# Chapter 80: The Barren Land
Hello everyone, it’s me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you and review Chapter 80 of **"Forgotten Wife: Let the Traitors Kneel Down"** — a chapter where farewells are whispered in the shadows, where magic bends the rules of distance, and where the ground itself tells a story of sorrow and corruption. If you thought leaving the palace was the hardest part, wait until you see what lies waiting in the kingdom of Laios. So settle in, because this journey is only beginning.
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Alessandro stood at the threshold of his office, his heart torn between duty and love. He had placed April in the care of two people he trusted more than anyone else at that moment — Sirius and Taren. His instructions were clear: protect her, guard her, and bring her back safely. He had entrusted them with his most precious treasure, the woman who had quietly stolen every corner of his guarded heart.
Before she left, he pulled her into a long, lingering kiss, as if trying to seal every unspoken promise into that single moment. He would have loved to walk her to the door, to watch her leave until the very last second, but that would draw attention. And this journey had to remain a secret. So instead, he let his voice carry his worry and his tenderness at once.
"Take care of Lissana and keep her close," he murmured. "We don't know what may lurk in the shadows."
April carried those words with her as she stepped out into the world wearing her cloak hood despite the heat. She didn't want anyone to see her leave, didn't want a single pair of eyes to realize the palace was missing its queen. The carriage that had once carried her into this new life now carried her to the outskirts of the city, where the road grew quiet and the watchful eyes of the capital faded into the distance.
Once they were alone, Taren voiced the thought that had probably been gnawing at him for a while.
"How do we continue our journey without a transport?"
Sirius smiled — a dangerous kind of calm — and pulled out a set of bracelets from his bag. He handed one to April and one to Taren.
"We'll use these."
Taren nearly choked. "We'll use a bracelet? Tell me this is a joke!"
"This is not a joke," Sirius said, as flat as stone.
Taren turned the bracelet over in his hands, skepticism dripping from every word. "You should have brought at least a teleportation scroll."
"This is better than any scroll," Sirius explained patiently. "These bracelets allow us to teleport more easily, and each of us can activate our own. That's an advantage if something goes wrong."
April placed hers on her wrist and asked the question that mattered most. "What do you mean?"
"We're going into enemy territory," Sirius said, his voice lower now. "If they attack us, escape is our first priority. A scroll only works for the person holding it — it would be too dangerous if we're separated. With these bracelets, even if we're apart, we can all escape."
Taren eyed the jewel at the bracelet's center. "And how do they work?"
"Press the jewel in the center twice."
"What if we press it by mistake?"
Sirius paused just long enough to make the silence awkward. "Hmm... try not to."
Taren stared at him, suddenly very suspicious. "One question. How long ago did you create these artifacts?"
"Recently."
"But you've tested them, right?"
"Of course. A couple of times. No problems." Sirius turned away before Taren could argue further, his attention settling on April. "The kingdom of Laios has a barrier protecting it. We can only teleport to the outskirts. Once we're there, don't separate from me no matter what."
Then he looked at the magic ring on her finger, a subtle reminder. "Your hair color stands out too much. Change it, and keep your hood up to cover your face. We don't want anyone to recognize you."
April obeyed, her vibrant red hair shifting into a soft honey blonde — like a change of seasons in the blink of an eye. She gave a quiet, almost sad smile.
"I don't think anyone could recognize my face even if I walked right past them," she said. "I was only a princess in name. I was always locked in the farthest corner of the main palace. The only people who could identify me were my brothers, the maid who brought me food, and the guards who escorted me to my wedding."
Sirius nodded, relieved. "That's good. We won't have to be overly cautious then. Still, we should remain close so we all arrive in the same spot."
Taren sighed heavily. "I just hope we reach our destination in one piece."
"Stop complaining. Everything will be fine. On the count of three."
They each pressed the jewel on their bracelets twice. The world folded, twisted, and snapped.
In the blink of an eye, they stood on the outskirts of the kingdom of Laios.
Golden towers rose in the distance, the immense palace glittering like a dream of power and old glory. But there was no time to admire it — Taren stumbled away and vomited, his body protesting the unnatural jump. Sirius and April, however, stood perfectly fine. That only made Taren glare at Sirius with murder in his eyes.
April walked over, gently took Taren's hand, and let her magic wash through him in a calming wave. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine now," he muttered, still glaring at Sirius. "We should use a teleportation scroll next time. I'm not using that cursed thing again."
"You're just complaining for nothing," Sirius replied, unbothered.
April looked between them, then fixed her gaze on the distant kingdom. She had grown up behind those golden walls, but they had never once felt like home.
"I never thought I would return to Laios," she said softly.
Sirius asked, "Do you hate this place?"
"I don't have a single good memory of it. But I don't know if it's hatred I feel, or only unease." She took a breath and squared her shoulders. "Either way, let's hurry and complete our mission so we can return home."
Taren, still pale but now steady, glanced at the road ahead. "Your Majesty is right. We have a long way to go. Let's walk."
Sirius led the way. "We'll stop at the first village and get a carriage to continue. It's not too far, so we won't have to walk too much."
They walked for half a day through a landscape that slowly turned from ordinary to alarming. When they finally reached the first village, April stopped in shock. The land was contaminated. What should have been lush rice paddies had become an arid wasteland — cracked, dry, and silent. Even the weeds refused to grow.
Taren frowned. "I thought the kingdom of Laios was prosperous."
"It was," Sirius said quietly. "Until a few months ago. A wizard from my tower has family here. When he visited, these fields were still thriving. He always told me the rice from this land was the best he'd ever tasted."
April walked closer to the field. She crouched, took a handful of soil, and felt it immediately — a presence, dark and heavy, like something rotten still breathing beneath the surface.
A group of sickly villagers approached, their movements slow and tired. They asked if the travelers had come from the city — if things were better there.
"We don't come from the city," April replied gently. "But could you tell us what happened here?"
An old man, barely able to stand even with a cane, answered. "A few months ago, there was a great earthquake. A black miasma covered the rice fields, withered everything, and poisoned our water. If you're just passing through, you should leave now. Many of us have fallen ill."
April couldn't leave. Not now. Not when her blood carried the name Venobich, even if that name had brought her nothing but pain. She stepped forward, took the old man's hand in hers, and silently infused a small pulse of magic into his body — just enough to grant him a moment of relief, too subtle for anyone to notice.
Then she looked him in the eye and smiled.
"Don't worry about us," she said. "We are healers. Let us help you in whatever way we can."
The old man straightened slightly, a spark of hope flickering across his weary face.
"Thank you, young lady. We would be immensely grateful for any help at all."
And in that barren land, beneath a sky that had forgotten how to smile, April began to do what she had been born to do — not just survive, not just escape, but to stand against the darkness and heal what it had broken.
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**Reader's Impressions & Star Rating:**
This chapter was a beautifully tense shift from palace politics to open-world danger. I loved seeing April take charge with quiet strength — not through swords or grand speeches, but through compassion and courage. The relationship between Sirius and Taren also brought a touch of humor that lightened the heavier atmosphere, and the mystery of the black miasma adds another layer that makes me desperate for answers. Seeing April step into her identity as a Venobich descendant was emotionally stirring, especially in a place that once imprisoned her. The pacing was a bit slow at moments, but the tension remained alive.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars
**Next Chapter Prediction:**
I predict that April's offer of healing won't go unnoticed. The villagers may lead them to the origin of the black miasma, and perhaps someone in Laios will recognize that the “missing princess” has returned. Dangerous shadows are gathering — and one of April's brothers, or worse, a mysterious figure connected to the corruption, is about to cross her path.
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