From Slave To Queen (by Karyn Anderson) novel Chapter 292

Athena had thought she’d long forgotten those hardships. But when they resurfaced, she realized some wounds had never truly healed, just deliberately buried deep in her heart, untouched. Like a splinter left in a healed wound, throbbing with dull pain at the slightest touch.

The mountain wind cut into Athena’s face like knives, but Jessa’s embrace was warm.

Athena could feel Jessa’s concem. She gave her a reassuring smile and said, “It’s all in the past. Everything’s going to be fine now”

Jessa didn’t know how to comfort her, so she just squeezed Athena’s hand tightly and said, “Yes, it’s all over now.

Leaning on each other for support, Athena and Jessa made their way up to the mountaintop

A vast temple loomed into view, but all around them, desolation stretched as far as the eye could see.

Even the path was choked with rubble and withered grass.

Only as they drew closer did Athena realize the temple had been abandoned for ages; the main gate lay askew, toppled to one side.

The temple was nothing but chamed ruins now, crumbling walls, toppled statues, and bricks strewn across the ground like scattered bones

The two women cautiously stepped inside. Jessa gazed at the devastation in shock. “This temple must have been burned down years ago. They wouldn’t have gone this far unless they were trying to cover up a murder.”

Athena nodded softly. Even after all these years, the acrid scent of smoke still lingered in the air

Both side hals Had also collapsed.

The ground was strewn with broken bricks and splintered beams Athena and Jessa carefully picked their way through the debris, searching the courtyard for the dry well,

But after scouring every corner, they still came up empty–handed.

Jessa’s brow furrowed in suspicion. “What’s going on? It doesn’t make sensel”

A short while ago, she and Athena had split up and searched the entire courtyard, but the dry well was nowhere in sight.

Athena began to doubt her own judgment. “Could it be that Chief Rogers never came here after all?”

Yet this temple was undoubtedly the perfect refuge.

Given the circumstances, with his entire family in tow, there was nowhere else he could possibly have gone.

Athena’s gaze slowly swept across the temple ruins, until her eyes suddenly landed on a peculiar pile of stones

Jessa noticed it too and muttered, “Why is there a pile of rockstore?”

The heap looked so out of place that Athena’s insting’s kicked in and she hurried over.

She began heaving the rocks aside with all her strength. They were heavy and hard to move.

Jess quickly rushed to help, and together they struggled for nearly two hours before what lay beneath finally began to emerge.

“A woll A dry well!” Jessa gasped in surprise as the edge of the well came into view

Atriumphant smile broke across Athena’s ice. “Just as I thought,” she murmured.

But then, Athena found herself facing a new dilemma.

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1172 Thu 1 Jul

Chapter 292

illed the

The culprits had filled the dry well with rocks to cover their tracks.

With just the two of them, there was no way they could clear away such a massive

pile.

Just as the two women were at their wits end, Jessa suddenly tensed up.

“Athena,” she whispered urgently.

Athena caught the seriousness in Jessa’s eyes and tilted her head in silent question. Jessa nodded, and together they slipped into the shadowy corner of the ruined temple, crouching low.

No sooner had they concealed themselves than several black–clad figures stormed in.

Athena’s expression turned grim as she glanced at Jessa; her injuries hadn’t fully healed yet.

If they run into those black–clad men now, it would surely spell disaster.

She gently tugged at Jessa’s sleeve and whispered, “Let’s retreat through the back mountain”

In a situation like this, survival came first

Jessa nodded, then took Athena’s hand, and together they crept stealthily toward the rear of the hall.

Fortunately, the temple was large enough that the black–clad man hadn’t yet reached this side of the main hall.

By the time Athena and Jessa emerged from behind the main hall, none of the intruders had noticed them.

Athena let out a soft sigh of relief, but before she could even catch her breath, she froze in her tracks.

With their escape route cut off, their only choice was to fight for their Inves

With a single slash, her blade unleashed a torrent of sword energy that surged straight for the black–clad men’s faces.

Clearly aware of her prowess, the black–clad men dared not engage head–on and scattered to avoid her attack

Jessa watched Athena dash away without looking back, a relieved smile flickering across her face.

‘Decisive and never hesitating in a crisis, no wonder Prince Xander fell for her Jessa thought.

Just as Athena was about to disappear into the woods, one of the assassing suddenly hung a cloud of poison powder

Seeing this, Jessa leapt back. Seizing the opportunity, two black–clad men broke away to pursue Athena,

Her vision blurred, and her mind clouded over

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