CH 120

Having gotten off the horse, Elena struggled through the thickets. She was now at the dangerous forest that bordered Logan’s and the Townsend territories, one she knew that troops could not pass through. She knew about this place all too well since she had frequently spent time here digging for herbs and mushrooms on the outer edges of the forest. She had also met Lenoa at this place and had saved her life.

Elena was able to enter Logan’s territory once she slid down a slope with William’s help. There was no use for Gareth to know where she was. Elena didn’t know how many men Logan had, but she was confident that he had dozens of times more men than Gareth did. No matter how brave Gareth was, she did not believe that he could deal with Logan and the vast amount of troops alone. She wanted to help him. Taking deep breaths, Elena began to think about what she could do. Nevertheless, she didn’t know anything that would be of use in this situation. She needed to learn what was going on inside.

Elena decided to enter Logan’s castle as she already knew the way in. The only problem was courage; she needed a brave heart to jump into the terrifying situation.

“Are you sure about this, Lady Elena?” William asked Elena with anxious eyes. “We can still go back if you’ve changed your mind.”

Elena took a deep breath in and spoke with a firm voice. “I’m going in. I’m sure Lenoa took my advice to heart.” Elena thought back to Lenoa, the woman abused by Logan. She had advised her that she shouldn’t show her weak sides. She had told her that no one was born strong. Above all, she had told her to become useful. Elena hoped that the woman had listened to her advice and had taken control of the kitchen as the lady of the household should. Although this was a risky gamble, it was a gamble that must be made.

“You may go back, William,” Elena ordered.

“What? What do you mean, my lady?”

“There’s nothing else you can do for me here, William. Go to Gareth. He’s definitely nearby,” Elena explained, assuming that Gareth had already found out about what had happened to Rowena and Marina. She was sure that he was around. “Tell him that I’ll take control of what’s happening inside the castle.”

“Lady Elena!” William exclaimed, unable to make sense of the lady’s bold words. Even if he were to account for the fact that she had saved Lenoa’s life, he couldn’t believe what Elena was trying to do.

“Foolish men. Lydia showed everyone that fighting was not just about physical strength. I’ll show you how women fight. Now go!” Elena urged. She had to believe God was on her side, then her mind wandered to what would happen if she did not take the risk. Her father would not be able to rest in peace, and Gareth was going to blame himself for everything that had happened. Given these reasons, she had no choice but to take this gamble. Although this was a long shot, Elena knew that smart people like Lydia tended to look down on others for not being as cunning. Such people knew when to proceed and halt their plans, but that was only for themselves.

‘I’ll show you clearly… the courage of those you look down on.’

“Still, my lady… This is too dangerous. I need to protect you here…” William dissuaded her once again.

“Stop, William. Let’s stop arguing,” Elena spoke in an unyielding manner. “My life, as well as my sisters’ lives, is in your hands now. Leave this place to me and go ahead. Go and meet Gareth.”

Indescribable emotions overwhelmed William, prompting tears to well up in his eyes. He decided not to say anything else; he held Elena’s small but strong hands with his own for a moment before releasing them. “I’ll be back soon. Please take care of yourself… and be careful.”

Elena showed a faint smile for the first time in days. “I guess you still don’t know how powerful women can be. Go ahead now.”

Forced by Elena, William quietly escaped from Logan’s territory. He stealthily crossed the woods into the Townsend territory like he did when he had snuck into Logan’s territory.

Elena took a deep breath in and began walking toward Logan’s castle, pressing her black hood over her head and tightly tying a knot to cover her profile.