Chapter 26: Chevalier Manor

Mallory eyed Hadeon suspiciously. "Is this a trick question?" she asked, her voice tinged with unease.

With a serious glint in his eye, Hadeon cheekily replied as he approached Mallory, "Perhaps. There's only one right answer. Scoot over." She reluctantly moved aside, allowing him to climb up beside her. He took the reins with a confident grin. "Buckle up, disastrous monkey. We wouldn't want you tumbling out now, would we?"

As the horses surged forward, Mallory gripped the seat tightly, her heart racing and strands of hair loosening from her braided crown. They raced as if chased by hellhounds. Upon arriving at the Chevalier's manor, she dismounted the carriage, dizzy and unsettled, as though she'd battled through a storm with the wild ride she had experienced.