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“What took you so long?.”asked Jill for the first time she looked so concerned,like my old Jill.
“Nothing,I just paid a visit to my cousin.”I said handing her the tattered diary.
“Another book.”groaned Roy.
“This is the third book,how are we suppose to do it?.”cried Troy.Was there something that I was missing,Chris did tell me didn’t he,about the stories of Baltia,where did he learn that from?.Now I was mad,I wanted answers,I wanted to know everything that was brewing in this circle.Jill understood me pretty quick and she was fast with her words,it was very difficult to keep up with her, “The day I was attacked I seen Ruth in the mirror,Ronaldo was in front of her and she begged him to spare my life,Ronaldo manipulated Roy’s thinking,he made him think ill of me and used him as a puppet,due to his lack of trust in me he got the best of him,it was easy for me to see his plan,he wanted to kill me ‘cause I was determined to find clues,the book,remember the one which took us to the vampire’s lair,that’s the first clue,it has led us to the second book which we are about to find,Chris said he had seen the same in this library which we are about to visit.The stories of Baltia is just an addition to our list,we need to find how exactly is Ruth connected with Miyana,the queen of Baltia.”She waited for me to digest the news,I was not at all ready to face her,did I owe an apology to her or was I..
“Its alright,we are witches we fail to see the good at times,our dark side is still an untamed animal.You bought a clue.”she was seriously examining the diary that I gave her.
“Belonged to my aunt,she died ‘cause of him and he blamed Ruth for her death,alienating everyone she knew.”
Jill packed the thing back in her purse,Sipper smiled,I knew that everything was crystal clear, “No secrets?.” I laughed freely.
“None.”she beamed.
“Why did you do this in first place?.”I demanded,unable to hide my anger,it still washed over,a little.
“Kim’s uncle told us not to tell you.”she smiled uneasily.
“Why would he do that?.”I was more baffled.
“He is connected with Ruth,he can hear every thought of her,you can see within Ruth,that means you have access to her,sister bond,well we all four have,think its been a long time we stayed together...”
Kim did cut her politely, “Loved one another is the right explanation.”
“Yes” agreed Jill.
“Loved.”Sipper corrected herself, “He can have access to our mind too,god knows what he will make us do.You know he connected with Roy through Jill,the doctor said didn’t he?,and I think it does affects Ruth and her health if something happens to us,I just have a hunch.”
This news definitely threw me back to reality,I was terrified to my core,unable to think or reason,to know the truth was becoming very important.
“Why are we waiting here?.”
“Well,Rocky and Roy are just gone to get the tickets.”
“Where are we actually going?.”
“Its a hidden zone,Chris gave me inputs on the same,it belongs to mixbreeds,there is a library there,we need to find that book.”she was so serious,for the first time ever I seen her so sober,it looked like she did forget how to laugh at a problem,Jill never feared problems,problems were scared of her,then why this time she was not herself,she looked like an ordinary witch fearing failure.
“Failure is a new thing,it teaches you the most important lesson of life.”she added smiling softly.
“Whats that?.”asked Kim,Sipper and I were eager to hear the answer,something told me that Chris already knew the answer to the same.
“Get up,brush that dust and start walking,its a long journey.”Jill answered.
“Surely it was a long journey there was no way I am giving up,not now,my sister wouldn’t give up on us,she was not that soul,I want her back and somewhere I know she is not married to a healthy soul.”
Chris sighed,it was easy enough for him to read my thoughts,I couldn’t ignore the same dead look in his eyes,warning and now truly giving up,there was no way he was able to hold all four of us back,he was the only one who actually pointed at Ruth to bring the worst in him,Ronaldo,when were we going to check on him.
Kim smiled and she answered without any delay, “My uncle is already digging his grave.”She could be so cold at times,her eyes were so deadly,the malice in her sweet tongue did not bother me anymore.Troy kept his distance,if his girl was in he was in just like Chris and the others.I could clearly see the love in his eyes for Kim,his eyes were so calm,like everything could come to a standstill,if he just hinted.
Roy pulled Jill in his arms,the kiss on her lips was so passionate,it did make her smile widely,I could see Jill’s dead spirit bouncing back.Sipper was happy with Rocky,they were just like kids in a way,she kissed him on his nose and he twisted his eyeballs to make her laugh.Troy still kept his distance and so did Chris,protecting ferociously no doubt but at the same time providing space.
“Where are the tickets?.”asked Jill.
“Hey,I have better plans,met this fellow on my way,he said he could drop us,we are flying, no stupid tunnels and trains.”he informed.
“He will be here within few minutes.”smiled Rocky holding Sipper very close to his body and continuously brushing her arm,she smiled and added softly, “Relax,its going to be okay,we are going to be together no matter what.”Rocky just smiled,his tense face was soft and beaming at her.Something told me that Troy loved our company,strange,I was still thinking about him.Chris did block my vision,he was right in front of me,I could no longer see Troy,he was over my lips and making it very clear,there was no looking back,I was meant for him and he was meant for me,I had to say good-bye to my could-be-boyfriend.
I laughed shortly,he was so possessive,it felt good,he was nothing close to Troy,his complete opposite but I loved him,Troy had his charming smile and Chris wore a deadly look,Troy was clean shaved and Chris was getting beard,his soft brown eyes were still locked in mine,why didn’t I meet him before? why?.
He could have been my first love and last one too.
“Love is when two people share the same feelings,its different from infatuation.”he added slowly,making me aware that what I held for Troy was nothing more than infatuation.
