The Flame

CHAPTER 42

"The magic registry", Clarke screamed "How did we not think about it?".

"What are you saying?", I asked puzzled, by her sudden excited state. It has been a rough day, as the entire day we sat down and debated on different ways we could find Genn's Kidnapper. It was mentally draining to talk about the same topic continuously for eight hours. We were almost on the brink of a break down and calling for a quit-sies for the day, when Clarke almost jumped up from her seat.

"I'm saying that the magic registry must've noted down the time Genn left the school grounds, just like always", she said flaring with excitement.

"Right, you are a genius", Merlin announced, pulling her into a hug and celebrating, though I was still left puzzled.

"Indeed", said Adrian, now brightening up "That was a smart one", he added.

"Thanks", replied back Clarke, content with herself.

"Tanc I need you", she pronounced energized.

Followed by a bright golden light, Tanc appeared in front of us.

"Yes Merlin", he said zooming right into her palm, where he was fondled by Merlin.

"I want your help Tanc", she told him after finally separating. "I want to have a look on the magical registry", she said.

Tanc for few seconds remained silent, not taking his eyes off Merlin. "I'm afraid I cannot help" he said in a low sweet voice. "As the magical registry is magically concealed, and reveals it's contents only to an authority", he declared.

If Merlin was disappointed by this revelation of Tanc, she managed to not show it on her face.

"Authority? Why, someone like Headmistress?", Allen asked thoughtless.

"Of course Allen", Clarke replied, now vexed. Except she turned around to look at Adrian expectantly. I did not know what it meant, but instantly everyone's face brightened up.

"Oh, I don't know", he said nervously looking around at each of their faces.

"Just try please..." she said encouragingly, walking towards him now. But the push was still not enough. He was still hesitating.

"Okay, I will give it a try", he said "I do not know how to summon but" he turned to Clarke.

"Show authority in your command", she returned back. Eagerly I dared not take my eyes off him as he manage to deliver his next words in a deep tone, "I Prince Adrian Ikion of Dominos, summon the magical registry of Symphea to me".

"Prince?" I gasped out, without any delay "Prince as in Prince?" I asked stupidly. I desperately started looking around for some conformation, but they were too anxious for the appearance of the registry, that no one paid attention to my impatience. NO one except Adrian, he couldn't glance away from me. My heart was beating faster now, before I could ask for any explanation. A book appeared off thin air. The book was deep gold and was huge, with deep purple stones lined along the sides. The book was shimmering illuminating so much light around it, thus making it difficult to be perceived by our eyes. Adrian immediately rushed to open the book, which he succeeded in doing. I let others gather around the book and draw their conclusions, while I was simply standing back and watching them on work.

"It was four days back, look for around 7.00am", suggested Alicia.

"There see, there it is", screamed Merlin. "Wait, stop pushing me Clarke".

"Don't behave uncivilized, you guys", laughed Allen.

"Our exit timing is recorded exactly to be as 7.14am and here it is", Merlin snatched the book from Adrian's hands "See, 7.18 Miss Olleza and Miss Slinova. Oh, my god", she said slapping her hand to her mouth. "So, it was indeed Sonya, as we suspected but what I don't understand is, what on earth can Sonya offer to interest Princess Genn, to lure her outside the school? And wait didn't Sonya leave the school that day. We thought she didn't come back...and yet Glint said that she used to come to the library" "Where the hell was she hiding?" she asked shaking her head rigorously "It's all so confusing. We should have some insight with the outside world now", she said suddenly walking off towards the screen, and making it come alive, with a simple wave.

Again it was Xenopia Times, screening a reporter who was standing on the Symphea school grounds, far ahead at a distance from where the entire weird, spherical architecture of the school was visible. "It has been four days since Prince Adrian of Domino and Princess Genn of Solaria along with six other students from junior year have gone missing, but there have been no sights of them at all. There are few reports suggesting that the Prince and Princess are off to get wed privately, and have taken few friends along with them to witness their union. It was announced earlier this year that the Prince and princess were finally engaged, but were not to marry until few years...", Adrian stopped it.

"Enough", he said firmly.

"Why?", I asked arching my brow, "I want to hear, what else was hidden from me, move aside and play it", I ordered him.

"No", he returned back "I want to talk to you privately", he said.

"No. I am not merely interested, in whatever you have to say", I told him. I was infuriated by the fact that he who I accepted as my friend and trusted had for long concealed his true identity from me, and keeping me in dark for so long. I did not want to talk to him, as I feared that enraged I might deliver some words which I will regret later, and so I stormed out into one of the rooms and closed the door behind me. I needed to cool down, but Adrian wouldn't give up. He kept banging the door, pleading me to let him in.

"I'll talk to you later Adrian, please not now", I told him, trying hard not to deliver those words too harshly.

"You promise?" he asked softly, in a tone that melted my heart right away.

"I...I will" I promised him, as tears started forming. I tried hard, not to let them out. I wasn't sure which part was I more upset about, him being a prince and not telling me, or the part that he was already engaged with Genn. But then why was I even upset? I barely knew him for days, which I could count by my fingers. I always met him in a unusual way, him sneaking out of classes, kitchen, and almost alone did I always see him on the hallways. If he were a prince, as they say shouldn't he be surrounded by his admirers always? Shouldn't he be more imperative? Yet he was always so kind and supportive and open, to others thoughts. Never once did I see him giving orders, or expecting others to follow whatever he asked for. There was gentleness in him, and a compassion, that drew me towards him...No, No, No, I cannot think of him ill, he must've had some good reason for keeping his true identity concealed from me, and anyways, why should I be upset if he is engaged to Princess Genn or no? This is not my place; soon I will have to leave. I have no place here, and no place in his heart.

I wept silently for quite some time. I clambered up the bed to retire and get some sleep, when my eyes started burning with all the crying. Sleep did not embrace me like I wanted too, but after some more muddled thoughts, I finally dozed off.

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