The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

The Test of Waning: Death

My eyes were still glancing around, half-hopeful and half-despairing, when I felt the slightest of movement from the notes behind me. It was subtle, but all the training I did with Zepherin had made me notice that there was a new person amongst us. A cursory look around me, however, granted nothing about the whereabouts of the newcomer.

'Did I imagine it?' I thought.

However, the next second, a passing wind, far too warm and concentrated to be nature-born, tickled the backs of my ears. I didn't flinch or react, knowing that it might either be harmful or helpful. Then, a voice so silent came upon my ears, "We have the treasure. When the time comes, shout out his name."

I frowned slightly, recognizing the owner of the voice, but couldn't find his body at all. I whispered back as quietly as I could, calling, "Joren?"

However, he no longer replied. So, I decided to think his words over.

'We have the treasure... WE have the treasure...'

Does it mean he got Albert and Charles out from where they're being held? Or did he find other allies? Or was he just referring to "we" as in our team, and he found the treasure alone?

Frustrated with my thoughts, I almost jumped when Kendra bumped her shoulder on mine. She looked at me with frightened eyes. "Look over there. Telken seems about ready to do something drastic again."

Briefly looking away from my thoughts, I gazed over at Telken's group, arguing animatedly about something. The noble looked about ready to kill someone, and his team members cowered around, but kept talking back.

Taking a deep breath, I looked over at Kendra and Damia. They too have frightened, yet resolute faces. I told them, "Be ready. It's probably going to start soon."

And just like I had jinxed it, Telken came thundering towards us. This was already a familiar scene, but back then, it was Damia screaming at him to stop, and not his other team members.

Cursing while he stood over us, he shooed away the two guards that kept us in place, and then proceeded to glare at us.

Feeling annoyed by being stared at for too long, I finally asked, "What?"

Telken turned to me with anger on his handsome features. "What, indeed? There should be a stupid connection amongst you three, but I see none."

I glared back at him, in fear that he would see the panic in my eyes. 'Will my disguise finally be broken today?' I thought.

I was hoping to live a bit longer as a male student, but...

Unexpectedly, Telken began to recite, "What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?"

My eye twitched at his silly riddle, enough that I was about to answer it. However, I noticed the puzzled looks on both Damia's and Kendra's faces.

With a start, I realized, 'They didn't know!'

Well, in truth, that particular puzzle would have become more popular in the far years to come. In fact, it would be so popular that it would no longer be a riddle at all. But that will happen by the time I was at least fifteen. Now, it was a puzzle to behold, just as much as it had been on the first time I had heard of it, spending long days and nights racking out my brain to think of an answer.

"... What is that supposed to be?" I ventured to ask, a confused expression plastered on my face.

"I don't know!" Telken screamed, "But that's all the the runes gave back in the treasure hold. With you three here, one for each part of the day... Yes, that's all I would imagine this to be! There must be a sacrifice for all times of the day."