The Key to Jecondé

Chapter 4

While attempting to ignore Tabitha- who was dancing, skipping and continuously pausing to take deep breaths- Modulive kept his head up and only talked to the girls once they had reached a set of grand, oak doors, carefully carved in swirling patterns. This time, all the girls felt a stronger tingling sensation but were too shocked at what they were seeing to say something about it. While they had been tingling, Modulive had opened the magnificent doors to reveal a long, scarlet carpet rolled up the middle of the stone floor. At the far end of this hall, stood a throne, high and mighty. The occupant of this throne was a beautiful, young woman - who couldn't be much older with light, silky robes that seemed to billow around her as if it were underwater.

Strange, thought Lolly, her gown is rippling around her, yet all the windows are closed.

Lolly took in her majestic surroundings: the detailed stained glass windows in which the scenery seemed to be moving; the paved floor which -if you looked closely- patterns were carved skillfully and the Queen herself was a sight. Her crown was positioned at an angle which made her look friendly, but in-charge. Mary, Tabitha, Lolly and Joy we're jerked back into reality by the sound of doors closing. It was just them and the Queen in the room. The Queen smiled warmly at them, and beckoned them closer.
"Don't stand there like that. It's unladylike."
The girls had had their jaws wide open and only realised at that moment, and hurriedly closed their mouths.
"I trust that you four young ladies are Mary, Tabitha, Lolly and Joy."
The girls found their voices and pointed out which one of them was which.
"Well then. First of all I must welcome you all to Jecondé, although there isn't enough time for sight seeing. You must begin your work at once. Now tell me, do you four like Jecondé so far?" the Queen asked anxiously.
The girls shuffled their feet around and looked at the floor slightly embarrassed muttering something which sounded like, "Yeah, well, it's alright. I guess..."
The Queen looked as if she might cry for a moment, but she blinked them away, and held her head up high.
"Well then,work must wait. We will give you a tour of the city first, then we will get to work."
"Wait a sec," interrupted Tabitha, "what do you mean by work?"
"Ah, that's the problem. Mysteriously, house by house, my people have been disappearing ever since 9 kraz last night. Our investigative services have searched the homes of the victims and have found a clue: "

The only way to set them free
Is to find a squad from another galaxy
You may be thinking,What an easy bet
But the challenge isn't over yet.
The victims will be put to death;
To cry, they will not have the breath
Luckily, the 48 hour delay
Will help the heroes save the day.