The Lost Heir (Book I)- The Violet City

Slip n' Slide

The next morning, Isabella woke but stayed beneath her blankets, fighting an awful ball of worry swirling in her stomach. They weren't doing anything. They had to do something. But she still didn't have a plan.

A dull knocking filled her ears. It continued and continued until she finally threw off her covers. "What is that?"

"It started about half an hour ago, then it stopped when we pulled open these curtains. It was too bright, so we decided to shut them," explained Xander. "Now it's started again. We don't know how you three could sleep through all that," he said, gesturing to the bed where Cleo still slept and the sofa where Seth snoozed.

"What curtains are you talking about?" Isabella asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"We found this," Micah said, holding up a long pole with a hook at the end. He hoisted it into the air and hooked it through a small ring attached to what looked like a small set of red velvet curtains that hung near the ceiling. He pulled it back and blinding sunlight poured into the room through a rectangular hole with no vent. As soon as he'd done this, the knocking ceased.

"What was that?"

"Maybe a bird or something that got spooked?" said Xander.

"Maybe," said Isabella, surprised she was more curious than afraid about the knocking. "What are you two thinking about that hole?" she asked them.

"It looks like an air duct or something. Maybe the air conditioning is trying to turn on," said Micah.

Xander shrugged. "Makes sense, but why is there like a big hole and no screen-thingy to cover it?"

"It's big enough to fit two people," Isabella noted.

"Or one very large one," Micah joked.

"Can you guys shut up? Some of us are still trying to sleep," Cleo groaned.

"Now you wake up?" Xander quipped. "You're just mad you don't have your Tiff's gear for the second night in a row."

"What the heck is Tiff's gear?" asked Micah.

"I got it for her two Christmases ago. She had no idea what the movie was until I got it for her. Now she's grown some tastes in the classics, thanks to me."

"Xander. Really," Cleo said groggily, getting up. "He doesn't want to hear about that."

"A designer eye mask and ear plugs for sleeping. Like Holly Golightly had in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. Not my favorite. A bit too girly for me, but it's still a classic."

"Xander. Stop boring everyone," Cleo said, joining them.

"It's not boring."

Isabella looked over at the sofa and saw Seth snoring through the bickering. Made sense, since bickering seemed to be his mother tongue. She turned back to the others. "I think I want to check it out." Her necklace warmed against her skin at the words. It was as if it was agreeing with her. But that didn't make sense.

"What do you mean, 'check it out'?" asked Cleo.

Isabella gripped her necklace and closed her eyes. She could see a dark place, a city, in her mind. She heard the rumbling of something that sounded like a train. Her heart thumped, filling her with purpose. She turned and immediately gripped the edge of the bookcase and started to climb. "That's not just a hole in the wall. It's there for a reason."

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Cleo said again.

"Yeah," Micah agreed. "Izzy, don't."