Holly had raced out after me to make sure I knew where I was going. I, as politely as I could, waved her off. I had someone waiting for me.
Sure enough, after twenty minutes of trekking across the palace to my room, the silver-eyed boy was there leaning against the wall near the bathroom. I heard the toilet running and figured he just finished his business.
I made sure the door was locked, then strode towards him with a swagger I didn't know I had.
"You're looking pretty confident for a shy girl." He said grinning.
"Yeah. I don't know why, but I just haven't felt very shy since the captain of the guard tried to knock me out," I replied looking away from him.
I had a lot of questions, but I know I needed to ask only the right ones. I thought hard then decided.
"Can you give me a clue on where to start? Looking for the clue I mean."
"I certainly can, but first... how much did Amel tell you?" He said pushing off from the wall and taking a seat in one of the armchairs in the room.
I also took a seat, but on my bed. I wanted a good enough distance away from him. He noticed when I didn't sit directly in front of him in the opposite armchair. I only tilted my head in a mocking way and ignored his fake look of hurt.
"He told me that I should talk to you and trust him and his brothers and that he's trying to help and that if I need anything I can speak to him again or one of the five brothers with oddly colored eyes. Also the riddle, that would help escape me somehow. And that I need saving." I said plainly.
"Okay, well there is more. First, is that I won't be the only brother your see on this adventure, if you will, you will meet all of them in... person. I guess." He said frowning in concentration.
"What do you mean... nevermind. Does that have something to do with the races the riddle talks about? Hidden clues in different places, each in different races. Take the answers and solve the phone, they will eventually lead you home." I recited.
"Ah. Yes. I remember now. That's..." he looked at me with a respect and a fascination. "Very. Clever. I should tell Amel about that. You could look at it that way, but there is something more... broad than that."
"Hmm. Okay. What about the 'solve the phone'? Is that like a ticket out of something?"
"Hm." He says hand over mouth, staring at me again, with curious eyes.
I fight the urge to squirm. I stare right back narrowing my eyes. He breaks first and turns his head in a full circle before landing them back on me.
"Yes," he says calmly.
"What's your name?"
He get's red and looks down at his lap. His embarrassment very obvious.
"Dichali. You can call me Dichal."
"What's wrong with the name?" I look at him suspiciously.
"I'll let you look it up. Anyway. There is also the other sides to this war. We call it a Circle War. It's where there are multiple sides to a battle that is being fought. My brothers and I are one side, your dad's one side, your aunt, Vraze, Jual, and one other that we believe has something to do with your mom. We'd call it a World War if there were a world that was fighting..." he trailed off like he said the wrong thing and hoped I didn't notice.
