Chapter 15| Clues

I finally found sleep in the early hours of the morning, just when the sun was going to rise. I can't stop thinking about Julian all night. Where was he? Was he mad at me? or did something trigger him? I don't know.

Me and Meredith will be meeting each other today, as per my request to find some answers. I had a really weird dream when I was in my deep slumber. It was about me trying to open a book that was sealed with vines. It glowed on the inside, and I was so drawn to it.

A knock sounded on the door. "Your Majesty, her highness Princess Meredith is already here,"

"Let her in," I replied in a firm voice. A small part of me was slightly upset about her closing the door directly on my face, but the bigger side told me to just let it go and understand the situation. It was obvious that she did not want to talk anything regarding Freya and the death of the fourth element, and I also do not want to force her into telling me anything about it. I want her to tell me the details about it when she is ready.

Meredith came inside, her raven hair put up into two braids. She was wearing a green dress that accentuated her curves and brought out her alluring emerald eyes. No wonder the general is so madly in love with her. Even a blind person can see it. Yet, she told me herself that she is an enchantress. No wonder she seemed to have that effect on everybody.

She wrapped her arms around me, and I did the same thing. She had on her signature smile, but it faltered for a second. She frowned. "I am really sorry about yesterday Aurora. I shouldn't have pushed you out like that,"

"Don't fret about it, I understand that you are still sensitive about the topic," I returned her smile. "And besides, you said it yourself. We are best friends, so I guess I'm stuck with you,"

Meredith laughed, relief crossing her features.

"Do you know where Julian is?" I asked her before I could stop my self. She raised her brow at me, giving me a knowing look.

"You two are fighting, aren't you?" instead of answering my question, she threw one on my way. I looked down immediately and fumbled with my fingers.

"It's not like that... We were eating then he suddenly got up and walked out," I faced her. "He did not sleep here last night,"

"Ah, so that explains the dark circles under your eyes. Oh, and by the way, you look really pale too," Meredith looked at me with worry.

I got up and went to the mirror. I assessed my appearance. Meredith was right. My once lively crystal blue eyes were dull, and there were visible circles under my eyes. The olive skin that I was very proud of was now looking very pale. It was as if I did not sleep for a whole century. I sighed.

I flopped back on the bed, looking extremely defeated. I have to much on my plate right now, I did not know if I could take it all at once. I had this whole Defeat-Freya-Thing, then after that, I need to settle things with Julian, and most importantly, the mystery that lies everywhere I go. It follows me like a shadow, it's terrifying.

"You are the person who seems to know all about Julian. Do you think that he has someone else?"

My heart thudded loudly as I waited for her answer. She surprised me by laughing.

"Oh Aurora, you are a naive one. You can't see it, can you?"

I was confused. I scrunched my brows, thinking of an answer but coming up with none. "See what?"

"How can he have someone else when even a blind person can see that he likes you? He is just too stubborn to admit it," she assured me. Somehow, I felt relieved by her statement, but then it was short-lived when I was reminded of more pressing matters.

"Meredith," my face was now serious. "I had a dream last night,"

She was now serious too. Her head shot up in curiosity. "What dream?"

"I-I don't really remember... It was blurry,"

She grasped my hand and gripped it firmly. "You have to remember, Aurora. Dreams... They are important. They may hold the answers, or they may give you clues...Just... Please remember it," She pleaded with me.

The dream started to make it's way back into my brain. "There... There is this book. I-I don't know- It was glowing from the inside, b-but,"

"But what?"

"It was covered with vines, and I was trying so hard- really really hard to open it, but... It... It just wouldn't budge," There. There it was. Just after I said that a pounding made it's way to my head. It was like someone was hitting my skull with a rock, over and over.

I peered at Meredith to see her looking at me with eyes that were almost out of their sockets.

"Aurora..." she started. Just then, I felt a slow, wet streak coming out of my nose. "Y-Your nose... It's bleeding,"

A drop fell on the bedsheet. When I saw what it was, my heart was pounding in my ears. The drop was blood. My Blood.

"Meredith," I was unable to utter a word. I was scared. Goosebumps were appearing on my skin, and a strange cold shiver went up to my spine.

"Aurora..."

"Aurora..."

"Aurora..."

Someone was whispering in my ear, but I did not know who. It kept calling me, lulling me. It was as if it was pleading my body to follow the direction of the voice.

"Meredith, there is this voice..." I told her.

She rushed to my side and gripped my shoulders. "What voice?"

"It's calling me. It wants me to listen,"

Her green eyes looked into my blue ones. She cupped my face with her hand, silently pleading me. "Listen Aurora. You need to listen closely to it. It is really important, it might give us the answers we need,"

I sucked in a deep breath and nodded. I closed my eyes and focused to the voice.

" Look closely and you will know;

But be careful, for every time you find it, Death will come its way

Strengthen the weakest hearts, for this, is a gamble between love and power,"

I repeated it to Meredith. She was silent for a moment, but then she looked at me, her eyes telling me that she knew the answer to the riddle.

"Every time we find an answer, death will be the consequence," she told me. I was creeped out. If this was the case, then I do not want to find the answer. Ever. As if she heard my thoughts, she held my hands.

"I know what you are thinking, Aurora. No matter what the consequences are, we need to find it. The fate of Mankind is now in our shoulders,"

No. There must be some other way. I refuse to be the one responsible for taking other people's lives. Innocent People. Sure, I had my fair share of kills, but all of them were for a good reason.

"But-"

"Aurora. Come to think of it, if Freya wins, a lot of lives will be lost. We just need to gamble. What is 8, or 9 deaths gonna do to a million?"

Then it hit me. If I did not do this now, If I did not gamble, millions of lives will be lost, all because of my cowardice. But, is this really the solution?

Meredith stood up and dragged me outside of the room.

"Where are we going?"

She did not answer for a while. " We will get some answers,"

Now? As in, NOW? She can't be serious, can she? We passed a series of hallways until we arrived at a pair of large oak doors. She turned to me. "You mentioned that you had a dream about a book, right?"

"Uhuh," I did not know what to answer. She smirked at me before motioning to the guard to open the door. They did and when I saw what was inside, happiness, dread, and thrill came to life deep inside of me.

"Then we will find it," she sauntered inside, while I was left speechless.

Wow.

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