<h4>Chapter 326: 326-I Got The Magical Lamp</h4>


    <strong>Joshua:</strong>


    "Isn’t this ce weirdly cold today?" Jack asked me as we looked around the empty station.


    "Well, that’s because we have a problem with us," Imented, ncing at Oriana.


    "A cold one, a cold-hearted slut." I hissed at Oriana.


    She was tied up, her hands behind her back, her feet bound together and then secured to the back.


    Even her mouth had a piece of cloth in it.


    Jack had managed to find some material to restrain her.


    Her eyes were wide, staring in my direction. I could tell she was worried about what we were going to do.


    "Don’t look at me like that. If you think I’m going to go easy on you, you’re wrong," I said, chuckling.


    "What exactly are we going to do with her?" Jack asked.


    I noticed the way Oriana’s eyes widened, as if she wanted to know that herself.


    "Well, let’s open her mouth so I can start questioning her," I said, gesturing at Jack to remove the cloth.


    He went ahead, pulled it out, and stepped back. The minute he did, she screamed at the top of her lungs.


    "Help! Help!"


    We both stayed in our spots, watching her.


    "Do you want any monster to find you here?" I asked.


    Her voice started to lose strength immediately.


    I knew enough about her, she was scared. Scared of the monsters.


    "Now, I have literally no interest in you," I said, leaning in slightly. "Seriously, I don’t care what you did to Clementine or her squadmates, or how you possessed them. I don’t care. The problem is, I want you to tell me exactly how you managed to do it. That’s it." I raised my hands to show her that’s all I wanted.


    Her eyes widened even more. She looked like she was panicking.


    "I don’t know what you’re talking about," she said instantly, making me roll my eyes and p my forehead.


    "You’re going to make it hard for yourself then. I’m sorry, but I’ll go crazy on you," Imented, pressing my lips tightly together to show her that either she tells the truth or she stays here indefinitely.


    "I’m telling the truth! They just saw me, they fell for me, and that’s it," she said, ncing between me and Jack.


    "Seriously, you want us to believe that they had Clementine in their squad and Haiden, her mate, decided to pick you over her? Do you think I’m a fool?" I remarked, clenching my jaw as her resistance started to annoy me.


    She shook her head vigorously.


    "Just untie my hands. I really, really need to use the restroom."


    Her request came out of nowhere. I shared a nce with Jack and shook my head.


    "Not until you tell me. Otherwise, you’ll have to soil yourself," I said, pointing at her. Her eyes widened in disgust and disbelief.


    "How could you do this to me? I’m just like you. I’m one of you—a crusader. How can you do this to a fellow crusader?" she cried, stomping her feet, which were tied tightly. She could only slide them back and forth.


    "You could go on a tangent, but I know for a fact that you have some kind of magical power, and I want to know what it is," I said in a in, cold tone.


    "So what are you going to do? Keep me tied up here? I didn’t use any magic. If you want to make me stay here for the rest of your life, go on, you’ll just be wasting your time," she replied, trying to sound clever like she always did.


    I knew the truth, just like the others.


    "Fine then. How about I throw you out in the open, tie you up somewhere miserable? How about that?" I asked, giving her a smile.


    Her face began to lose color.


    "You wouldn’t do that. They wouldn’t let you," she stammered in fear.


    "Who? Who wouldn’t let me?" I questioned, squatting in front of her.


    "My squadmates. They’ll be looking for me," she admitted hesitantly. I narrowed my eyes.


    "Yeah, well, if they’re looking for you, where the fuck are they?" I remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Either you’re using a spell, saying something, or you’ve got a magicalmp. So tell me, what is it? If you tell me, I’ll keep your secret. I just want to know how you acquired it and how I can," I added, my voice steady.


    As I pointed at my chest, her face grew paler, and her eyes widened.


    "Come on, Jack. Put that cloth back in her mouth. She’s useless. We’re going to toss her into the deeper parts of the North for a monster to take her," I said, gesturing for him to grab the cloth from the ground.


    She began shaking her head, protesting immediately. "No, no, no, no! Please, wait, wait, wait! Don’t do that! How can you do this to your own crusader? Please, just listen!" she cried, struggling to get herself freed.


    The minute Jack approached to put the cloth in her mouth again, she finally yelled,


    "There’s a piece of jewelry that I got from the Shadow Earth Eater!"


    I gestured for Jack to stop. Silence fell for a few seconds before I began to chuckle.


    "And where is that piece of jewelry?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    She shook her head again.


    "No, I won’t let you know. You said you just wanted to know if I used magic," she reminded me.


    "Yes! There is something down in those tunnels that can help you with your request. All you need to do is ask her to make you a piece of jewelry, that’s it. And in return, you’ll have to make a sacrifice," she exined, her voice trembling.


    Suddenly, a thud echoed against the door. Then I heard the most cursed voice ever, "Oriana, are you in there?" Clementine screamed from the other side.


    I looked at Jack in disbelief. Why the hell would shee here to rescue Oriana?


    Then I noticed the sheer panic in Jack’s eyes while Oriana seemed hopeful as she nced at me.


    "I... I am here," Oriana managed, before I jumped on her and mped my hand over her mouth.


    "She is in there!" Clementine yelled again from the other side, her voice full of fury.