<h4>Chapter 498: 498-They Caged Her</h4>


    <strong>Haiden:</strong>


    For the first time since we arrived in the living room, Fauna lifted her head to look at me.


    It was her silent way of reminding me that she had told me exactly that the night before, and I had kicked her out of the room and insulted her badly.


    "Are you sure? I mean, his dead body was not found," the headmaster questioned.


    I noticed Ian shift anxiously on the couch.


    "Excuse me," he muttered, getting up and hurrying toward the exit.


    His father paused briefly to look at his son, then turned back to my uncle for more information.


    "Yeah, I know his dead body was not found, but his blood was everywhere in the mansion. It seems like his body was dragged out and taken away for humiliation," my uncle finished.


    "Excuse me," I said as I stood and followed Ian.


    I had heard everything my uncle said, and honestly, I did not believe him either.


    Once I was outside the mansion, I saw Ian pacing anxiously, muttering under his breath.


    "Isn’t that what Fauna told you?" he asked, turning to me sharply.


    "Yeah, she did," I confirmed, and he began to shake his head in disbelief.


    "This man is lying. They are all lying, and—" he started to raise his voice while pointing at the mansion, but I grabbed his hand, lowered it, and looked at him, signaling for him to stay quiet.


    "I know. I know what you’re saying is true. There is no way this man is telling the truth, because his daughter already warned us, but we need to keep our voices lower," I told Ian, pulling him farther into the garden.


    Ian pulled free and turned to face me.


    He grabbed my jacket.


    "We need to speak with Fauna and ask her what else she knows," he insisted.


    I felt guilty because she had tried to tell me things the night before.


    "Right, she told me she would somehow get Nook’s address," I said, remembering her words, which brought a relieved look to Ian’s face.


    He slowly let go of my jacket, then pointed at the mansion again.


    "Then let’s go back and speak with her, and ask how quickly she can get it for us," Ian urged.


    I felt like I was the reason most things had fallen apart at this point.


    If I had put my anger aside andmunicated properly with Fauna, I would not be standing in front of Ian with no answers.


    "Let’s go," Ian repeated, patting my back and pulling me from my thoughts.


    We started walking toward the mansion again.


    When we reached it, breakfast was being served.


    I scanned the crowd, but I did not see Fauna anywhere.


    Even Ian looked at me in confusion.


    We assumed she had gone to her room.


    "Maybe she’s in her room," I whispered to Ian.


    "Should we wait for her toe out, or do you want to go to her room?" I asked, leaning closer so only he could hear.


    "Food is served," Patrick called, and we turned toward him.


    He wasing down the hallway from the second floor, where his daughter’s room was.


    Hilda walked behind him.


    This time, she was not holding her phone, which was unusual.


    "Come on, have breakfast with us before you decide to leave. I have already made a decision about our guests," Patrick announced.


    Since he had lied about Nook being dead, he likely knew they would not have a reason to stay.


    "Oh, and before I forget, I also want to announce something," Patrick continued.


    Ian and I had nned to go upstairs to speak with Fauna instead of eating, but now we had to stay where we were.


    "It is about my dear daughter, Fauna."


    When Patrick said that, he looked straight at me.


    Ian nced at me, then looked back at Patrick.


    "She will not be seen by anyone for a few weeks. It is a mate’s month of prayer, and she will be praying to the moon goddess until she finds her fated mate," he dered.


    As his announcement ended, a rush of emotions hit me.


    Was she going to be given to someone else?


    She had told me I was her fated mate.


    Had she not told her father?


    It seemed she had not.


    "This is a trap," Ian whispered to me.


    I shook my head, trying to think clearly.


    "He definitely knows something is going on, and he’s stopping us from talking to her. Do you think he knows she overheard their conversationst night?" I asked quietly, worried for Fauna, because if her father knew, he would make her life miserable.


    "How did she suddenly start her month of prayers today?" the headmaster asked after noticing how Ian and I had been whispering anxiously.


    I guessed he realized something was wrong with her not being allowed to sit with us.


    "We decided it is time for her to find herself a mate," her father replied dryly.


    "Can we have onest conversation with her? I mean, just to tell her a fewst words? She will be gone for weeks, right?" I asked, trying not to draw attention to how urgent it was for me to speak with her.


    Her father gave me a sadistic look, as if he were calling me out.


    "Haiden, I hope you’re not regretting giving her a chance. We offered you marriage, and you said no. So I think it is better if we don’t let you around her. You know the history between you two, right? She wanted to marry you, but you chose not to. It will be better if you avoid being near her. Let her find her mate. Let her think about someone else and not you," he said calmly.


    He was clever.


    He made sure I understood that, out of everyone, I was not wee to speak with her.


    "Maybe we are reading too much into it. How would he know she overheard their conversation?" Ian whispered from behind me, nudging my elbow to get my attention.


    I turned to look straight at him.


    "There is no way she is looking for a mate," I said.


    Ian raised his eyebrow at my confidence.


    "Because she found her matest night," I finished.


    Ian tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as he waited for more information.