CHAPTER 25

It was already nighttime, Avian and Onyx finally arrived at the entrance of the forest where Laverna was said to live in but the problem was that they didn't know exactly where she lived, they only knew it was hidden in a cave of some sort so they had to go into the forest, searching for the cave but they'd be a few caves in the forest, so it'd be hard to find the one where she hid inside.

They both got out of the car and ventured into the forest. "Let's go horizontally, it'll be faster." Avian said and continued walking without waiting for her reply.

"Avian!" Onyx called and he turned around.

"What's wrong? Wanna split up?" He asked with a flat tone, his cold demeanour unchanging as he talked to her.

"Why would I split up in this creepy forest? I just wanted to tell you to wait up." She said and he immediately turned around and continued walking realising she had nothing important to say. Onyx could only roll her eyes at his behaviour.

"I've always wondered Avian, did something happen to you that made you this cold or you're just ignoring me because I'll be a distraction to you?" She asked as they continued searching for the cave.

"We should hurry up and search for the cave." He said as he ignored her question and she sighed in exasperation.

"If you keep treating me this way, I'll have no choice but to mate with someone else. I want a family." She gritted her teeth in anger as she immediately stood in front of him. Avian's gaze on her didn't change a bit even after telling him that she would mate with someone else even though her real mate was Avian and no one else.

"If you want a family, get married then, why do I have to hear the last of it." Avian said with a flat tone as he walked past her and continued what he was doing. Onyx couldn't believe her ears, so he didn't even care if she was married to someone else.

"You're unbelievable! How can you be so cold to me? Its so unfair!" Onyx said as tears threatened to drop from her eyes, Avian didn't reply her anymore and just kept moving.

He suddenly felt Onyx grab him on his arm, his brows creased in frustration as he pinched between them.

"Stop behaving like a child and let go!" His cold deep voice was enough to push her away but she continued hanging on reluctant to leave him.

"I won't, not unless you tell me how you really feel about me, please then I promise I won't ask for anything more." She pleaded with tears already dropping from her blue eyes, Avian immediately looked away.

"I've found the cave." He said. He knew it was the cave because it was the only one in the forest and it had a powerful aura around it.

"I don't care if you found the stupid cave, just please stop, I can't take it anymore!" She yelled uncontrollably. Avian sighed deeply, what kind of insane mate did the universe give him.

"I'll tell you what you want to hear but it'll be a lie." He said coldly and she glared at him.

"Its not a lie, you're just ignoring it." She said loudly, daring him to deny it.

"You seriously think I'm in love with you?" He asked almost scoffing but his straight expression still stuck on his face.

Onyx was take aback by his words, he didn't look like someone who was ignoring his lover but someone who was ignoring a crazy stalker. She was speechless as she let go of his arms completely embarrassed.

"Get your head straight Onyx, you're behaving really funny." He said coldly as he walked into the cave and Onyx followed as she pressed her lips in a thin line.

They saw a dark passage in the cave and was about to go through it when two Minotaurs with spears their sizes appeared from the dark cave. It had the head of a bull and the body of a man.

Onyx almost screamed in fright as she grabbed Avian's arm reflexively, she had never seen such hideous monsters in her life. Avian pulled from her hold as he went forward to talk to the Minotaurs who were obviously Laverna's guards.

"I'm Avian, an Emperial of Empire D, I've come to speak with Laverna." Avian said, not shaken by the monstrous creatures who towered above them. Onyx wondered if they could even understand them since they had mostly been growling.

"The goddess doesn't speak to anyone at anytime." The Minotaur's huge voice echoed loudly in the cave.

"Tell her Lothaire sent me." He said confidently. At saying that, the Minotaurs looked at each other before one of them quickly dispatched into the darkness, his footsteps shook the ground like there was an earthquake.

Avian waited patiently until the Minotaur arrived and nodded to the other Minotaur, signaling him to let them pass. The other Minotaur gave way for them to go through.

"Follow me!" The Minotaur said to them and they followed him into the dark path of the cave till they reached a dead end.

Avian was patient but Onyx was confused on why they had stopped on a dead end until the Minotaur brought forth his spear in front of the wall and suddenly, the spear glowed red until the wall disappeared and Onyx's eyes widened in astonishment as the Minotaur motioned for them to go through and they did.

They walked through the wall and went into a large exquisite hall, everything was made of gold and precious jewels, a large staircase exquisitely designed stretching upwards stood majestically in front of them.

Minotaurs moved about doing different kind of works here and there. Onyx couldn't help but wonder why Minotaurs were her slaves. The Minotaurs stared at them for a minute before getting back to their works.

Onyx followed Avian as he went up the stairs. After climbing the stairs up, large double doors towered above them and Avian pulled it open without being invited in.

Onyx personally thought it was rude of him to go in without knocking but she followed him in anyway. The room was even more spacious and more beautiful, in the corner of the room stood a large beautiful sculpture of the goddess, Onyx couldn't help but stare in awe at the radiating beauty of the place filled with different precious stones. Now she understood why Avian got her a very rare stone as a gift.

"Avian! What a nice surprise." Onyx heard a honey coated voice say as she came into view and Onyx's mouth almost touched the floor. The woman was jaw dropping, mind blowing gorgeous, there way no way to describe her, her long black hair cascaded down her waist and almost reaching the floor.

She had long dark lashes with glowing red eyes underneath, her lips were blood red and her skin was whiter than snow making her dark features contrast with her white skin perfectly, the woman's beauty was parallel to none in the eyes of Onyx as she laid eyes on her. Laverna walked majestically towards them, she was wearing an expensive black jacket and a denim shorts. But she was petite in size and she looked like a teenager but still she was jaw dropping.

"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" She asked with her addictive melodious voice dancing through their ears as she slowly came down from the bed like chair.

"We heard the sorcerers are creating some powerful creatures, we wanted to know if you gave them that power?" Avian asked going straight to the point and not in the least fazed by Laverna's beauty which made Onyx sigh in relief.

"Its just business. They give me souls, I give them a bit of power, not like they can kill me." She said as she laughed hysterically. Because of how strong her powers were, they had to pay her with something worth it, so she took their souls in exchange for the ability to create, so they could no longer be reincarnated since their souls were used as a fuel to make her more powerful.

"We want you to help us stop them, we'll give you more souls but for now, I have a small gift." Avian promised as he brought out a box. He didn't know why she was so obsessed with rare stones but he didn't care either. Laverna's eyes shone in excitement as she flipped in the air and landed lightly in front of him, within a flash she grabbed the stone from him and examined it more closely.

"Painite, one of my favourites and the rarest in the world." She said excitedly. Onyx on the other hand was worried on whose soul he Avian wanted to give in exchange for her help.

"Fine, I'll help you only if they're more souls, no promises though. It's just business." She said coldly as she stared at the stone with eyes glinting with dark excitement.