Camille's Adventure

Chapter 19: Lucy's Temptation and the Mirror of Mysteries

Dawn broke out across the sleeping campsite. Slowly the camp began to stir. Camille stood and stretched and Caspian sat up. That was when Caspian noticed impressions in the sand.

"Camille! Footprints!" Caspian exclaimed.

"I see," Camille noted. She stood and looked around. "We'd better wake the others."

Caspian nodded and went over to Edmund. "Ed, Ed," Caspian whispered, shaking the boy. "Wake up."

Edmund mumbled something groggily and looked up at Caspian half awake.

"Come on, get up," Caspian insisted and Edmund got up.

Edmund looked around. Something was wrong. His drowsiness instantly lifted as soon as he noticed Lucy was gone.

"Where's Lucy?" Edmund questioned. "Lucy! Lucy!" Edmund called.

Drinian, who was woken up by the commotion, quickly got to his feet. "Everybody, get up!" He ordered.

"Where's Marcus?" Camille asked, seeing Marcus was gone too.

"Why does that matter to you?" Edmund huffed.

"Edmund!" Camille scolded, putting her hands on her hips and frowned. "What's wrong with you? The boy's new here, couldn't you give him at least some welcome?"

Edmund didn't say anything so Camille just sighed in exasperation. Together, the Dawn Treader crew followed the footsteps deeper into the island. All except Eustace who was still snoring.

****

Inside the mansion, Marcus and Lucy tried to keep up a conversation as they walked down a long creepy hallway. Lucy managed to get Marcus talking about his life back at home. She wanted to know what made him insecure. 

Marcus told her of the boys at Highland House and how his foster parents cared about nothing more than just the war and drunken parties. He had been raised by a maid servant and was shuffled around. His foster father was always busy with phone calls and his foster mother was continually occupied doing whatever business women do. After fifteen years of being there, Marcus ran off to Professor Kirk's house and took up studying there.

"Wait, you mean the Professor Kirke? He's the professor whose house we first found Narnia in." Lucy exclaimed.

"Well, Professor Kirke did mention that he had a house in the countryside. Is that the one with the wardrobe that you found Narnia in?"

Lucy smiled and began to relate the whole story of their first adventure in the world of Narnia.

With each step they took through the hall, the eyes of the hanging portraits seemed to follow them. A ghastly mist hung in the air and the floorboards creaked beneath their feet. Through all the eeriness of the hall, the hall itself was gorgeous. All along the walls and around portraits were intricate carvings and elegant designs. Even the walls were lavishly decorated. Gorgeous chandeliers sparked like a thousand diamonds in their candlelit reflection.

"This place would be absolutely amazing if it wasn't for the haunted feeling going on here," Lucy commented.

The pair reached the end of the hall, which opened into a massive room. In the center was a stand and on the stand was a book. Lucy reached for the books clasp and tried to budge it but it wouldn't move. Then she noticed a movement above her. It was a small cherub blowing dust from a book. Lucy paused for a moment then blew on the cover. Suddenly, the scattered letters on the cover came together forming the title of the book, 'The Book of Incantations'.

With the words legible, Lucy managed to open the book. She looked through the pages of the book, smiled at one spell then went on. But she stopped as one spell caught her eye.