But it is no longer safe for you up there. Dagan has completely lost his mind, and as we speak every cabinet member has been locked away inside the dungeon.”

His words only deepened my confusion. For several seconds, I simply stared at him, trying to determine whether I had heard correctly.

Nothing he said made any sense. Dagan was many things, but imprisoning the entire cabinet sounded absurd.

“What are you talking about?” I finally asked, unable to keep the disbelief out of my voice.

“Exactly what you heard,” Elder Cross replied without hesitation. His expression remained grim, and there was not a trace of amusement on his face that would suggest this was some elaborate joke. “Things have gotten much worse than you realize. Every warrior in Ironfang has already been poisoned.”

The statement made my eyes widen immediately. A cold sensation settled in my stomach. Still, I remained silent because I could tell he was not finished.

Elder Cross drew a slow breath before continuing.

“Fortunately, it isn't a poison meant to kill them,” he explained. “Unfortunately, that does not make the situation any better. The poison was designed for control. Every warrior who consumed it now follows Dagan's commands without question. They answer to him and him alone.”

Shock coursed through me. My mind struggled to process what he was saying.

Before I could formulate a response, Elder Cross continued speaking.

“You need to remain here,” he said firmly. “Do not leave this compartment under any circumstances unless I say so. You are the only uncompromised warrior remaining. When the time comes, Alpha Kael and Lyra will need you.”

The mention of Lyra's name immediately caught my attention. My brows drew together. Questions instantly flooded my mind.

Ever since Lyra arrived, Elder Cross had been among those most openly opposed to her presence. He had never missed an opportunity to criticize her or make his displeasure known. Hearing him mention her now in the same breath as Alpha Kael felt strange enough to make me question everything else he had said.

I opened my mouth to speak, but before a single word could leave it, Elder Cross lifted a hand.

The gesture immediately silenced me.

“I know exactly what you're thinking,” he said before I could ask anything. “You want to question my intentions. You want to know when I suddenly started caring about the witch.”

There was no point denying it. That was exactly what I had been wondering.

His eyes met mine steadily.

“Kael has suspected foul play for quite some time now,” he explained. “Every action I have taken since the witch arrived was carefully scripted. Everything was done for a reason. So whatever doubts you may have, put them aside. I am on your side.”

I wanted to dismiss his explanation. Part of me still struggled to trust him. After everything that had happened over the past weeks, blind trust felt impossible.

Yet there was something in his expression that made me hesitate. The panic lingering behind his eyes did not appear manufactured. The urgency in his voice felt genuine.

Most importantly, he looked like a man carrying a burden he desperately wished he did not have to carry.

That prevented me from rejecting his words outright.

“But how exactly were all the warriors compromised?” I asked instead. “How did Dagan manage something like that without anyone noticing?”

The question seemed to darken his expression even further.

“He put something in their food,” Elder Cross answered. “Simple as that. They consumed it without suspecting anything. Now they belong to him. Their loyalty is no longer with Alpha Kael.”

The explanation made my stomach tighten.

Elder Cross continued speaking, taking the time to explain everything he knew. Piece by piece, he painted a picture of what had happened throughout the morning.

When Elder Cross finally finished speaking, neither of us said anything for several moments.

“You must stay hidden,” Elder Cross said one final time before turning to leave. “If Dagan finds you, you'll be dead before you even realize what's happening. I will be back with more information.”

I watched him disappear down the narrow passageway. Soon his footsteps faded into the distance, leaving me alone once again.

Slowly, I lowered myself onto the floor and leaned back against the cold stone wall.

After sitting there for several minutes, I pulled out my phone and attempted to contact Alpha Kael.

The call failed immediately.

Unable to reach him directly, I quickly typed out a message instead.