Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 13)

Ch.19 House search

"I can't believe I almost forgot about Nathan" Lauren remarked as she sat in the seat next to Nicole at the counter "We're getting closer to breaking this curse and we just remembered him."

"I know" Nicole sighed "I feel terrible."

"Although is he really here? Because I haven't seen him since the curse happened. Are you sure he was at Ever After High when it happened?"

"Yes, I remember seeing him 5 minutes before the curse struck."

"Was he with you?"

"No I just saw him going into the restroom, but then I had to go hide when I heard the curse was coming so I haven't seen him since."

"Damn" Lauren breathed astonished "Well if he was in the curse then where the hell is he?"

"I have no idea, but we should start looking."

"Where? We don't even know if he'll be recognizable, he may even be human just like Francis is."

"Yeah but if we can recognize Francis then we can recognize Nathan."

"Where do we even start?"

"Well, I suggest we go to the one guy who pretty much knows everything."

"Alright, let's get on it."

_________

When they finally arrived at Brooke's house, everyone looked around to make sure no one was near.

"Coast is clear" Mira announced as they went up to the front door and tried to open it, only to find it lock.

"Great" Elena remark disappointed "Now what?"

"Does this mean we have to break in?" Aidan asked "If so, I'm all for it."

"I think we do" Darling said as she reached into her hair and pulled out a bobby pin "Thankfully I learned some tips from Hailee on how to pick locks."

She then used the bobby pin to pick the lock on the door until she managed to open it.

"And here we go" she smiled as they stepped inside.

"Okay" Mira spoke as she turned to Elena "You still got the Revealer Rays?"

She nodded as she pulled out Francis's Revealer Rays and slipped them on. She then watched as the little blue fairy flew around the room searching for clues, and that's when she pointed up the stairs.

"This way" Elena pointed as they went up the stairs and into Brooke's room.

Elena continued to watch the fairy as it then pointed to Brooke's bed. She went over to the bed and began to search through it, and that's when she lifted up the pillow to find a book made of old browned paper sewed together with waxed thread.

"What's this?" she questioned after taking off the rays.

"What is that?" Olivia asked.

"Shadow High" Elena read the title.

"Shadow High?" Terrence remarked surprised "Like the picture we saw in the storybook?"

"It appears so. Looks like Brooke knows about this more than we do."

"Well what does it say about it?"

She flipped open the book and read over some of the first few texts, and then she flipped through the other pages and took glaces at the other texts.

"It appears to be the history about Shadow High" she reported "It talks about what it is, how it was made, and how it was run by someone name Ms. Direction."

"Ms. Direction?" Aidan remarked "That's a pretty creative name."

"Yeah and how come that name sounds familiar now?" Olivia put in.

"I know" Elena agreed "I can't seem to figure out where I heard that name."

"Well what does it say about her?" Terrence asked.

"And is that really her real name?" Aidan added.

"Well all it says is that she was a Narrator who hated perfect stories and believed that Narrators should have the power to narrate stories however they like, making the characters do whatever they want."

"Whoa" Olivia breathed astonished "That kinda sounds like that Wendell guy. Remember when he wrote that alternate story of us?"

"Oh yeah" Aidan nodded "I was a blood thirsty beast who killed anyone that got in my way, all of my worst nightmares put into one terrible story."

"Looks like he and this Ms. Direction chic could of been friends" Darling stated as she turned to Elena "What else does it say about her?"

"That she created Shadow High where she taught Narrators who skills on how to change stories, and those who followed her where called Rebel Narrators."

"Uh, isn't Brooke considered a Rebel Narrator?" Aidan questioned.

"Well even though she did wanted to change the stories a bit, all she really wanted to do was help the characters, not change the entire story. But unlike her, these Narrators created a magic that could unmake stories. But even though Ms. Direction was powerful, she couldn't always control it. And because of that this Unmaking Lava erupted and destroyed Shadow High along with everyone in it."

"Oh so she's dead?" Aidan remarked a bit surprised.

"I guess so, this Unmaking Lava destroys anything it touches, turning it into nothing but words."

"Whoa" everyone breathed in shock.

"But what does it say about the school?" Mira asked "Does it say where it is?"

"Um-" Elena flipped through the pages, looking over the texts "All it says is that it's in the World of Stories."

"What?" Aidan questioned.

"The World of Stories" Mira said "I know about this, we're in the World of Stories right now. It has all the realms you can think of."

"But how do we find this Shadow High?" Darling put in.

"It just says that it's an island in the center of the World of Stories, and that in order to get through it, we have to cross the Margins."

"Well does it say how to find the Margins?"

"Nope" she sighed "It just talks about more of the history."

"Great" Olivia grunted "Now how are gonna find Brooke?"

"It'd be easier if we knew where Destiny is."

"Should we be worried?" Mira asked with a concerned look.

"Well Noah says we shouldn't be, but now that I think of it, I say we gotta look for her too."

"Damn" Aidan remarked "Are more people gonna keep on disappearing?"

"Okay how about this?" Elena announced "Olivia, Mira and I will keep a hold of this book and see if we can find Brooke and the others. You three go talk to Gold or something, see if you guys can locate Destiny."

"Is it gonna be easy to locate an oracle?" Terrence wondered.

"Don't ask me, just see what you guys can do. And don't forget, don't tell Lydia and her crew."