Sold as the Alpha King’s Breeder

Chapter 86 : All This Way for Nothing

*Jared*

“Eliza, are you okay?" I asked.

As soon as Ciana and Theo left, I noticed Eliza's shoulders sag slightly and she let out a deep breath like she was

beyond exhausted.

“I'm just… tired…"

“Come on." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and supported her against me.

She leaned heavily on me and I could feel her legs tremble a little. Eliza was far more tired than she should be after

a little outing.

I tried not to let it bother me. We'd been very busy, traveling all over the place for weeks. Not to mention coming to

her home realm to face her family.

She was probably emotionally drained as well.

I supported Eliza back to the hotel and sat her down on the bed.

“Is it the curse?" I asked.

She rubbed her arm where the curse tattoos were hidden under her sleeve.

My own shadow had been very dormant since arriving in the Light Realm. I wondered if that was because I was so

worried about Eliza and focused on her.

“I don't know… it feels like it is getting stronger. I've just been so tired." She sighed and laid back on the bed.

“I know the feeling," I admitted. I sat down next to her.

Even though my curse didn't weigh as heavily on me right now, I'd been feeling the fatigue of all our travel as well.

But it wasn't like what Eliza was feeling. I was worried about her.

She'd been glowing the day before, now she looked a little thin and pale.

I reached over and put my hand on her forehead, feeling for a fever. She didn't have one.

“What are you doing?" she asked, smiling sweetly at me.

“I think you should see a healer. Just to make sure there isn't anything else going on."

Eliza scoffed and gently pushed my hand away. She sat up and tucked the locket into her shirt like she wanted to

keep it hidden and protected.

“I just need to rest a little more."

“Maybe so, but we've still got a lot to do. I'd rather have a healer confirm that you aren't coming down with

something so we can focus on breaking the curse. If you get sick it could slow us down…"

Eliza narrowed her eyes at me. I knew that would get her attention. She was the one constantly saying time was of

the essence.

“You have the same curse as me and I can tell you're tired, too. So, I'll see a healer the day that you do."

I gaped at her. What argument could I give her to disagree? She wasn't wrong. We both suffered the same

problem.

“As you said, Jared, every second counts." She crossed her arms and gave me a sideways look. “We need to be

productive."

“Aren't we waiting for Ciana and Theo to give us word about Mila?" I pointed out, arching an eyebrow.

Eliza giggled and shook her head, her curls fluttering around her face like butterflies. Despite the slight paleness in

her cheeks, she still looked so beautiful and lively.

“We can't just sit around and wait. Once they get in touch with Mila, we'll need to be ready. We should use this time

to find the diadem."

“I suppose you're right…"

Grinning Eliza jumped up and grabbed my hands. She pulled me off the bed.

“Good. We should go to the Temple of the Moon Goddess right away. We should be able to find out more about the

Diadem there."

“Right now? I thought you wanted to rest some," I grumbled, reluctantly standing up.

“It is the one thing Mila will need in order to get the curse out of us. We should be prepared. I'm sure it will make

her job easier." She tugged me toward the hotel room door.

I was still worried about her but it was hard to ignore her enthusiasm. She did have a way of throwing herself into

whatever she was doing and frankly, I didn't mind getting swept up in her wake.

“Eliza, I can go to the temple and get the diadem if you want to rest."

Eliza froze and whipped around, glaring at me. I never thought I'd see an evil look in her eyes, but there it was!

She scoffed and set her hands on her hips.

“You're not serious, are you?"

Chuckling, I raised my hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. Lead the way."

Eliza called a car service and a nice, black town car picked us up in front of the hotel.

“We're headed to the Moon Goddess Temple," she told the driver.

It wasn't a very long ride. I stared at the window at the Light Realm city we were in. It was more elaborate and

shinier than anything I'd seen before. I imagined that my brother's palace wasn't as nice as some of the hotels we

drove by.

The Moon Goddess Temple was huge! It was gilded gold on the outside and the courtyard had a massive Moon

Goddess statue in the center of a fountain. She held a staff and water spiraled out of the top of the staff, swirling

around her statue as it cascaded into the basin below.

Inside the temple, there were several people kneeling on silk and velvet cushions praying.

The cathedrals ceilings were so high I had to tilt my head all the way back to look up at it.

At the front and back of the temple were massive, round stained-glass windows that made the sunlight inside

appear golden and red. It gave the temple an ethereal appearance.

There were several smaller statues throughout the temple and candles clustered on pedestals to provide light.

Soft music played through speakers somewhere, filling the temple with a lovely, melodic sound that echoed through

the massive space.

