Riley sighed. "Okay. Sarah told us that her parents told her that the only way to get past the first task in the tunnels was to wear an 'amulet' to protect them. Where are those?"
"Wait-we're going through the tunnels?" Leslie asked. "Well, I don't know. Maybe we could go through the front door and get caught by Charles!"
"Fine. Sarah said they were hidden behind a portrait." Leslie said. Riley looked around. She found it. "Ugh. Out of all the things to get rid of in this room, this is the only one he decides to keep?"
She lifted the portrait off the wall. Riley handed one to Leslie. Leslie coughed. "You okay?" Riley asked.
"Yeah, totally fine." Leslie assured.
"Okay, now to actually get to the first task, Sarah said they pulled on a book. Like in the movies." Riley chose the biggest one to pull on. The bookcase flipped her and Leslie around.
"Why isn't anything happening?" Leslie asked. "Sarah said that in our parents' senior year of high school, Eddie broke the beam with this big metal plate." Riley explained.
Riley and Leslie walked on. They walked across the beam. "Which task did Sarah say that there was a secret passageway hidden in?" Riley wondered.
"You really don't listen to her stories." Leslie shook her head. "I only listen to the important parts."
"The Falcon task." Leslie answered. They continued on until they found it. "Right there." Riley pointed out.
They crawled into it.
~~~~~
"Gran! Gran!" Nina dropped her bags when she walked into her house. Gran was in her room.
"Sweetie, you didn't need to come." Gran coughed. "Are you kidding me? You're sick. Of course I'm coming."
"Oh, and I see you brought Fabian. And the little ones. I remember holding them when they were only babies." Gran smiled. Robert and Sarah smiled.
Gran coughed up. "Gran!" Nina cried. "Sweetheart, I'm fine. Go get me a wet rag, my head hurts." Gran groaned. "Fabian, go with her." He nodded. They left the room.
"Kids..." Gran wheezed, "come here."
Robert and Sarah took a step closer to her. "I need you to help your mother understand something." She took a long breath.
"I'm going to die."
"Great-Gran, don't say that." Sarah shook her head. "Sarah, honey. I'm a ninety-nine year old, living alone. I'm a toughie, but not that tough." She chuckled.
Sarah and Robert broke into a half smile. "I want you both to let her down easy. She's loved me more than anyone has. I would ask Fabian to do this, but he loves her too much to say anything that may hurt her." Gran sighed.
"Sarah, dear," Gran rubbed her face, "you'll make a extraordinary Chosen One."
Sarah and Robert's eyes popped. "You knew?" Robert asked.
"Dear, I've always known. Nina's parents knew that she was the Paragon." Gran coughed again. "Robert, protect your sister from all the harms the world may give her."
Robert nodded. "We love you, Gran." They brought her in for a hug.
"Hey, you feel that?" Sarah asked. "I don't feel anything." Robert responded.
"Exactly." Sarah stood up. She felt Gran's chest. "Gran?" "Mom! Dad!" Robert yelled.
Nina and Fabian rushed inside the room. Sarah and Robert stepped back. "Fabian, go call an ambulance. Please." Nina cried.
Sarah hugged Robert.
~~~~~
Jax waited at the bottom of the steps for Riley.
7:11
Jax sighed. He almost walked off, when Riley and Leslie burst through the door. "You didn't think I would miss our first date, did you?" Riley smirked.
Jax made a face that said, 'Leslie is right there'.
"Relax, she knows. Besides, we got the tears of gold!" Riley cheered. "We only need to get the water of the Nile River."
Riley almost went to stand beside Jax when Leslie coughed again. She started to wheeze.
"Les?" Jax went to sit beside her on the floor when she fell.
"I'll get Trudy!" Riley exclaimed, running toward the kitchen.
Leslie kept coughing, when finally, she passed out.
******
Okay, another chapter for you guys! Do you think this book is interesting? Be honest, so I know whether or not I should leave a cliffhanger at the end of this story. It doesn't seem like you're enjoying it.
Will Leslie be okay?
Sibuna.