Novel Square
Chatper 223
Chatper 223
Chapter 223
”
Clemente looked stunned, “You don’t want me to follow you? But the King clearly said that!!
“The King is not here,” Janet’s voice turned cold slightly. “And you saw how those people treated me,
Clemente. There is no respect. I need to turn this around and convince them that I can be Queen. This
hunting is my opportunity.”
There was a tight furrow between Clemente’s brows, “You can do the hunting all by yourself, Lady
Janet. I won’t partake. But I have to follow you into the woods and keep you safe. It is my duty…”
“The thing is, Clemente, if you follow me into the woods, nobody will believe that I killed those prey by
myself. They will all think that you helped me. And what is the point of that?”
Clemente bit his lips, looking reluctant.
If she asked him to stay back a week before, he would never, ever agree to that.
But they had developed some sort of trust after the baseball game.
Janet was counting on that trust right now.
“Give me a chance to prove myself, Clemente. That is all I am asking,” she said.
Clemente took in a deep breath.
“…Fine,” he gave in eventually.
Joy exploded in Janet’s chest, “Thank you, Clemente!”
“The King will kill me if he finds out about this ” he groaned.
“The King will kill me if he finds out about this,” he groaned.
She smiled, “I will make sure that he never finds out.”
That was a lie.
Because she is fully prepared to disappear into the woods and mountains once the hunting begins.
She could aiready imagine Westin’s rage when he learnt that Clemente let her into the woods alone.
She felt sorry for using Clemente…But she would not apologize for doing what was necessary to
escape this place.
Oh, and there was one last step of preparation to do….
Janet faked a sneeze.
“Are you cold?” Clemente asked immediately, “Where is your jacket?”
Everyone else was wearing a thick jacket that could protect them from the chilly mountain breeze.
Yet Janet only had a thin shirt on her.
“I left my jacket in my room,” she said.
Which she did on purpose.
“You can take mine,” Clemente offered.
Which was exactly what she was hoping for.
Clemente’s jacket was warm and–most importantly–it carried his scent.
A jacket with Lycan’s scent would help cover her own scent and make it harder for them to detect her.
Janet wrapped his jacket around her body and gave Clemente a big smile, “Let’s go. Don’t want to
keep the elders waiting.”
They urged the horses to keep going, the rhythmic clip–clop of hooves echoing through the mountain
pass.
In the distance, the jagged peaks reached towards the azure sky like ancient sentinels guarding the
secrets of this land.
As they approached the designated hunting site, the barking of hounds and the heated chatters of
people became clear.
The team came to a halt at the edge of a vast clearing, surrounded by towering pines.
People got off their horses and checked their bows, arrows, pistols, and food supplies before
departure.
Elder Robert climbed up to a big rock and called out to the entire group:
“Morning! My fellow hunters! So the hunting will take place in this part of the mountain. There will be
enough prey waiting for you, deer, boars, bison, or even bears…Just don’t go too far into the North,
which is close to our borderline and where the mist forest is at. I know the Lycans can find a way back
home but why waste your time in the fog while you can shoot at the pheasant?”
The team burst out laughing
Janet marked that piece of information at heart.
Ok, so the North.
It would be where she was heading.
“And as you all know, we have a special guest here today. A werewolf.”
Elder Robert pointed a finger at Janet.
People all turned their heads to look at her.
“Lady Janet here is very confident with her hunting skills,” Elder Robert said with an insolent smile on
his lips. “But don’t worry, Lady Janet, no one will blame you if you come back empty–handed tonight.
Nevertheless, you are competing with the
Lycans.”
The crowd jeered.
Janet raised her head, “Oh careful with the big words, Elder Robert. I will rub it in your face when you
lose to a werewolf.”
Elder Robert’s face darkened.
Wells and Belle were in the crowd as well.
The twins applauded and cheered for Janet together, “Go, Janet!”
“OK!”
Elder Robert snapped, casting a sullen glare at Janet, “Fine…Without further ado, let the hunting
begin!”
A round of cheers broke out in the vast clearing.
The hunters exchanged eager glances, and the lead guard signaled to unleash the hounds.
The dogs bounded ahead, their eager barks mingling with the natural symphony of the mountains. The
hunters rushed into the woods hastily following their hounds.
“You wanna come with us, Janet?” Wells yelled to Janet.
Janet waved her hand, “No you guys go ahead! I will catch up with you later!”
“OK. See you later!”
The twins ran off into the forest.
Janet felt the loaded pistol in her pocket for the last time and turned to Clement with a grin, “Wish me
good luck.”
…Good luck,” Clemente murmured with a worried look. “Cry for help if you need me.”
“I will.”
Janet leaned in to hug him, “Thank you, Clemente.”
If everything went well, this would be the last time they saw each other. She would miss him. And the
twins. And everyone who had helped her.
But she had to return to Daran’s side.
But she had to return to Daran’s side.
Janet let go of Clemente and turned, rushing into the woods.
The sun filtered through the branches, creating dappled patterns on the forest floor. The scent of pine
needles and earth wafted through the air, blending with the excitement of the hunt.
Janet quickened her pace and dashed forward, heading straight to the North.
She shot a couple of pheasants along the way, in case anyone was watching her from the back.
The northern she went, the quieter it got.
Eventually, the sound of shooting, hound barking and people yelling faded into the distance.
The only audible noise was the crunchy sound of her foot stepping on the fallen leaves and her heavy
panting.
Yet she didn’t dare to slow down.
She had to outdistance and elude them as far as possible before they found out that she was gone.
Her mouth was turning dry. And she was sweating like hell.
So she stopped to keep herself hydrated.
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The clustering pines and the outlines of the forest margin were now dusky and indistinct.
A heavy fog had fallen at some point.
Janet straightened her back and stared at the path ahead.
She gulped, nervously.
She had entered the mist forest.
Which meant that she was close to the borderline!
“…Daran…”
She closed her eyes and murmured the name of her love.
Daran, if you can hear me, please lend me the strength and help me find the way back to you….
Daran halted to a complete stop abruptly, staring deep into the heavy fog ahead of him.
The soldier behind him almost bumped into his back, “What is the matter, My King?”
Daran frowned, listening with all his ears.
After a long pause, he asked, “Did you hear anything?”
The soldier scratched his head, “…I don’t think so my king.”
They had been circling around in this mist forest for more than a week now.
fog.
The soldiers were losing their patience–it seemed like a dead end.
Yet nobody had the guts to bring it up to the King, who was dead set to find a way out of the fog.
“Maybe it was a deer that you heard, My King?” the soldier suggested.
“…No, it was not a deer,” Daran said in a low voice.
It was Janet.
She was asking for his help.
Chapter 224