Chapter 167 Lamia revelation

Ken Waters was seated on a gold couch surrounded by strange faces, all wearing masks. He was clearly beneath them, perhaps acting under their power and influence.

"I tried my best to expel him, but it seems Ezekiel Sawyer is behind him because he threatened to go online with the video, and we don't want our activities catching the attention of the public," Ken spoke carefully, not wanting to incur the wrath of the masked strangers.

The seven masked men remained silent, the room as quiet as a graveyard, which terrified Ken even more. One of them stepped forward, removing the glove covering his arm to reveal a large, elongated claw. With it, he struck Ken's face, leaving an ugly, jagged mark.

"Ken, you know what? I don't care how you do it, but get that boy out of the way. Jeremy and that blonde-haired lady—they are connected to the Torch of Light. I saw a vision about her, and it's concerning," the masked man said.

Ken froze. The Torch of Light? How had they gotten their hands on it? The last Torch of Light had been absorbed 500 years ago during the battle of the gods. How could they have access to it now? Then it dawned on him—the masked men were sirens, and for them to say this, it truly meant Jeremy was a threat to them.

"For me to expel Jeremy, don't you think Ezekiel needs to be dealt with first?" Ken asked. But the leader of the masked men stood up, letting out a bone-chilling laugh that made Ken freeze in place.

"That Ezekiel won't be able to save him this time around because he has been accused of murder, and this warrants jail time and probably expulsion. So, deal with Jeremy, and the vampires, on the other hand, will handle Zeke," the masked leader said with an air of authority.

"Vampires? Ezekiel was involved with the vampires…" Ken wanted to ask, but the men weren't interested. They were ready to return to the ocean. Bowing deeply, Ken allowed them to pass, but they gave him a deadline.

One week. He had one week to make sure Jeremy McCarty was expelled. Ken agreed—he had no choice if he wanted to live. If he failed, he wouldn't see the next day.

Still, the mention of the Torch haunted him. It was the most powerful weapon in the world, and anyone wielding its power became untouchable—a god, just like Lamia 500 years ago.

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Lamia sounded worried over the call. Sensing Sylvia's distress, he became more concerned.

"Talk to me. What's happening? You sound terrible. This isn't the Sylvia I know," Lamia inquired.

"Lamia, Paradise is in danger. I enrolled in another high school to finish my education before thinking of going to college, but it seems Ivory High was just the tip of the iceberg. Paradise is way worse," Sylvia said, crying.

"Lamia, I have gone blind. I'm being forced to go on a mission to regain my sight. This isn't fair. How am I supposed to further my education without eyes? Lamia, I miss you so much," Sylvia sobbed harder.

Rose was also emotional. Harlan was lost in thought. Who could have imagined he'd be by Sylvia's side, helping her? He'd been the first to hate her—not only was Sylvia behind the ruin of his parents' plans, but her audacity fueled his rage. Yet here he was, fascinated by her resolve. But the truth remained—he had gotten close to her through deception. And imagining Sylvia finding out? No way. That was why he'd keep it a secret till he died.

"Who is this Lamia? What's his relationship with Sylvia?" Rose asked Harlan.

Harlan's face suddenly went blank. Remembering Lamia, Damian, and Hadrain made his blood boil. The fact that those three were behind his parents' ruin, and that Sylvia sided with them, enraged him. But he couldn't allow Rose to know his history.

"Lamia is Lucinda's brother—Emily and Sylvia's best friend. Who was brutally killed, and surprisingly, you and she look alike and behave similarly," Harlan said.

Rose was taken aback. She and a dead girl looked alike? What a surprise.

Suddenly, Sylvia jerked and screamed.

"No way! You don't mean it, Lamia!" Sylvia exclaimed in horror.

"Yes, it's true. Apparently, something was triggered in me, and I started having visions. My god-like ability was activated."

"Abigail is not really dead. She performed a dreadful spell from the Book of Shadows. Since she mastered the book, she performed a spell called the Alchemy of Souls, and she's residing in the body of a girl in your school," Lamia revealed, making Sylvia stumble backward in dismay.

"Finally, some good news. Lucinda is alive. I can feel it, Sylvia. My sister is alive. I'm coming back to Valemont City to investigate this. I might even end up visiting your school," Lamia informed her.

Sylvia, receiving all this information, was left stunned. Abigail was alive and in the body of one of her schoolmates. Whether Lucinda being alive was good news or not, she wasn't sure.

Harlan and Rose rushed to Sylvia, who looked ready to collapse. Rose wanted to know why she was acting like she'd seen a ghost.

"Indulge us, Sylvia. What's going on? You look terrified, if not worse," Rose asked.

"Lucinda is alive. Abigail, the villainous queen, is apparently present in our school," Sylvia replied.

"That can't be right. It's not possible. I saw them die," Harlan confessed. But with the current situation in Paradise, nothing made sense anymore.

Rose was confused. "Who the hell is Abigail?"

"Rose, Abigail is the girl you don't want to mess with. She's a lunatic, and her brutality is unmatched. She's the definition of the baddest bitch alive. Her return means hell is coming," Harlan explained.

Rose was beginning to feel overwhelmed. "I just don't get it. First, it was the dead witches, then the armies of the dead, and now we've miraculously moved to this Disney villain you call Abigail. What else is new? I just can't take this anymore."

Harlan understood her completely. He, too, was getting annoyed at the endless stream of bad news.

Ding. Ding.

Hearing the incessant beeping of a notification, he sighed.

"That's the school blog. I wonder what's happening this time around."

Harlan nonchalantly opened his Samsung. What he saw made his eyes pop.

BREAKING NEWS: A STUDENT FOUND MURDERED BY HER OWN FRIENDS.

Harlan gulped. Seeing the victim, he froze. It was the weird girl, Luna Evergreen. Oh, my goodness. That's Nadine and Jimmy's best friend. Let it not be them.

But before his eyes was the news—Nadine and Jeremy were labeled as the culprits.

Harlan's face turned ashen. He tried calming himself down but failed miserably. Rose snatched the phone from him. Seeing what was written, she fumed.

"My sister killed someone? That's impossible. She can't. Okay, Harlan, let's go," she said, dashing out like an angry lion before Harlan could speak.

Harlan then took Sylvia's hand. "Come on, let me help you. From now on, Sylvia, I am your eyes until you get your eyesight back."

Sylvia was taken aback by his kindness. Something didn't feel right. Harlan being this nice was suspicious, but she brushed it off and let him guide her. They had to stop Rose before she committed an actual murder.

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