20
After Darius and his nephew headed back down the mountain, Morgan helped Jake finish setting up camp. They pitched three separate tents and organized gear for an exploratory hike. Aurelia sat on a rock, watching them work, her face pale, her thin frame weak from the morning’s exertion.
“Is she going to make it any further?” Jake said under his breath as they packed up some climbing gear.
Morgan glanced over at the heiress. Beneath her fragile exterior, Aurelia had a steel resolve that could overcome any physical weakness if the goal was in sight. But were they really close to the Garden? It was hard to tell what was myth and what was reality. Perhaps this was merely a place that had taken on an ancient name for a purpose lost in time.
It didn’t matter at this point. Morgan was deter
