SECRETS OF THE LOST:The Last Witch

Chapter 12

Hey, everyone. I'm sorry for not updating frequently, but I'm really busy with college and I had a writer's block. Anyway so this is part 1 of chapter 12. A rough write. I'll upload the whole chapter once i finish it, but since i'm busy with exams I can't promise when so I have decided to upload atleast a part of it. Sorry again.

Eric’s arrival back to the camp had created quite a stir; everyone was excited to have the prince back which Alicia found very ridiculous because most of them had never even meet him. But, then again he was the prince. She needed to wrap that idea around her head.

Alicia had retreated to her bed chamber to clear her head. The new piece of information was a bit much for her to take in; she almost felt like a fool to not have been able to figure it out herself.

“What is wrong with you?” Maria sat beside Alicia, eyeing her suspiciously. “You haven’t said anything for the past fifteen minutes and your face looks so pale as if you had seen a ghost...wait, have you?”

“No!” Well, it was far worse than seeing a ghost. Now, how was she going to explain it to Maria? “I’m fine; I am just tired from the day. I think I’m not going to come down for dinner tonight and instead go to bed.

“Alright then,” Maria still looked suspicious. Alicia made a mental note to come up with better excuses next time.

After the younger girl left, Alicia got up from her bed and searched for a piece of parchment to write on. She had already decided that explaining everything face to face was not a very prudent thing to do. She couldn’t do that. So, she was going to write a letter to Eric; a letter in which she would explain everything.

After finding a parchment roll under one of the girl’s bed whom she didn’t know, Alicia sat propped up on her own bed hoping that the girl wouldn’t mind. She had also found an ink pot and as she soaked the quill with black ink, she couldn’t help but feel relief that Eric was back. Even though she had made friends now, but they didn’t know who she was. Eric didn’t know either, but it was different; he had seen her cast a spell once. And it was time that she told him the truth.

The paper felt rough as she wrote; the ink leaving a trail of truth. Alicia wrote down everything. She wrote about her unusual abilities, she wrote about the night when she was left alone in the woods, she wrote about the accident and explained everything that happened then. At the end, she concluded with asking him for his protection-the reason, she was here in the first place. Once the paper was fully covered in words, she sealed it up and got up.

Nobody had returned back to the quarters yet, so Alicia assumed that tonight’s dinner was going to be long. That’s when an idea popped into her mind. Quickly she grabbed her boots and headed out.

There was no one outside as everyone was at the dinner. Alicia walked along the torches lit to illuminate the path as their flame danced silently in the cold night air; even they were celebrating Eric’s return. She followed to where Maria had pointed as the prince’s encampment. No one spotted her on the way, but as she drew near, the hard part began. She needed to get past the guards posted at the tent’s entrance and without getting caught. She could shield herself by reflecting light and pass right through under their noses, but it was too risky as the spell was too complicated. Going through the back seemed like a better plan.

Going all the way around the tent, she came to a stop at the back wall. The cloth was thick, but she could get through it. Making sure that nobody was in there she took a deep breath, preparing herself. The spell wrapped around her as Alicia spoke the incantations and like always, the magic rushed through her veins . Once she was done, she held her breath and focused on the tent fabric in front of her. With a swift motion, she leapt into the thick cloth wall.

The tent was warm inside. A lantern sat at a corner but its light was not enough to see properly so Alicia amplified it. The place was well kept. Alicia walked around the spacious room finding a good place to leave the letter in. She noticed the stack of books on the table and it looked like Eric had been working here. He would surely find the letter if she left it here. Picking up the book lying on the top, she opened it. It was a record diary of some sort. Tiny notes were made here and there roughly as if someone was cross checking it. Considering Eric’s position, Alicia guessed it must be him.

There was a stirring outside at the entrance; Alicia heard a loud voice address the guards. Quickly, she took out the letter from her pant pocket and put it in between the pages of the book, placing it back on the table. She had exited from the back just as the other man entered from the front. She thanked the gods for not getting caught and made her way back to the ladies quarters. She left oddly light as the weight of a big secret lifted off her. She just hoped that Eric would understand.