10

'Hey wake up…Lady wake up ….'

'hmm…what?" I said in deep sleep. The voice did not belong to the young master. I was afraid that if I wake up, I will find myself in heaven or hell. Another case can be that I died and other resident of this town and they were welcoming me. Either case just like young child using the protection of his blanket when he feels afraid of ghosts at night, I shut my eyes thinking that nightmare will pass.

'Oye...if you will not open your eyes, I will not tell you where that man with silver hair went'

Young master?

'Took you long enough '

A boy with a torch burning bright stood in front of me. He was no more than twelve summers with black hair reaching its ears. He was thin with long arms and legs, and looked agile with azure eyes.

'Who are you' I asked while squinting my eyes and drinking in other details.

He was wearing a green turban with tight pants and sleeveless shirt which were caked with dirt. His face was brown and looked as if he has not washed his face from a very long time.

'I am a traveler, name Zubair.' the boy said his name with great pride.

'Hey wash your face' I said while offering him my bottle.

'Huh? this is a pride of a traveler! I will not wash my face.' Zubair became flustered on my comment.

'Suits you, however right now our ugly face is giving more creeps than this place. '

He squirming stopped for a moment. In a high-pitched voice of a young boy who had still to go into puberty he said, 'humph …fine give me the bottle.'

'Take it. Make sure to drink some water too.'

The boy cleaned his muddy face and wiped it with the hem of his shirt leaving a patch of brown mud on it.

Washing his face, his features become more vivid. Zubair had good features and a girlish face. Big round eyes, a rosebud mouth and long eye lashes. I felt a pang of jealously thinking that even a young boy was more beautiful than me.

'Boy…how did you arrive here.' I asked him.

'It's Zubair and I got lost here while searching for my father.'

'Do you know about Young Master?'

'The man with white hair? I saw him walking down the streets calling out 'Noor' is it your name?'

'hum... What happened exactly?'

The boy paused for a moment as if thinking for appropriate words. He looked troubled but soon hid it with a poker face.

'This town is controlled by the lyre player. It plays three tunes altogether and the face of the town changes due to it. Nobody knows if it is a human or a monster playing it and nobody found out its location.

'How do you know so much about it?' I asked.

'My father told me. He is a traveler who goes in and out of this town. There are some loop holes in this town that we travelers use so that merchants can cut the cost of the transportation.'

'Then how about you show me these loop holes since every person I met before you told me that merchants have stopped this business. I can give you a lot of gold coins' I said while bribing the young innocent looking boy.

'Well, you see...I ….' The boy stammered joining his two index fingers in nervousness.

'Out with it' I said sternly.

'I don't know the route'

'Oh! So, you got lost and don't even know the way out? That means you don't even know where young master went.'

'Look who is talking' He said while making a face.

'Ack!' I was punished for making fun of him.

'What is with that white haired dude any way that you are calling him young master.

'That guy is super strong Shaman. Did you take a look of his Vajra? his stubbornness is the reason that I came to this damn town in the first place.' I lied while knowing that it was my stubbornness to come that caused young master to take me here.

'Are you guys lovers'

'Nah …. we share a master servant relationship'

'You don't look like someone who can protect her master' Zubair said sarcastically. His eyes narrowing in ridicule for my short height that even he has surpassed at such a young age.

'Hey shut up …. I am not made for protection but for killing. If you say one word more, I will wipe that smug look from your face.' I said angrily.

'How are we going to get out of here?'

'Let me call them, they will surely know the way now.'

'Who?' He said while being quite puzzled.

I chanted the verses Nayasa taught me day and night. Beating me if I made any mistake. Licht and schatten's rattling sound were heard. It was slow at first, however it became more and more fast and loud as soon as the chants become louder.

'Wha… what is this. wait. are they snakes?' Zubair stood dumbfounded, his eyes stuck on the two vicious snakes. Feeling scared he clutched my cuffs tightly

This feeling of superiority really brings great joy.

'There are my babies, they will scout the area for us.' I said thinking that this rude brat will finally understand my power.

'Huh? Babies? Who is their father'?

This brat!