MISTRESS OF FLAME

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 22

HAKKEN HURRIEDLY drew his war blade when he saw the beast's mouth about to devour his lower body and tightened his hold on his lady, but before he could swing his blade, Xeke's dagger appeared below him. And in a matter of seconds, the dagger disappeared and was replaced by Xeke, whose leg kicked the alligarean's jaw, knocking it back. Then a series of fireballs came from Zassia, hitting the alligarean ferociously, followed by Cira's arrow hitting the its eyes. It was finished by Sollel's ball of flame.

Hakken safely landed on the log, and then he jumped again to land on the other side of the river.

"Thank you for not dropping me," said Sollel as her feet touched the ground, her arm still wrapped around Hakken's neck.

"What would I drop my lady?" Hakken asked with a charming smile.

Sollel chuckled a little. "Well, you'd been sulking."

"I was just scolding myself, 's all."

Sollel unwrapped her arm around Hakken's neck. "Scolding yourself?"

Hakken nodded but didn't elaborate and silently let Sollel go. Then he went to the front to guide everyone to Castetava while Sollel stared at Hakken's back.

When Sollel learned that Hakken was not human, she let her guard down a little when she's around Hakken. She even let him touch her hand. She wouldn't deny that she had become dependent on him. He was an amazing warrior, and his strength never disappoints, but she shouldn't let her relationship with Hakken deepen. She had a mission to do; she couldn't afford distractions.

Sollel nodded to herself before following Hakken and the others.

From the river, it didn't take long for everyone to arrive at Castetava. From the outside, everyone could see that it was a destitute town. The walls around the town and their gate, unlike in Belrac, had already crumbled and could not be used to defend the town.

Castetava looked old and run-down except for the houses on the hill. The houses there were big and exquisite, eye-catching even from afar. Compared to the houses down below, the houses on the hill were striking and hard to miss. It was as if the houses on the hill were a part of a different town, but it was indeed a part of Castetava.

"It's called the noble's hill," Zassia, who knew a lot of Azitera, explained to everyone who had a confused look on their faces. "Only nobles get to live there and have an abundant life. They have their own farms and livestock."

Everyone's face hardened seeing the estate of the town. More than half of the houses were run-down. Children were crying, asking for food; adults and children alike were malnourished. There were no demi-humans nor halflings around, only humans—thin and pale-looking humans.

"Why are they still here if there were no lands to farm? How are they still alive?" Zassia asked, worried and wondering.

"They have no choice," Hakken answered. "The neighboring town, Sarnau, is not in a good estate either, and the forest that the people of Castetava depended on has been swallowed and became a barren land. For normal humans, crossing the barren land to get to Belrac means death, so they stayed here, waiting for the nobles on the hill to sell their excess food."

"How do they make a living?" Grath asked.

"There are still some lands here that wasn't devoured by the dead soil," Zassia informed everyone. "Nobody really knows why some lands are still okay for farming, but there are some left. But as far as I know, those lands are controlled by landlords, and they were all working for the nobles on the hill."

Sollel's eyes narrowed. Impossible! No land could escape Gatria's resentment.

Cira looked around. "Are there inns here? I'm hungry."