The Golden Chalice

✰✦✰ Chapter 18 ✰✦✰

✰✦✰ Chapter 18 ✰✦✰
" Ancient "

AFTER SEARCHING FOR the others for an hour or so, Darius and I came up blank. They weren't anywhere around here it seemed, it almost made me believe they knew about our shared kiss and were hiding for the fun of it. We hadn't really spoken to each other since and it was safe to say things were awkward.

I hated that I constantly had to remind myself that it had simply been to get those assassins off our backs.

"You better not kill me for this."

He'd known I wouldn't enjoy it because he didn't either—that type of relationship between us was unimaginable. It'd meant nothing. And that was good—it was good that I didn't have another worry weighing me down.

"There you are!" I heard a familiar voice exclaim.

We whirled around, watching as a girl with golden hair came running towards us, a beam apparent on her face. Luna was dressed as Eche—Atlantis Isle's Olympian—in a seaweed green peplos, her eyes crinkling with a beam playing at her lips. Behind her was a guy—a guy I immediately recognised as Miles—who didn't look particularly happy, his eyes catapulting flames at anyone who passed, which only confirmed that it was him. Despite having been the one to demand we all wear a costume, he had refused, claiming he knew the isle well enough not to be fooled.

"Guys, guys, guys—"

"You're excited," muttered Darius.

I shot him a glare. I didn't even know what she was so pleased about but I wasn't about to let him ruin it for her. He challenged me with a mean stare, his eyes shooting daggers at me to the point where I swallowed, cleared my throat and forced my gaze back on Luna.

"Guys?" Luna's captivating voice snapped me back into it. She truly was radiant. Like, literally. It was as if the emotion of excitement was painted in rays of sunshine across her face. I knew everything was amplified with mermaids, but I'd never actually known that they sparkled with whatever they were feeling. She looked unreal. "We thought for a second we might've found the clue—only it turned out to be a cruel joke. We've been looking all over for you. D'you find anything?"

I nodded optimistically, picking the letter out of my pocket and handing it to her as Miles finally came to a stop in front of us. He leaned over Luna's shoulder to read it and I watched their lips move quietly as they scanned every word on the paper. Once they were finished, Luna's eyebrows pulled together and then separated again, as if stuttering in bewilderment and unsureness. Even Miles appeared more puzzled than he usually let on.

Though his confusion was slightly more aggressive when he pointed at the letter and looked up at Darius and I. "What the hell is this?"

"Um. . ." I said awkwardly. "Luna—Luna, what does—"

"What?"

"What does it say?"

I heard Darius scoff behind me and a little more hatred for him was added to my brain. "Don't tell me you can't read, Princess."

Luna's eyes widened, if that was even possible. "Princess?"

I rolled my eyes. "Ignore him"—I turned to Darius—"and yes, Ambers, I can read. But this—this isn't normal writing, look at it before you jump to insane conclusions." I shoved the letter into his hands roughly, annoyed.

He studied the letter too, lips parting as he did.

Luna gestured to it. "That writing must be ancient or something, I have no idea what it says."

I crossed my arms. "Hopefully Jacks does." He was probably the smartest of us all, even if I'd never say it to him aloud. All of the boys we were travelling with had massive egos. It was aggravating.

"How the hell are we supposed to know where to go now?" Miles said miserably.

Darius shrugged.

Luna shifted. "We'll have to come up with something. Miles told me we can't just dock our ship here for the next few days."

"Great," I said. "So basically, we've got to pray that Jacks can read this letter or we're stuck in the middle of the ocean for however long."

Luna nodded. "Yup."

"I can't believe this. We almost just died because of this."

"You did?"

"Let me guess," Miles started, "Illusion?"

My shoulders dropped. "How'd you know?"

"This isle is full of tricks that are deliberately made to make you question everything you know," he said. "I've had my fair share of illusions thrown my way."

Luna suddenly looked very queasy. "You have?"

"It's not exactly uncommon."

"That's not exactly comforting."

Darius sighed and began walking ahead. "Let's hurry then before Ides's legacy decides to make this a whole lot more uncomfortable for us."

"Hey," Luna jogged to keep up with us. "Did you get a chance to try the Moonberry Crustles?"

I snapped my head in her direction. "What? What's that?"

She chuckled. "They're these pastries—baked underneath the moonlight here."

"You're joking. I missed that?"

"How come? They were everywhere!"

I glared at Darius's back. "Someone forced me into a Haunted Mansion."

Luna frowned. "That's horrible. Miles actually bought me one."

"He did what?" I almost laughed.

She smiled, her nose wrinkling. "It's quite lovely, isn't it?"

"You mean, he actually spent his own money?"

"To be fair, it only cost him two crowns, but the gesture is so kind. I told him I'd get him something next time he's hungry, too."

I digested her words. "What did he say?"

She intertwined her hands, locking them behind her back as she swayed like an excited schoolgirl. It made me want to squeal for her—if only she'd not been talking about Miles Gyatar.

"He said," she gushed, "and, I quote—"I might be a murderer, but I'm a gentleman. As long as you're around me, I'm letting you pay for fuck all"—and I may have perished on the spot."

I gawked, blinking at Miles's back as he walked with Darius, the two in deep conversation. "He—" I shook my head. "I mean, wow, I never. . .I never expected that."

"He really is a sweetheart."

I was going to choke.