Lost Royalty by Kaitlyn Barnett (ap literature book list txt) 📖

Chapter Thirteen: Further Underneath

 

The three of us were following the leader of the town. We followed him into the back of the building, where a small chariot sat. The back of the building was hard to see, so nobody would have known that he owned this.

We got on immediately, the guard in the front and me and Bo in the back. Tobi opened the gate and got on, being the driver. He whipped the horse and immediately the horse neighed, starting up its legs. Within seconds, we were out of the gate.

Nobody spoke. For me, it was because I was fearful. Bo was probably protecting me by nobody hearing us and I knew he was already fearful too. We looked to see where we were going. People were scrambling out of the way as we went to parts of the town I had never seen. I hope nobody gets run over by the damn chariot! Everyone seemed prepared, which was good. I kind of wanted people to get hit, only because I want the victims to be the lurkers from Iprellis and Wrenwood.

Out of sudden fear, I put my head down. I didn't want to see any of those actual lurkers nor did I want them to see me. Once again, Bo and I held hands and I felt a sense of comfort. I also felt tears well up and I tried to hold them back, it could affect the Delzen magic in my mask.

"Don't cry," Bo said. I saw he was looking at me. He was about to cry too.

After what seemed like forever, the chariot came to a stop.

"Get off, hurry now!" Tobi said. Everyone got off the vehicle and what was in front of us was a small building, very small. It was the size of a one bedroom house, almost. It was a dark blue and it run down.

"We had to relocate you two to the farther back of the city, we're almost at the outskirts of town. This house is where we have to hide you guys. If we find that anyone is actually here then I will find Ryuna, the master of magic here, to make the house invisible."

"Shouldn't you do it now-" I said.

"No time. Get in, get in." Tobi said. We followed his directions and Bo and I entered the house. Before we closed the door, Tobi said:

"There is no emergency phone here, so whatever you guys do, do not leave the house unless me or a guard gives direction, understood?"

"Yes, sir." We both said. Tobi nodded and left with the guard on his chariot. Why is everything suddenly becoming so much more serious and fast? I'm starting to think we should have never come here. Hiding in an abandoned forest is much more ideal for me.

Bo closed the door behind me. The house was definitely not luxurious, it was low-class basically. I actually hated this, but I understand why it was built like this. We both looked around the small house. Exploring was probably less than two minutes. There was one bed. No way I'm sleeping with this dude.

"Hey, wait!"

I followed the voice of my friend into the bedroom. He was looking down at the ground next to the bed. I looked closely and I saw there was a door on the ground, severely blended in with the floor. There was a metal knob-looking thing. I blinked and my mask fell off. After a second of blurry vision, I couldn't see the door at all.

"Bo, take off your mask because I can't see the door anymore."

He followed my rule and did so. He couldn't see the door or the knob either.

"Is this apart of the magic where things are hidden?" I ask.

"Most likely since Tobi was talking about the girl being able to use magic to disguise the house."

I put my mask back on and open the door. All I saw was a ladder going down a dark hole. The walls surrounding the ladder looked exactly like the ones from the basement back in the Palace of The Royal Guardians. Suddenly, I felt something familiar. I think it was the feeling of the light. That basement light.

"Bo, no time to explain. I have to go down there."

"No way, we probably shouldn't."

"We? I said me. This might lead to something I've been wanting to know about for years."

"Whatever it is, don't be so brave. Don't do it. This is for our safety."

"Boris."

Bo looked at me seriously. I took a step forward and he grabbed my hand to the point where it hurt.

"Dude!" I yelled, trying to escape his grasp.

"Lyrosa, listen. This is for us. Don't be so god damned stupid! I'm not going to die because of you!"

"Me? Says the one who could have got me caught because of the people in the black suits! I don't know what got into you!"

He ignored what I had to say. We both stared at each other. I learned a tactic I heard from my Father while he was training guards. The tactic was to stare at the person hurting you because they will eventually get discouraged and stop whatever they were doing. Of course, with Bo, a guard, it may not work. He was probably trying to use the same trick on me. I dug my nails into his fingers but he persisted.

"Lyrosa."

"Boris."

