Legerdemain

CHAPTER-24

The riddle had me confused and my mind spiraled with endless possibilities. One line was all that the note contained. But the puzzle that it was, had me on edge for two days. Two more days of my already extended stay at the Kingdom of Astraimx. Although Rnyx had insisted, his father didn't seem content with his request. In the back of my head, I knew I could leave for I didn't have any injuries or any tasks that involved this kingdom.

But I didn't want to leave. I just couldn't, not like this.

Reyne spent more time in the gardens with Rnyx's mother. So, I had nothing better to do than stare at the paper. In five months, my birthday would come. I would find my twin flame.

A knock at the door interrupted my never-ending thoughts.

"Come in."

Rnyx popped his head in through the door. His unraveled hair fell on his forehead in strands of one or two, as he took no measures to push them back.

"I'm going to the library; would you join me?" he asked.

Hopping off the bed, I went after him, given the number of hours I'd spent inside my room turned unhealthy. Also, I'd never been to the library in this court.

"Did you figure out anything?" His eyes bored into mine.

"No. But I do think it has something to do with finding true love. I could be wrong."

We continued our tread through the halls of marble and gold before Rnyx took a sharp turn. Unlike the court library back in my kingdom, this one had no enormous doors guarding the knowledge behind them.

But as soon as we stood at the entrance, the invisible shield appeared. Oh!

Rnyx placed his palm on the shield, as it lowered and we walked in. The library was magnificently huge and majestic. Three floors of endless collection of books from all around the five kingdoms and queendoms. Just like the rest of the Astraimx court, the library was also made with marble of different color shades.

"My royal library is nothing compared to this," I admitted. "This is magnificent."

A small chuckle escaped his lips as he told me about the different collections on each floor.

"The ground floor is, well for reading and meeting purposes only. The first floor contains the historical collections. The second consists of the different magical entities and the third expands on our magical abilities, the Kingdoms, and the Queendoms. The third floor is also guarded with magic. So, no other person than the king or his confidants can access that."

"It must be important."

"No, every kingdom has its secret. I bet my father guards his very well." He looked up at the floor of magic. Marble stairs engulfed the entirety of the room in a spiral from the bottom to the last floor. Small windows sought the sunlight as the room was filled with a heavenly smell of books and leather.

"So, you've never been there." Not a question, but a statement, given the look in his eyes.

"Yes."

"Let's see the riddle again."

In the Kingdom of Dreams & Fate, a thousand miles away from the past and beneath the stars, the quest for the lover ends where it began.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...*... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"I don't think any Kingdom fits into this riddle!" I exclaimed. "And even if we know the Kingdom, what does it mean by lover's quest?"

"Maybe there is something about the Kingdom in one of the books," Rnyx said, a hopeful glint crossing his face.

"But where do we begin?"

"The third floor."

"But you said it's guarded!"

The typical Rnyx smirk was back as he asked me to follow him. We hopped the stairs to get to the third floor. The smell of pine and vanilla was too strong on the third floor. Rnyx's shirt matched the shelves today, even his eyes. Unlike the brown shelves lined on all the floors, the third-floor shelves were painted a richer, deeper shade of blue.

"So, the King allows you to access this floor then."

"Yes." He smiled.