Chapter 183
The air was thick with tension as I paced the length of my room, the soft patter of rain against the windowpane mirroring the storm brewing within me. The stolen emblem, the cryptic runes, and the messenger's revelations all pointed to a conspiracy that threatened to unravel everything we held dear.
I paused by the window, watching the droplets race down the glass. My thoughts drifted to Jeremiah—his silence, his distance, and the woman who always seemed to be by his side. Despite my resolve to keep my distance, my heart betrayed me, pulling me toward him like a moth to a flame. But I was tired of looking foolish. Tired of trying.
A knock at the door jolted me from my reverie.
"Astrid?" Alex's voice called softly.
"Come in," I replied, turning to face him.
He entered, his expression grave. "We've received word of another rune sighting, this time near the old mill on the outskirts of town."
I nodded, grabbing my coat. "Let’s go."
The journey to the mill was uneventful, the rain tapering off as we approached the dilapidated structure. The air was damp and heavy, the scent of wet earth and decay permeating the surroundings.
We found the rune etched into the wooden door, its lines precise and deliberate.
"This one is different," Alex murmured, tracing the symbol with his fingers.
I examined it closely, noting the subtle variations. "It's a warning."
"From whom?"
Before I could respond, footsteps crunched over the wet grass. We turned. Jeremiah emerged from the tree line, rain droplets clinging to his coat. My heart kicked in my chest.
What was he doing here?
He gave Alex a nod. "You’re not the only ones following the trail."
I didn’t say anything. Just looked past him. Not today. I wasn’t going to play that game again. Not when he’d spent the past week pretending I didn’t exist while cozying up to someone else.
Alex, blessedly oblivious, said, "Well, looks like we’re all on the same page. This rune—"
"It’s a setup," Jeremiah interrupted. "Someone’s trying to direct our attention away from something else."
"You think they want us here for a reason?" Alex asked.
I forced myself to stay focused, even though Jeremiah’s presence was irritatingly magnetic.
"Look at the markings," I said, stepping closer. "They’ve been enhanced. Someone added layers to the spell. This isn’t just a rune. It’s a trigger."
We worked in silence for a while, documenting what we could before moving deeper into the forest, following the faint energy trail that the rune left behind.
Back at the estate, our team gathered in the study to map the path of the runes. Anna leaned over the table, drawing lines on a sheet of parchment.
"They form a loop," she muttered. "It circles the summit grounds."
"What’s at the center of the loop?" Tomas asked, mouth full of chips.
I traced the lines with my finger. "The old crypt."
"Wasn’t that sealed off after the last war?" Anna asked.
"It was supposed to be," I said. "But if someone wanted a place to hide something... or someone... it’s the perfect spot."
Tomas grimaced. "Great. A creepy, forbidden crypt. I knew this investigation would lead us somewhere dramatic."
We laughed a little. Even with the growing tension, being with them made everything feel manageable.
Jeremiah had remained behind, working on his own. I’d caught glimpses of him out in the training fields or talking to the elders, always focused, always distant.
And yet, when I thought of the future, his face still crept into it. Despite my frustration. Despite how much I wanted to cut that thread between us.
Later that night, I found myself outside under the stars, unable to sleep. The weight of everything pressed too heavily on my chest.
I didn’t hear him approach until he was standing beside me.
Jeremiah didn’t say anything at first. Just stood there, arms crossed, eyes on the moon.
"I didn’t think you’d still be up," he said quietly.
I shrugged. "I could say the same to you."
Silence again. The breeze tugged at my hair.
"You’ve been avoiding me," he said.
I turned to look at him, surprised. So he had noticed. Actually I was beyond surprised that he even had the audacity to ask me something so ridiculously stupid. He ignored countless times and he still was . I was only returning the favor. I fought the urge to slap him in the face for even asking.
"And you’ve been ignoring me," I shot back. "Don’t act surprised now."
His jaw tightened. "It’s complicated."
"It always is with you," I whispered. "But I’m done chasing people who don’t want to be caught."
He stepped closer, his voice low. "That’s not it, Astrid. I wanted to protect you. Keep you out of this mess."
I shook my head. "You don’t get to decide what I should be kept from. I’m not some fragile thing you can place on a shelf."
He looked at me then—really looked. And I hated how part of me still melted beneath his gaze.
"I never saw you as fragile," he murmured. "That’s the problem. You make me forget everything else."
I exhaled, torn between anger and longing. "Then stop forgetting."
And with that, I walked away. Because if I stayed, I might do something stupid. Like kiss him.
The next morning, Team Chaos—as Tomas proudly called us—ventured to the crypt.
The doors were sealed with a blood rune, old magic that resisted our every attempt to break through.
Until I touched it.
It flickered. Responded.
"Whoa," Tomas said. "You’ve got the touch."
"Or someone knew she’d be the one to find it," Anna said quietly.
The door creaked open.
Inside, we found rows of old relics, shattered pieces of emblems, and more runes etched into the walls.
In the center of the chamber was a box.
Jeremiah joined us, breathing hard from the sprint. "I heard you cracked it open."
We exchanged a glance.
"You should see this," I said.
He stepped forward as I lifted the lid.
Inside was another emblem.
Not the one that had been stolen.
An exact copy.
"Someone forged it," Anna whispered.
"But why?" Tomas asked. "To replace the real one?"
Jeremiah’s brows furrowed. "No... to switch them during the summit. And when they stole the original, it looked like a political attack. But it was all staged."
I looked at the second emblem, a strange chill running down my spine.
This was bigger than we thought. I had a feeling a lot of people were behind this and maybe even people from the inside . I just wasn't sure if i should say this now. One thing my father told me always was to never trust anyone...not even friends.
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