Finally, he let me go. I saw my hands and his grip caused blood to draw. My hand was shaking and my heart felt dead inside. What the hell is going on with Bo?

I saw his hand and it was drawing blood as well. We had nothing to treat it with.

I sat down against the wall and started to cry as I held my bleeding hand. It wasn't bleeding that much, but something in my body told me to cry. I removed my mask and never opened my eyes.

Suddenly, I felt arms wrapped around me. I opened my eyes to see Bo hugging me. I felt safe. I felt peace with that. I felt sincerity.

"I'm so sorry. My guard instincts were half kicking in and I care about you and myself. You were suddenly just so brave that I thought something was wrong and so I acted the same way. I really shouldn't have run away because you have an actual reason to do that. If I had stayed in Wrenwood, then I would never have caused you to bleed. You possibly could still be in the forest with less worry. I feel that I really should not have even run away to put into basic words." From his tone, he was crying.

"Boris..."

We stayed like this for a minute, forgetting all about the light calling me.

After we let go of the hug, I saw that the mask was no longer effective.

"Bo! Your Mask! Your eyes went back to normal!"

Bo's eyes widened and he ripped off the mask.

"You must be right because I didn't feel any changes." He cursed under his breath.

"Don't you dare even go down that door now." He said.

"I won't, but only for you."

"Well, now I guess I'm glad I ran away?"

I roll my eyes. At least he was feeling better. With my words saying I won't, I don't think I'm being fully truthful. I felt the light again. I may end up going down there now that his mask is defective. I put my mask beside me.

From that moment on, I suddenly didn't trust Tobi. The only person I trusted was Bo, even if it means he's not going to trust me later.

***

I looked out the window and saw that it was nighttime. Bo was asleep in the bed, and he was snoring. A heavy sleeper he must be which was good. I quietly put my mask on. I adjust to it and see the door on the ground. I slowly open it and I grab the ladder and I swing my foot onto it. I slowly start climbing down. I really hope Bo doesn't wake up because he may not be able to see the door, but he'll know where I am.

The closer I go down, the more I sense the light. I felt anxiety grow and fear. I kept climbing down. If I could do it once, then I'm sure I could do it twice. I look down and see the floor. It was the same as the one in Iprellis. What on earth?

I reach the end but I didn't let go of the ladder just in case. I was able to see an entrance of some sort without anybody seeing me.

All I could make out was a throne of some sort and I could hear people...screaming? I look closer and saw from the corner that there were people in cages! They looked like all sorts of people, old, young, rich, poor. I wanted to climb back up and rip my mask apart, but something told me to stay.

"Who's ready to be inflicted with dark magic?" I hear a voice say over the sudden silence of the prisoners. It sounded familiar. I haven't heard the voice in so long.

It's-

I climb back up at the speed of light. Faster than anything I have ever done in my entire life. I eventually reach the top, feeling the light need me more than ever. I ignored it.

I climbed back up and I slammed that door shut and I threw my mask across the room.

"Lyrosa!"

I let my vision adjust and I see Bo standing over me. He looked scared and irked at the same time.

"I tell you not to go down there!"

"I know, I know, but something made me go down there. I don't know what, but it was some type of craving that used to be there in Iprellis."

"What did you see? You look like you've witnessed a murder along with you throwing your mask."

With that question, I couldn't answer. I felt like I was going to be executed if I did. All I did was look at him.

"Lyrosa?"

I wanted to tell him everything so bad but the trembling fear is more than I can take. I don't feel alone in my skin anymore. I feel like a bomb about to go off. I feel like I am going to die.

"M-mother..." That is all I could say.

 

Chapter Fourteen: Insoluble Mysteries

 

"What are you talking about?"

I grabbed Bo's arms, feeling like I'm going to pass out. He looked at me. He was ready to listen.

"Econyuu....matii i hayugo...maijutaa...Ipreliissu..."

Prisoners. Dark Magic. Screaming. Iprellis. That was all I could say. My instinct made me say it in Crushah. My mind was just scattered all over the place.

"I don't know Crushah that well. Please, English. I know you can tell me. Nobody is here to come get you right now. All I could decipher was Iprellis."

I let go of his arms, just staring at him.