Star-Gazers

Part 18

ESTELLE

Some would say following the person who is the most loyal to your tyrant mother and the biggest bitch in the universe would be foolish and that they were most likely lying.

That would be true. Is true. But Estelle could tell when someone was lying despite how convincin the person is. And she knows if they lie out of hate, necessity, or desperation. If they're trying to convince themselves that the lie was the truth as to not cause suspicion. 

She didn't find any of it in Ashton at that moment. And not in any moment after that. Especially when he told her what her mother did. She wanted to go on a rampage then. What was with her mother and killing siblings? And she had told Ashton he would come to her one day. And true to her own promise, she would help him if he helped her. 

This was him helping her. Helping her find something that has been taken from her long ago. Taken right in front of her.

And apparently, being someones loyal servant also gives a free pass for learning all their secrets. By what means, she did not want to know. But she was thankful Ashton was the one who knew. Being her old friend before joining her mother and causing this whole  rivalry between, she had to upper hand. Kind of. Then again, she traded in words. That can have more value than money. 

And she kept her promises. Most of them involving either her friends and family or her mother. She'd keep them all.  

Right now, she had to focus on her current situation. In which they were in a wholly different world, not that that was anything new to her. To either of them. 

"Interesting murder location," Echo drawled. Ashton gave her a look to which she simply smiled inncently. 

"We're a little far off," he said. No shit. They stood on a hill, a town below, then the endless expanse of a forests ahead. "There's a Island ahead. In the middle of that Island is a fort." He looked at Estelle. "That's where they are." She nodded. 

"What are we talking about again?" Caius asked as she began walking down the hill. She's not wasting time right now.

Ashton hesitated to answer but she just said, "Something my mother had the audacity to take away from me knowing how much I loved them." She gave them a moment to guess. 

Echo got it first. And cursed. "Your kidding," she deadpanned, looking between her and Ashton.

Caius got it then and said, "Your-"

"Yes." She looked at the two of them and smiled, asking, "Wanna help now?"

Their grins would have sent people running for their lives. Ashton certainly cringed a little. Though he would never admit it later. 

"Right," Estelle said upon reaching the foot of the hill. "Indulge me Ashton, of why you didn't just land right in the fort? Or outside it at least."

"My question exactly," Echo murmmured. 

Ashton just raised a brow but then shook his head. "Because, the fort has so many wards you can't just winnow right in there. There's to many triggers and most of them go off when someone uninvited goes in. And alert your mother while they're at it."

"So, just disable the wards," Echo said, turning to Estelle. "You can do that."

"If I haven't been able to find them yet," she said, "It means those wards are hella good much to my annoyance. Disabling them will be twice as tricky and take to much time." She looked at the two of them, "You saw how much time it took to make a crack to Egenica. Even of those were the most secure anyone can make them."