A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust

"Well, did she let us in?" Ulysses asked impatiently as the gatekeeper finished his phone call and returned to them.

"Yes, Mrs. Myers said you can go in," the gatekeeper replied, giving them a quick once-over. "Follow me."

As they walked, the gatekeeper added, "This place is big, so don't wander off. Stick to this path, and it'll take you to Mrs. Myers. But be careful not to touch anything-Mr. Myers won't be happy if you do. And don't run around. We've got quite a few animals here at Myers Manor, and you wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of one."

With that, the gatekeeper turned on his heel and left them to it.

Monty and his group headed down the path, aware of the sprawling expanse of the estate. They weren't in a hurry, so they took their time, chatting as they went.

"Remember to apologize once we get there," Monty said, looking at Horatio and the others sternly. "We need her help now, so let's not tick her off again."

Horatio and the rest stayed silent, lost in their thoughts.

Monty, seeing the futility in nagging, soon fell quiet too.

After a while, Lisette spoke up, tugging nervously at Valerian's sleeve. "Doesn't it feel a bit dark here?" she asked, her voice cautious.

They'd been walking for some time, but the further they went, the darker it seemed. The dense trees added an eerie touch, casting long shadows that swallowed the path.

"Do you think Mr. Myers is too cheap to install a few streetlights?" Ulysses joked, trying to lighten the mood.noveldrama

"Maybe Callie isn't in favor, so she's in some far-off corner," Lisette suggested with a hint of satisfaction.

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It was like those tales of forgotten queens relegated to the tower, left to their own devices. Perhaps Calliope had been tucked away, out of sight and mind.

But as Lisette relished the thought, a fake head suddenly came crashing down from above, eliciting a scream from her.

The group jumped, cursing and scrambling away from the gory prank.

"That's sick," Ulysses muttered, pushing Horatio's wheelchair. "Who does stuff like this?"

No sooner had he spoken than he yelped in pain. He'd stepped into a bear trap, the metal jaws clamping down hard on his foot. In his agony, he accidentally shoved Horatio's wheelchair, sending it careening into a nearby pond.

"Horatio!" Valerian shouted, rushing to help his brother.

When Horatio was finally pulled from the water, he was all wet, water weeds

draped over his head like some miserable crown.

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Valerian grumbled as he tried to fish the wheelchair out, but it wouldn't budge. He gave it a hard tug and fell backward, only to find himself face-to-face with an alligator, its jaws clamped around the chair, glaring at him with a menacing glare.

Valerian's heart skipped a beat, his face turning ashen.