the books of hidden worlds

chapter twelve: Kian

The next morning, everyone gathered in the room where the meeting was being held to discuss the disappearance of Prince Kaelion Dravon.

"When was the last time you saw Prince Kaelion Dravon?" Professor Alaric Veldor asked us.

"The last time I saw him was maybe last week, but I'm not sure. I'm sorry, Professor," I replied.

"The last I remember was during the queen's birthday; that's when I last saw the prince," Peter added.

"As for us," Elias chimed in, "the last time we saw him was when our brother Rowan was taken, and we were with the Grey siblings."

"Alright... Eat first before I reveal the plan," Professor Alaric said. Elias nodded in agreement.

"We came here because someone abducted Rowan, right?" Alden whispered to us.

"Al..." Orion warned.

Elsewhere, the Poison Witch, sister to the feared Darkness Witch, made her way through the forest to the house of her younger sister, Agnes. Unlike the Poison Witch, Circe loved nature, the forest, and flowers. She also enjoyed making potions and reading. However, she was the opposite of her sister.

The wind grew stronger, and rain began to fall suddenly. "Ugh, this weather!" the Poison Witch cursed, but she continued walking until she reached Agnes's house. Despite being feared by other witches and wizards, Agnes was only startled when she heard knocking at her door.

"Who's there?" Agnes called out, walking toward the door. When she opened it, she didn't expect to see her sister standing on the threshold.

"What are you doing here?" Agnes asked coldly.

"I'm your sister, aren't I? You know why I'm here," the Poison Witch replied.

"Can I come in?"

"Do I have a choice? You're already here," Agnes said with clear irritation. "Fine, come in."

"Thanks," the Poison Witch smiled, though it was laced with annoyance.

"How's life here?" the Poison Witch asked.

"There's nothing I want to tell you, and don't touch anything that isn't yours," Agnes snapped, taking back the item her sister had picked up.

"Your reflexes are sharp. How did you see that?"

"Are you stupid? I'm a witch, remember?" Agnes rolled her eyes.

"Are you done yet? You can leave now, Circe," she said, referring to her sister by name.

"Can I stay for just one night, please? Just one day."

"Fine, but by the time I wake up tomorrow, you better be gone."

"Thank you," Circe said with a reluctant smile.

Back at the meeting, Dorian raised his hand, addressing Professor Alaric, "Professor, do you know why Prince Kaelion left the palace? He should have taken the princess with him instead of leaving her behind, don't you think?"

"It could be because of the queen's death," Alaric said thoughtfully. "But I can't blame him for leaving. He chose to live on his own rather than stay in the palace. If you were the prince, would you do the same?"

"Maybe," Dorian mused, "but not every decision everyone else makes is the right one."

"Enough about that for now. We need to gather everyone and finalize the plan," Professor Alaric ordered. "Quickly."

Elias stood up, calling out to the others. "Everyone, it's time to gather! We need to finalize the plan."

"Prince Kaelion loves the forest and flowers. He's likely hiding somewhere in the woods, as he enjoys archery," Professor Alaric mused.

"Oh, I punched Prince Kaelion once," Kian confessed suddenly.

"You punched him?" Alaric raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Kian," Professor Alaric replied with a chuckle.

"I really can't stand that guy," Alden muttered under his breath.

"Al," Rowan said, "I heard that."

"I didn't say anything," Alden lied.

"Maybe Rowan needs a hot cup of coffee," Peter teased.

"Peter, enough," Rowan groaned.

"I have an idea to find Prince Kaelion," Kian suggested, "but we'll need the Arcana siblings for it."

"Hmm, that could work," Alaric agreed. "Prince Kaelion is close to the Arcana siblings."

"Who are they?" Alden asked.

"Lucan, Salem, and Evander. They're your cousins."

Alden blinked in surprise before laughing awkwardly. "I knew that," he said, embarrassed by the realization.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the forest, where silence reigned, Prince Kaelion Dravon sat in his home, reading a book while eating half a loaf of bread and sipping hot tea. His house was filled with plants and flowers, and while he enjoyed his solitude, he occasionally found himself thinking about his family.

"I wonder how my sister is doing," he muttered. "I hope she's safe at the palace, and I know she's strong. One day, she'll become queen."

At the Arcana siblings' house, Salem, Lucan, and Evander were busy with their morning routine. "Salem!" evander called out. "Come down! Breakfast is ready!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Salem shouted back as he hurried downstairs.

As they crossed paths, Lucan accidentally spilled water all over Salem. "Lucan! What are you doing?" Salem snapped.

"Relax, Salem, just take off your shirt and sit down," Evander, the youngest of the three, called out from the kitchen.

As they argued, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Evander said, opening the door to reveal nine men standing outside.

"Who are they, Van?" Salem asked.

"I don't know," Evander replied, stepping aside as Salem approached the door.

"Oh, Alden. Who are these guys with you?" Salem asked.

"Aren't you going to put a shirt on first?" Alden quipped with a grin.

"Don't worry about it," Salem shot back, unfazed.

"Alright, we're here because we need your help to find Prince Kaelion Dravon," Alden explained.

"What happened to him?" Evander asked, as Lucan continued eating his breakfast.

"After the queen's death, the prince disappeared. Professor Alaric believes you're the only ones who understand him well enough to help us track him down," Alden replied.

Salem studied Alden for a moment before Alden looked back at him, asking, "Why are you staring?"

"No reason," Salem shrugged.

"Can we come in?" Kian asked.

"Yes, of course," Evander answered, gesturing for them to enter.

The others, including Elias and his group, followed suit, settling into the living room as Salem took a seat next to Alden.

Back in the forest, the wind howled as Lucan and Evander's father, now long dead, had once wandered through the woods. One day, he had heard the cry of an abandoned baby. Rushing toward the sound, he found an infant alone.

"Who left you here?" he murmured, gently lifting the child into his arms and carrying the baby home to his wife. At the time, his wife had been pregnant with their first son, Lucan. The baby was warmly welcomed, and after three years, their own child, Lucan, was born.

Lucan was a joyful child, and after a few more years, their second son, Evander, arrived. Sadly, their mother died during childbirth, leaving their father to raise them alone. When Salem was twenty, their father passed away from a heart condition, a reminder that he had always been an ordinary human, while their mother had been a powerful witch.