𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Forty-Four: Harlow's Last Stand

Chapter Forty-Four

Matty flew out to Manor Cape to meet Natty. In her owl, Natty had said that she believed Harlow and his men were taking camp at the abandoned Manor in Manor Cape and that if they got there quick enough, they may be able to end Harlow's reign and fully end anything that had to do with Ranrok and Rookwood.

When Natty saw Matty walking up to meet her, she had a look of confidence on her face. "Good, you made it. Are you ready to finish Harlow once and for all?"

Matty nodded her head. "I am. What's your plan?" She asked, getting straight to it.

"I received an owl from Mrs. Bickle. She wondered if we were having any luck going after Harlow. She suggested we could gather evidence from a friend near Manor Cape." Natty explained but then Matty got confused.

Mrs. Bickle was clearly adamant that they stay out of Harlow's business... Now she was giving them locations to search?

"But she warned us to stay out of it, was rather adamant about it too." Matty stated.

Natty nodded her head. "Precisely."

What was Natty talking about? What did she mean? "Harlow knows that we saved Archie. And that we rescued Mr. Rabe." Matty said. And then it hit her. "That letter didn't come from Mrs. Bickle, did it?"

"I do not believe it did. Harlow intends to ambush us." Natty stated. She had had the time she needed and now she had the element of surprise on Harlow before he got to them. He wasn't expecting them to come in knowing that they were going to be ambushed.

"But now we have the upper hand. We can prepare." Matty spoke, seeing the dots connect in her mind.

Natty nodded. "We are stronger than Harlow, and he knows it. That's why he's resorting to this sort of trickery. We must go."

"Agreed. Let's finish this." Matty agreed.

There was an incline up to the Manor so they had some time to get up it before they had to go from place to place in order to not get caught. "Perhaps we should inform Officer Singer of our plans." Matty suggested. Just in case something went wrong, at least someone should know where they were.

"I already sent her an owl to let her know that we were 'following a lead' given to us by Mrs. Bickle." Natty replied.

"Do you think she may tell your mother?" Matty asked.

Natty seemed to be in full confidence that Officer Singer would, but she didn't care much. "Indeed she will. But so be it. I am tired of hiding from her." She answered. "My mother needs to understand that I will not be safe from the Ashwinders until everyone is. I shall pursue them until they are finished. And I think she knows that—as you do."

Matty stayed quiet the rest of the way up. She hoped this would go well for everyone's sake. They had fought with Harlow's lot more times than she could remember but this time really needed to count and there would be no takebacks.

They entered the gates of the manor and immediately, a familiar purple and black smoke started gliding through the air, landing on the ground—it was the Ashwinders.

"Gullible children! Walked right into our trap!" One of the Dark Wizards said.

The wizard pulled back his wand to cast something but Matty was quicker. "Arresto Momentum." She cast, slowing the Ashwinder. "Depulso!"

The Ashwinder was sent flying back into the stone walls fence of the Manor. The fight broke out immediately after that. Matty had a feeling that this was going to be something like fighting Rookwood's lot. Something that she had done a bit ago after Rookwood kidnapped her and brought her to the camp.