The twenty guards naturally formed a protective circle around Lucien's carriage as they followed Harold up the mountain road. Although none of the guards spoke a word, nearly everyone unconsciously urged their mounts forward a little faster. They were seasoned soldiers, but marching through a sea of darkness that refused to let them see even a few dozen steps behind them still left an uncomfortable weight pressing against their hearts.
Before long, the manor at the summit gradually emerged from the mist.
Lucien immediately recognized it.
The last time he had visited Stony Mountain, the estate had looked neglected, abandoned for years without proper care.
The walls had been worn by wind and rain, the buildings weathered by time, and the entire place had carried the lonely atmosphere of a forgotten property.
