The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 108

hapter 108

In the garden, with Yvette guiding the way, Athena arrived at the spot where Lucky had gone missing.

The sprawling garden boasted elaborate rockeries and pavilions, adorned with a variety of rare and exotic plants.

Margaret loved bringing Lucky here the most. Lucky could romp freely to its heart’s content, while she tended to her beloved flowers and plants. It was the best of both worlds.

Athena searched everywhere along the way, but there was still no sign of Lucky.

Servants filled the courtyard, calling out “Lucky!” repeatedly.

But the little puppy was nowhere to be found.

Athena has combed through every inch of the garden, even peered between the plants, but still no trace of Lucky.

As time ticked by, cold sweat beaded on Athena’s forehead.

Faces fell all around, no one had found Lucky.

Athena took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm.

Athena thought, ‘Lucky is so small and so attached to. Margaret, there’s no way he would just wander off on his own. Unless… someone deliberately lured him away!’

Suddenly, something occurred to Athena.

“Yvette,” Athena called sharply.

Yvette came running, her face flushed with exertion and sweat. Gasping anxiously, she said, “Yes, my lady, I’m here.”

“Go find another dog, now!” Athena urged anxiously.

Yvette looked confused but immediately complied.

Before long, Yvette brought over a big yellow hound.

Athena had Yvette unleash the big yellow dog. The dog sniffed around intently before trotting forward.

Seeing this, Athena immediately followed behind.

The big yellow dog trotted over to a crevice behind the rockery and darted right in, nose first.

Yvette started to reach out to stop it, but Athena quickly gestured for her to let the dog be.

At this moment, Athena became increasingly convinced, the hound must have picked up a scent.

Just as

expected, the big yellow hound started barking at the crevice in the rockery.

While barking, it frantically pawed at the gap as if desperate to dig something out, its tail wagging excitedly all the while.

Athena’s expression hardened. She snapped at the servants, “Take the hound away, and smash that rock open, now!”

The servants exchanged fearful glances. An elderly servant stepped forward and bowed deeply to Athena. “My lady,” he said

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Chapter 108

nervously, “this boulder was brought from a distant province at great expense by His Grace Henry. If it were to be damaged… we could never bear the responsibility.”

Athena’s resolve hardened. “I’ll take full responsibility, just smash it!”

A deep, urgent voice suddenly rang out, “Stop right there!”

The Monson brothers hurried over from not far away, their footsteps quick and faces tense.

“Athena, what in heaven’s name are you doing?” Nicolas’s face turned livid as he jabbed a finger at the rockery. “Father paid a fortune for that Fortune Stone! The stone alone cost thousands of dollars, and with transport, it totaled over three thousand dollars. One swing of that hammer and you’ll render it completely worthless!”

“Lucky’s trapped inside! I must save him!” Athena insisted stubbornly, her eyes locked on the rockery.

Nicolas looked stunned. “Lucky’s in the rockery?”

Nicolas glanced around, but found no trace of Lucky. He turned to Athena, his voice tinged with doubt. “How can you be so sure he’s in the rockery? If he isn’t, how will you answer to Father?”

Three thousand dollars was a fortune for them.

“I’m sure Lucky’s in there,” Athena insisted anxiously to Nicolas. “He loves dried meat, someone must have lured him here. Look, that’s his paw print right there.”

She pointed at the rockery, where a faint paw print was barely visible unless you looked closely.

It was almost impossible to spot unless you paid close attention.

‘After seeing how the hound reacted, I’m even more certain, Lucky must have fallen in from here,‘ she added, her voice tig