Eliza walked right up the center aisle, seeming to know where she was going.

I did admire the way she took charge. I also admired the way her butt moved in her jeans as she walked

purposefully toward the front of the temple.

There were several Moon Goddess priestesses dressed in glossy lavender robes with silver embroidery.

Eliza approached the closets priestess.

“How can I help you?" she asked, bowing to Eliza.

“We're looking for something kind of… rare. We heard it was here but it might be a topic better discussed in

private," I said, standing beside Eliza.

The priestess's eyes widened for a moment.

“I see. Please, follow me." She motioned to a door behind the main altar where the other priestesses were

gathered.

They had some scrolls open on the altar ad were reciting prayers in different languages and making signs with their

hands.

Eliza and I followed the priestess through the back door into an old, musty smelling library. The shelves were full of

old scrolls and books.

She lit a lantern and set it on the desk. “What are you looking for."

“We're looking for something called the Diadem of Nyx," I explained.

“Yes, that is a rare item. The most likely place it is located is in Nyx's tomb. Why should I entrust you with such a

prize?"

“I'm related to the White Queen line, and my friend here is related to the Dark King line. That diadem is important

to us and the longevity of our family lines," Eliza said.

She bit her lower lip and glanced sideways at me. I shrugged.

That was a very loose way of describing why we needed it.

“Wll, I will not stand in the way of the White Queen and Dark King lines. I will take you to Nyx's tomb."

She picked up her lantern and led us to another door. She opened it, revealing a spiral stone staircase down into a

dark pit.

“This leads to the catacombs. I will show you." She led the way down the stairs.

It was pitch black in the catacombs. We were underground, beneath the temple.

Eliza stuck close to me. I felt a shiver go through her and put my arm around her shoulders.

It was damp and chilly in the catacombs with only the priestess's lamp to guide us.

She led us all the way to the end, to the farthest tomb. “Here is where Nyx was put to rest."

I gasped when I saw the tomb. It wasn't just a tomb, it was a shrine. The tomb was some kind of crystal-like

structure and Nyx was completely preserved inside. I could see her face and everything she was buried with.

Sighing, I bowed my head and frowned. “The diadem isn't on her."

I noticed that the Priestess frowned as well. “All items of importance were buried with her. That is our way…

unless…"

“Unless what?" I demanded a little gruffly.

How could we have gotten all the way here just to come up empty, again? This was supposed to be a sure thing.

Every time I felt like we were getting closer to a cure for the curse, it slipped a little further away.

I felt like such a fool for letting myself get hopeful every time!

“If the diadem was considered a powerful or dangerous tool, it may have been locked away somewhere else," the

priestess explained.

We left the catacombs and went back to the main area of the temple.

Eliza looked even more tired now. Her face was a little smudged with dirt. For the first time, she didn't look hopeful

anymore.

“Let me show you something that might aid you on your search," the priestess said, motioning to a painting on the

wall.

I nudged Eliza's arm. “Hey, we might have a new lead."

I didn't feel as hopeful as I sounded but I wanted to see that spark in Eliza's eye again.

She nodded slowly and followed the priestess.

“This is a painting of Nyx. She's wearing the diadem." The priestess waved her arm over the painting.

Nyx was sitting straight, a tight smile on her lips. She was dressed finely and dripping with jewels and fine

accessories. Her hair rippled around her loosely, like a waterfall.

One her head sat the diadem.

A silver tiara looking piece was tucked into her hair, holding it in place. The tiara had a large moonstone at the

center and several smaller diamonds all around it. It sparkled and glittered like the finest jewel ever.

Eliza huffed and stamped her foot.

“This is just…" She clamped her mouth shut.

I chuckled. At least she had the restraint not to swear in a temple.

“Hang on…" Eliza stepped closer to the painting and squinted at it.

“What is it, Eliza?"

“I swear I've seen this thing before… but it was…"

“You've seen the diadem. Why didn't you say anything?"

Eliza shrugged. “I don't know if I have seen it. Besides, this is the first picture of the diadem I've actually seen. It is

very familiar though."

She rose up on tiptoes, squinting more at the painting.

“Oh!"

Eliza dropped onto flat feet again.

“What, what is it!?"

Slowly, Eliza turned toward me. Her eyes wide, face pale.

“I have seen it before."

“Where?"

I didn't like the look in her eyes. She was making me very uneasy but I didn't want to jump all over her. I could tell

she was pretty upset.

“In a vault piled high with gaudy jewels… Aries's vault!"

“No!" I groaned, clenching my fists. I had to stop myself from cursing, too!

We came all this way… for nothing…