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After the disappearance of the seven loggers, the area was abandoned by the road construction company. Strangelyenough, the CEO of that company suffered a cardiac arrest right before the contract was terminated.

But what bothered Evan was the fact that even though Knox was released a good while ago, months before the Greenes came to Evan with their case, something seemed to have continued to guard the Old Oak.

Evan still had plenty of unanswered questions.

When Knox was already free, why was the Old Oak still being protected? Who was this mysterious person protecting it? Why was the Covenant of Nightshade found loitering around it?

That night when Evan was held captive near the Tomb of Ascension, Aaron had fought against Knox’s control on his mind and came to himself to cry out a warning.

Don’t let them cut it. Don’t let them cut it down.

At that moment, as he watched the cult members drag Aaron away, it hadn’t occurred to Evan that Aaron might be referring to the Old Oak. He’d thought he was confused and blabbering in a moment of panic. But when he’d asked Aaron about it this morning, he’d said he couldn’t remember saying such a thing. Most of his memories were hazy and broken because of how brutally his mind had been manipulated and forced to obey Knox’s command.

The only thing he remembered clearly—other than suffering under Knox’s control—was a beautiful pair of crystal blue eyes that he saw God knew where or when. Evan had hung up on him when he refused to shut up about it.

Evan stared at the yellow caution tapes, then ducked below them. He was used to trespassing into areas especially marked restricted and didn’t bat an eye.

As he strolled into the forest, the hair at his nape spiked, and his skin crawled with awareness. But he kept walking like nothing was wrong. Leaves crunched behind him, bushes rustled and his ears picked up a faint breathing.

After meandering for a while, the Old Oak appeared at a distance, looming vast and mighty. Evan stopped, eyes on the tree as he spoke. “You can come out now.”

No response.

“I know you’re there.”

Silence.

Evan turned. “Mila.”

An old, haggard woman poked her head out from behind a tree trunk, wide eyes sunken and confused. Straws of hay spiked from her tangled grey hair as she stood up. Her clothes were tattered to the point that it was impossible to tell whether it was a dress or a bedsheet wrapped around her.

He knew it was her. Only a crazy person would wander so deep into these woods and currently, there were only two crazy people in Emberlyn.

Evan and old Mila.

“Lingering here is dangerous, you know?” Evan said. “Go back to town.”

“You,” she pointed at him, voice raspy and hoarse from lack of use, “go back.”

Staring at her for a moment, he tilted his head. “Why? Have you seen anything dangerous around here?”

Mila eyed Evan warily then glanced around, wide eyes surveying the woods. Clearly, she didn’t trust him, and he appreciated her sense of Stranger Danger.

The only person miraculously alive after wandering in this area was Mila. Perhaps because she was old or because she was crazy. Whatever the reason, she was the only person who could give Evan answers about the Old Oak and its secrets. He’d only been partly certain to find her in the woods and now that he’d found her…

He’d have to give her something first to gain her favor.

Evan dug into his pocket and fished out the green earring of the Covenant of the Nightshade. He’d retrieved it from Aaron this morning.

Perhaps Mila could tell him why Victor’s spirit had it on him.

Mila’s eyes instantly latched onto the green stone, and she involuntarily stepped forward. “That…”

Evan held the earring out to her. “Victor gave this to me.”

Well, Xen hadsnatchedit, but…whatever.

Mila’s dazed eyes momentarily cleared and she choked on a sob. With a trembling hand, she took the earring and clutched it to her chest. “Oh, Victor… My Victor…”