I smiled,there was no way I was not agreeing with him, only it would take some time to settle around Troy like a normal girl,I don’t know why it was but it was still there,Jill did notice,Sipper I’m afraid had a clue to the same but not Kim,she never noticed my affections for him,he too did not seem to talk much with me,somewhere I was glad that he did not talk to me much.
Chris was holding me in his arms and I was willing to cry,Ruth did come back to me,her laughter and smile,the cold kiss that I received every night,how her locket used to just brush my eyelids and lips,the way she used to work and we showed her our clothes,she used to not turn to us but say yes to every dress we picked,once Kim really got annoyed and she picked a pencil box,mocking How does this dress look?,Ruth answered perfect,just try it.We should had been annoyed with her but Sipper laughed and there was no way we could hold our laughter too,Ruth realized it late,she did close that laptop and paid attention to our attire,it was not the first mistake but definitely the last one,well that’s what she made us believe,I guess we were easy enough to fool.
“How long is he going to take?.”asked Sipper dancing on her feet, “I don’t know.”
Chris looked at Roy and he shrugged, “should be here any minute,that’s what he told us.”
A car in blue did come and stop by our side.It just had two extra seats back.
“Is this the car?.”Jill looked mad and her feet was already tapping,hands crossed over her chest and Roy for the first time seen her like this,he just couldn’t make out what was she trying to say, “She is annoyed,you booked a small car.”barked Chris,nodding his head in disgust,he truly had a simple friend.I smiled adding politely “Well Jill is Jill,she can be an open book but at the same time an unsolved puzzle if you try her wrong way.”Kim tried to hide her grin and Sipper talked continuously to Rocky,he was not understanding at all what Sipper was saying but he tried to keep up with her rubbish.
“Hoora..get in we are getting late,Mr I have other things lined up to.”said a man coming half out of the car window.
“Wow.”backed Troy,he actually got a little scared,the man behind the wheels was very different,he looked like a bandit or you can say he was actually inspired by captain of bandits, “How do we fit in?.”shouted Jill.
He looked perplexed, Chris added quickly, “we are eight.”
“So?.”he was confused.
“Your car is small,I’m afraid only three people can fit in.”
“Just get in.”he requested and I pulled Chris along with me,pushing him first.I sat next.The seat was pushed back and another seat emerged from the base of the car.I was speechless,Sipper sat with Rocky and the same thing happened again,Jill was next with Roy and Troy followed Kim, “Everybody seated.”called he,I had to say yes with the rest,Jill laughed and I could see Roy easing a bit.
“Why you girls have so bad temper?.”asked Troy,stretching his legs as far as he could,Kim’s answer was instant, “So that you fear us and nothing else in the world.”he laughed and I could see Chris just mutely agreeing with her, there was only one guy who agreed loudly and he was driving, “Hell yes,I only fear my wife and nothing else.”
“How you know about this hidden zone?.”I asked Chris.
“Well mom and dad used to take me there when I was a kid,I met Mr Bodwin there,its next to our summer house,been long but its still there.It was his gift,the Stories of Baltia,its still sitting on my study desk.”he informed avoiding my eye.
“He was very close to you wasn’t he?.”unnecessary but I had to ask.
“Yes.”he smiled,he was in pain and so was Roy.
“You haven’t been to this place before?.”Jill asked him.
“No,we have our own ways of transport,I mean,you know special doors and channels,this is the very first time I am traveling like this,I mean in a car...”Roy added playfully “with locals your majesty.”They both laughed and it was not easy to ignore the word majesty, “who are you?.”Rocky asked curiously,he was quicker than Sipper,her mouth was still open in disbelief,how could one be so quick,quicker than she was.I wanted to laugh,Jill was with me,she smiled and I did the same,they were just identical.
“Well he comes from the last monarch,he has royal blood flowing in his veins.”added Roy dramatically,it was difficult to ignore his funny side,Jill always wanted someone who could make her laugh,he was perfect for her.
“So you are a prince.”I smiled.
“Yeah.”he laughed.
“But your damsel is not in distress.”added Kim when everything turned gloomy again,we knew who was in distress,Ruth.
“Call me if you need a ride again.”Chris laughed,it was easy for him to influence people,I was coming to know his plus points quite late,that didn’t bother him but it surely did me.I was shocked when I stood in front of a majestic castle.He was greeted as a prince should be greeted.Roy was used to it but we were not,flowers were in our way and we walked on top of them.
“You did not inform us?.”complained a women slowly,Roy did cut her politely, “he is the owner,can drop in whenever he wants,behave as a caretaker.”She bowed as low as possible and Jill was a bit angry but he managed to pull her, “You still hate her?.”asked Chris,he was unhappy.
“Hell yes.”was his answer.
“What happened here?.”
They did not answer her question but continued walking,we were in the main hall,it was so bright and airy,huge windows covered the entire top corners. “Lovely.”squealed Sipper and Rocky too was bewitched by the same.Troy felt neutral but Kim, she was jumping crazily like a kid in a new place,he had a tough time keeping an eye on her.Reluctantly he followed her when she and Sipper went in another direction.
“Wow,you are filthy rich,this is your summer home?.”cried Jill not believing her eyes.
“Belongs to my dad,not me.”
“Don’t be so modest.”boxed Roy playfully.
I could see a grandfather phone in the center of the hall,it rang continuously,Roy was cold,something in his eye bothered Chris.
“That phone is dead.”added he loudly bringing him back to his senses.
“But we did hear it ring.”protested Jill.
“No,no matter what happens never pick that Mysterious call.”
