Protecting Clara

Lara, Peterson, Gova, Hendrick, and Ella, accompanied by some of Lucian's men, rushed down the underground stairs leading to the dungeon, their footsteps echoing in the tense silence, drawn by Lucian's piercing screams and furious curses.

As they reached the dungeon and laid eyes upon the empty cell, their mouths fell open in shock, and a profound sense of disbelief washed over them. The prisoner had vanished, leaving behind nothing but a gaping hole in the center of the cell.

"Where is the boy? Where is Adams?" Lara's voice trembled with a mix of urgency and concern as she voiced the question that lingered in everyone's mind.

Lucian, seething with anger, had no patience for inquiries he deemed futile.

"Why were there no guards watching over him down here?" he snapped at Lara, his words laced with frustration and accusation.

"I didn't think it was necessary. I believed the cell was impenetrable... The bars were fortified with powerful magic," Lara explained, her voice tinged with