9 8. Ok I'll do it

 Tiana couldn't believe her ears. It was not something she couldn't do but it was the person who asked it that shocked her. What Richard asked her was completely unexpected for Tiana. She thought she had kept the fact that she used a little bit of harmless magick, for fun, well hidden, the only exception being Cynthia. So when Richard asked her to open a portal for travelling she was stunned. How did he know and the next second her thoughts went to Cynthia and the shock turned to anger. "You told him, didn't you?" she asked her friend.

 Cynthia was equally shocked at what Richard asked. Cynthia knew Tiana was using magick a little for playful reason but she never knew she had learnt to use portals, what was Abigali thinking when she was teaching Tiana these things and most importantly why did she teach Tia teleporting? And How did Richard know that Tiana knew it? She never told her brother, let alone her brother she had never told anyone that Tiana was using magic because it was not allowed even to be used for fun. If anyone knew she was using magick it would be the end of her life and Tiana was already an outcast for being born to a vampire dad, she didn't want to increase her misery. 

 Even though she knew Richard well, she did not want to risk saying Tia knew harmless magic because she did not know how he would react. But Richard knew. How? Amidst these thoughts, she vaguely heard what Tiana said and on hearing her voice she turned to look at her "What….?" She was unable to say anymore.

 "You told him, I am practising it, didn't you?". Tiana was very angry now. Her eyes were oozing that emotion for everyone to see. 

 It was then that Cynthia understood her friends doubt. She was taken aback. She had never spoken about Tiana to anyone after she left her home. If she spoke to anyone it was only to her parents and Richard and that too when only they were alone, and she had never told them Tia loved to use magic or the fact that Abigail thought it to her. "No, I didn't" Cynthia could only whisper it with all the thoughts in her mind and the shock.

 Richard sensing the misunderstanding between the two girls "Tiana I know and I have seen you use it. Now please use it to move out of here."

 Tiana would not listen. She was angry, but still she wanted to know "How do you know, don't say you saw, because I never use it if I feel someone is there.

 Richard sighed. "Tiana there are time when we all are careless and I have always been worried about you, so I used to come here often, even Cynthia has no idea of this, and when I come her I sometime see you use magic, and once I saw create and use a portal and after you left through the portal I meet Abigali and asked her about you using it. She told me she taught you and she also told me she asked you to practise it. I didn't ask her anymore. But I learnt you knew it. 

 Tiana's anger receded. She had not expected this but she knew Abigail would not confide about her if she thought the person could bring danger to her. So she let it go. 

"Now will you try opening a portal for us. Atleast for you" – Richard

"But it still does not answer my question on why I should move out of here" Tiana folded her hands across her chest and stood looking at Richard. 

 "Because I have a feeling that we, I and Cynthia, were followed and that we, all three of us, are being watched at this moment and I don't want to take you home walking as it would lead to people knowing where you are."

 After hearing Richard out Cynthia walked to Richard's side and held his arm. "what are you saying we are being watched?"

 "Yes Cynthia, I have a very bad feeling about this, I don't know who it might be but we are not in a situation where we can win, because I don't know how many have come."

 Cynthia now moved to Tia "Tia please understand I will tell you what is happening but I want you to come with us now. Is it easy for you do what Richard asked or you can use it for yourself and we can walk."

 Tiana could only let out a sigh, it was too much for her to handle for one day. She weighted all what Richard had said she didn't want to be found out and if someone had followed them here, then she couldn't stay here and that too not alone. She knew she could not fight a big number. "Ok, I ll do it but first wait, I want to get something"

 Tiana walked into the same room Cynthia had walked into. She turned right to the wall where there hung a beautiful wooden mirror. It was a plain mirror. The frame was in the shape of a hair braid in a round. She looked into the mirror and breathed deeply calming herself, she closed her eyes and breathed again and slowly opened her eyes again. She removed the mirror and placed it carefully on the floor squatting. She then closed her eyes and spoke "orra" and opened her eyes and looked at her pointer finger. It slowly started to glow. She got up and traced a square with the lighted finger on the wall where the mirror was "sifhrol". A line appeared and it started to glow. She then pressed her hand on the wall and closed her eyes and spoke again "kanta arabol hatinlek" and the square began to shrink and became a small brick standing in space. She removed it and placed it in the floor beside the mirror.