Fate of deception

Chapter 13 - Umaizah's POV

I made the decision to read the journal. I mean, what else could I do in Layna's room. In my belief, "exploring" her room was technically invading her privacy. I wanted Layna to have my trust, like how someone would trust their older sibling to not do something that would invade their personal space.

Without waiting any longer, I pulled my skirt up, little by little until I saw the journal. I pulled it out of the elastic, leaving the band on my thigh. The journal looked exactly the same, just how I left it. I opened it skipping the splattered ink pages up until I found one that had clear writing. The page had the same cursive writing, black and red ink, name and the same red lip print in the corner of the page.

It read,

"In the hushed corridors of the grand estate, whispers of intrigue and enigma weave a tapestry of secrets long kept. Shadows dance along the walls, concealing truths untold and mysteries yet to unfold. The air is heavy with the weigh of unspoken words, each silence pregnant with the echoes of a past veiled with obscurity.

I successfully escaped the Serendrian Palace, I did my best to not leave any trace of me. However, I did pack some belongings that could easily tell how long I would be gone. I'm wanting to be away for as long as I can, trying to discover my father's hidden secrets.

As I dashed past those gates, I ran immediately to an unknown direction. I didn't follow the original paths that were built on the ground, I ran to wherever I felt attached to. I felt a surge of adrenaline propelling me forward, my feet pounding against the earth in a rhythm known only to the wind. I veered off the beaten path, my heart leading the way as I embraced the thrill of the unknown. Each stride carried me further from the confines of familiarity, towards a destination yet to be defined.

The wind whispered sweet nothings as I sprinted, the world a blur of colors and sensations. In that moment of liberation, I was free from the shackles of expectation, guided solely by the pull of my instincts and the call of adventure.

As I ventured deeper into the forest, a surreal world unfolded before my eyes. Shadows morphed into fleeting shapes of majestic beasts, their forms dancing in the dappled light filtering through the canopy above. The rustle of leaves became the whispers of ancient spirits, guiding me through this ethereal menagerie.

In the midst of this enchanting display, I felt a connection to the wild souls that roamed these woods long before my time. The air hummed with the energy of untamed wilderness, and for a moment, I was one with the creatures that dwelled in the heart of the forest.

Driven by an insatiable curiosity, I stumbled upon a hidden cave, it's entrance shrouded in mystery. With each step into the darkness, the air grew heavy with whispers. Illuminated by a faint glimmer, I uncovered a truth that the monarchy had desperately tried to conceal - a relic of power and intrigue that could change the course of history."

Once again, as moments repeat again, the rest of the writing had splattered itself with black ink. I closed the book dramatically as I stared in a space. Whoever had this journal last, clearly had fun toying with it. The black ink splattering across the page made me wonder why it was like that. Did whoever the person who got hold of the book not want the reader to know what happened? If so, then they could have destroyed the book.

I sighed, small memories dropped through my mind nonstop. I regretted not planning this thoroughly. It seemed to me that Alma, the writer of the journal, was more planned with what she took when she ran away. Though, she didn't exactly plan step by step, just like me. If this journal was in earlier times I would've searched for and found Alma. Funny enough, I would do a better job at it than the soldiers.