Astrals

Chapter 4- Mr. Ribbito

Nova woke up to complete silence. At first, she did not register anything as she was still in the half-conscious state one is when awoken from a much-needed nap. But then she jolted awake, eyes wide and wandering, while her brain tried to compute what was happening. She was still on the enchantmobile, but it was no longer flying; it stood stationary on the ground. Prince Theron was no longer in the driver's seat, and the backseat was void of their belongings. The protective glass seemed to have also disappeared.

Nova jumped out of her seat without opening the door, fearing the worst. The bag she had slung across her body was still intact—at least there was that. But she had already made a mistake. How could she have fallen asleep? She was supposed to protect the Prince, but now it seemed he had been kidnapped. Whoever took him had decided to take all their luggage and leave her alone. Maybe they'd realized she was an astral.

As Nova panicked and tried to formulate a plan to find Theron, someone tapped her shoulder from behind. She sprung into action, grabbing the figure's arm and twisting it behind his back. With one hand securing his arm and the other one pointing at his body, his back facing her, she muttered a spell that froze the perpetrator on the spot.

"Where is he, and what did you do to him?"

"Nova, it's me."

"Prince?" There was no mistaking his voice. She left her spot behind him and walked around to see if it was really him or if the perpetrator's voice was just eerily similar to his.

"Oh my god, it is you." Nova quickly muttered another spell, and the invisible force that had bound Theron to the spot disappeared, causing him to slump to the ground.

He looked up at her with genuine curiosity, his knees on the ground and his white hair hidden underneath a hat. "Why did you do that?"

"I thought you were someone else. Why are you wearing different clothes, and where did our luggage go?"

"We reached Quartzville an hour ago. I found an inn, so I parked the enchantmobile behind some bushes while I carried our luggage in and got us rooms. I was feeling pretty filthy, so I bathed and changed."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You were sleeping so peacefully that I didn't want to disturb you."

Nova sighed. "Just wake me up next time. Where's the inn?"

"Follow me." Theron got up and started walking, with Nova following at his heels. A few minutes passed, and the inn finally came into view. It was a simple construction, with a slanted roof, large windows, and a wooden build with a small garden in front of it. It looked cozy; Nova was impressed that the Prince had found such accommodation so swiftly. She was used to just laying her sleeping bag on the ground in a cave or under a tree while on duty.

Inside, it was as cozy as she'd imagined. She did not see anyone in the lobby or at the front desk while Theron showed her to her room, which was right next to his. It was not as big as her astral quarters, but it had a homey feel to it, and she was satisfied. However, she tried not to get too used to it as there was no telling how long they'd get to stay here. A single message from King Alaric would mean they would have to relocate to a new place to find the mysterious man. But for now, all she wanted to do was to bathe, wear some comfortable clothes, and eat a hearty meal.

So that is what she did. She took her time washing, meticulously untangling the knots in her hair, and used the bubbly powder she had brought with her to make the bath more relaxing and fragrant. Miss Bubble had introduced her to this powder, and she had obtained jars of it in different scents. She had chosen the strawberry scent to bring with her, as it was her favorite. Once she was done, she got into her pajamas, which were so soft it felt like they were sewn with clouds instead of fabric.