Moonlight Magic

Chapter 11

Sunday arrived and my parents were out. It was already four p.m. and I was all alone in the mansion.
Now that I thought about it, the rumours about this mansion being haunted might not totally be untrue. Although I had yet to experience any level of paranormal activity.
Trying not to dwell on ghosts as residents here, I started to wander around the east wing. I knew all the safest routes so I moved around easily without having a foot going through the floorboard and getting stuck or falling off the edge of broken off hallways.
Going back to the room where I found the tome, I looked more closely around the tight space. The room was by no means tiny, in fact like the rest of the rooms, -including the guest rooms- it was spacious. It would be described more as cramped. Stacks of cardboard boxes were pushed against one wall along with an old wardrobe that leaned forward, threatening to tip over. A couple of trunks were littered here and there. A thick blanket of dust had settled on top of every surface. The light switch did not work so it was dim inside but I could make out the majority of the objects that have taken up residence here. I picked my way across the room and threw open the curtains. A blast of sudden bright light temporarily blinded me but the place was now lit up. The desk with the locked drawer that led me back to this room was by the door and it looked no different.. Until closer inspection.
The lock was undone but left hanging on the drawer. I was sure I locked it up like it was before. I pulled the drawer open and where there was dust except where the book was, it looked as if someone had put a hand in and felt around inside. Wait, maybe it was Purple Eyes. No, I doubt it. One, this room was not easy to find. Two, he wouldn't have had enough time to search the whole place before arriving at the library. Three, he's still stalking me which means he still either thinks I have it or information about the book. Then it came to me. But if they found out, why haven't they said anything. After all, the tome must have real value for even Purple Eyes to be so worked up.
Filing that realisation away, I started hunting for other clues that might be in this room. If things started here, there should be other leads here. And disturbing this place no longer mattered since they must have already figured it out.
I opened every box and trunk and came up empty. There was nothing but junk. I ransacked the wardrobe but it held nothing but old clothes previous owners had left behind. The other drawers of the desk revealed nothing either and my time was already starting to run out.
After looking inside, behind, under and around everything, I had found nothing. I had even felt across the walls and floor to the very last square inch.
Until it came to me. The one place I had yet to search. Because if they were the ones seeking the tome, it made perfect sense. Plus, Purple Eyes and Talia had told me the same things. And for me to believe them that the people I love would hurt me. Just what were my parents hiding?