Atlas led Kyra towards the castle where everyone anxiously awaited an opportunity to rescue Lucas. It was a considerable distance from the castle, an area dense with trees, bushes, and a muddy ground filled with rainwater. The water was so plentiful that even worms could be seen wriggling.
"Atlas, are you out of your mind? Do you realize how risky it is? Why did you bring Kyra here?" Patriarch tim exclaimed in a cold tone.
"Partrich, actually, Kyra is here -" Atlas began, but his sentence was interrupted by Ezra and Jin chiming in.
"You should take the female back to the tribe! If Lucas finds out you brought her here, he'll be furious," Jin remarked.
"It's not safe here, female," Ezra added.
"They're right! Female, you should return to the tribe with Atlas," Wilson interjected. He had come here to save his son and advised Atlas to safely take Kyra back, warning of potential dangers in the vicinity.
Kyra climbed down from Atlas' back and gazed at them with determined eyes. "I'm not here to beat around the bush; I'm here to save Lucas."
"Are you crazy, female?"
"A weak and delicate female like you can't do anything but become a burden. Kyra, you should heed the advice of the elders," Partich Tim retorted angrily.
Although Kyra was beautiful, she could mate and bear cubs for his tribe's males. But in his view, she was immature and weak, making unreasonable decisions.
He respected females but believed they were incapable of doing anything without male assistance. He had seen males working hard, earning coins, hunting, and guarding the tribe for the safety of every female. On the other hand, he considered females unreasonable, doing nothing more than sleeping, mating, and engaging in frivolous affairs with other males that broke their mates' hearts.
A cold light gleamed in Kyra's eyes. Nothing could deter her from saving Lucas, even if he was the patriarch of the Silver Wolf tribe.
"Kyra, my dear, go back for your own safety," Willson tried to soften his voice, concerned for Kyra's well-being. She was his son's mate and was like a daughter to him. He didn't want to put her in harm in any way.
However, Kyra paid no heed to their pleas. She didn't want to waste time bickering with them. Her slippers had flown off when she was riding on Atlas back, and now, with bare feet, she walked toward a nearby rock.
Confusion filled the air as everyone exchanged perplexed glances, even Atlas appeared bewildered.
Their eyes widened in astonishment as Kyra, without altering her expression, forcefully struck her head against the rock, causing blood to flow from her forehead and her eyes to emit an unusual light.
"Are you crazy, female?"
"Female, you're hurt! You need to tend to your wound."
"Let's go, female. We'll take you back to the tribe," everyone tried to persuade her.
"STOP!" Kyra's voice carried a dark aura as she looked at everyone. "I know you all want to save Lucas, but I have my own way to rescue him."
She turned to Atlas and said, "Tell them the plan I shared with you." Atlas nodded in agreement.
"What's the plan, Atlas?" Patriarch tim inquired, his curiosity piqued. "What was she talking about?"
"Partrich, let's find a hiding spot first, and I'll explain everything," Atlas muttered. Although everyone felt dissatisfied, they nodded in agreement.
"Kyra's plan was to enter the castle through..." Atlas began, and everyone listened attentively as their sharp eyes focused on Kyra. She walked resolutely, causing their hearts to clench as she picked up a thorn from a locust tree and used it to cut her arms.
Barefoot, she continued walking towards the castle, collecting dirty mud along the way and smearing it over her body. She tore her brown short dress that Lucas got from Gina.
Her long red hair flowed freely in loose waves as she walked, bouncing with each step. When she reached near the castle, she looked back at them.
Her bluish hazel eyes seemed to turn a deep shade of blue as she curled her lips into a determined smile before suddenly collapsing to the ground.
"Help me..." she shouted.