Chapter 1135

Hazel and Riley didn’t waste a second. As soon as they exited Augustine’s courtyard, their steps quickened with urgency. The gravel crunched beneath their feet as they hurried through the moonlit garden, weaving between sculpted hedges and stone lanterns. Just as they rounded a tall ornamental rock, a slender figure emerged from behind it. "Hazel," the girl said calmly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Come with me. Frederick is nearby." Hazel and Riley exchanged a sharp glance. Without a word, they fell into step behind Amara, who turned and led them deeper into the estate grounds. Hazel moved with quiet precision, her senses fully alert. Every turn Amara took, every landmark they passed—Hazel took note of it all. She had only explored a few areas since arriving, and this trail was wholly unfamiliar to her. It snaked through thickets of ornamental grass and past clusters of jagged rock formations, far from the polished walkways she'd grown used to. Eventually, they reached a towerin