Maid Marian vs. Velasca

13. The Battle of the Conservatory

As we stepped into Velasca's conservatory, the initial beauty of the place left us momentarily speechless. The towering plants, their vibrant leaves and exotic shapes, shimmered under the dim light filtering through the glass ceiling. For a fleeting moment, I admired the collection, thinking how a place so full of life could seem so serene.

Krystal stepped forward, her eyes wide with fascination. "It's beautiful," she breathed, reaching out to touch the delicate leaves of a nearby plant.

Judy followed suit, her eyes darting around the room. "Looks like something out of a fairy tale," she whispered.

But something felt off. A sense of dread crept over me, tightening my chest. I took a cautious step forward, my eyes scanning the room, and then I saw him—shackled to a post at the far end of the conservatory, his pants down in a moment of humiliation. Footman.

"Footman!" Krystal gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

Judy let out a surprised giggle, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Oh no..."

Footman's face turned bright red as he struggled to cover himself with his shackled hands. "I... I can explain," he stammered, his voice barely audible as shame washed over him.

But I stepped forward before he could say another word. "No need. I understand."

There was an awkward silence, and I could feel Krystal's eyes on me. Judy's brow furrowed in confusion, and then her eyes flickered to the center of the room. "Wait a second... isn't that the mandrake you posted about on Instagram? The mandrake test?"

Krystal's ears perked up. "That's right! You did mention it... but this... this is different."

I swallowed hard, knowing that I couldn't deny the connection. "It's not like this," I muttered, my voice tense. "I don't do it with cruelty."

Judy and Krystal exchanged glances, but the moment was too uncomfortable to linger on. We had to get Footman out.

"Let's focus on getting him free," I said, shifting the conversation.

Judy stepped forward, determined as always, pulling a small tool from her belt. "I've got this," she said with a grin, kneeling beside Footman's shackles. "Cuffs are kind of my specialty."

Within seconds, she had the shackles unlocked, and Footman quickly pulled his pants back up, his face still flushed with embarrassment. "Thank you," he mumbled, but then his expression turned serious. "Alaric is with Velasca. If we find her, we'll find Robin."

Before we could react, a rustling sound filled the air. The plants around us, once still and peaceful, began to move, their leaves rustling ominously. Vines twisted and writhed like serpents, their thorns gleaming in the dim light. I took a step back, my heart racing, as one of the vines shot toward us with terrifying speed.

"Look out!" Krystal shouted just as a vine lashed across Judy's arm, leaving a deep, bloody scratch where the sharp thorns raked her skin.

Judy yelped, stumbling back as more vines came to life, their thorns sharp and unforgiving. One of them wrapped around my leg, the barbs digging painfully into my skin, drawing blood. I bit back a cry, trying to pull free, but the vine only tightened, constricting with every movement.

"This is bad," Krystal muttered, her eyes darting around as more vines surged toward us.

Footman grunted as another vine wrapped around his torso, pinning him back to the post he had just been freed from. "We need to get out of here—now!"

The thorns bit deeper into my leg, and I gasped in pain, trying to steady myself as more vines closed in. Blood dripped from the cuts, staining the floor beneath me. My gaze darted to the mandrake root at the center of the room, a sickening realization settling in. Velasca had twisted something pure, something connected to the mandrake test I'd shared on Instagram—but here, it had become dark and malevolent.

"Everyone, grab hands! Now!" Krystal's voice cut through the chaos, her eyes sharp with determination.

There was no time to hesitate. Judy reached for Footman, who was still struggling with the vine wrapped around him, while I grabbed Krystal's hand, forming a desperate chain of resistance.

"Hold on!" Krystal shouted, her grip tightening around my hand. "Brace yourselves. This is going to be intense."

The air around us crackled with energy as Krystal's crystal spear tip began to glow, a bright and dazzling light filling the room. I could feel the hum of electricity building between us, buzzing and pulsing through our joined hands.

Suddenly, a massive surge of energy shot through us. My whole body jolted as the shock passed from Krystal's spear tip into the vines. The electricity leaped from one plant to another, crackling through the air as the vines twisted and writhed under the force of the charge.

The thorns that had been digging into our skin began to burn and shrivel as the deadly plants sizzled and smoked. The conservatory filled with the sharp scent of scorched leaves and burning vines. One by one, the vines fell limp, charred and lifeless.

Finally, the room fell silent. All was still.

I gasped for breath, feeling the weight of the tension lift, but the pain from the thorns lingered. I glanced down at my leg, where blood still trickled from the deep cuts, but I was mostly unharmed. Judy wiped sweat from her brow, shaking slightly but managing a small, nervous laugh.

"That was... intense," she muttered, glancing between us.

But when I looked at Krystal, my heart sank. She was pale, her legs trembling as she limped forward, the glow in her crystal fading. The power she had unleashed had taken everything from her.

"Krystal!" I rushed to her side, catching her before she collapsed.

"I'm fine," she whispered, though her voice was weak and unsteady. "Just... used too much energy."

Footman, still shaken, stepped toward her, concern written across his face. But Krystal waved him off with a tired smile. "No... I'll be okay. We needed to get out of that."

"You saved us," I said softly, steadying her as she tried to stay upright.

Krystal nodded weakly, though I could see how much the effort had cost her. She could barely stand, her body drained of its energy. "We have to keep going. No time to rest. Velasca... we still need to find her."

I exchanged a look with Judy and Footman. We were all bloodied and bruised, but Krystal was right. Velasca was still out there, and so was Robin. There was no turning back now.

"We'll press on," I said, my voice firm. "We'll finish this."

With Krystal leaning heavily on me, we limped out of the conservatory, our resolve unshaken despite our wounds. The battle was far from over, but we were ready to face whatever came next.