Chapter 13

• 'Secrets are like scars. The cut may no longer be there, but the scar's white line tells a story. Unless you share it, it's like you're hiding a part of yourself the whole world can already see. They may not know the how or the why, but they see it just the same. And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.'
• Sarah turned to study Rae before turning back to Avonmora.
• "Why do you say so?" Sarah asked curiously. "Avonmora had been like this for the past 1,000 years." She added.
• "I don't know why I said that, but I am very sure that this frozen lady here, is much alive." Rae sounded so sure of herself. She could feel the strange tingles in her fingers, when she touched the woman's cheek, it wasn't icing as she had expected it to be, it was very warm. And her eyes, it speak of someone who had lost something. Rae leaned nearer to the face and stare at frozen eyes. Something doesn't seem right here and she was going to ask her mother to tell her more about this frozen woman.
• "She is really beautiful." Rae said slowly studying the lady's face.
• "Yes she is, my grandmother once told me that she was the most beautiful maiden in the entire Kingdoms." Sarah responded. Truly, Avonmora was beautiful.
• Removing her hands from Avonmora cheek, facing her friend. "Come on, let's get out of here before someone sees us." Rae said.
• "I was just waiting to hear that from you?" Sarah said with a smile as they walked out of there towards the gate. Rae turned for the last time to look at the frozen lady, she felt as if it was calling her to come back, her eyes said it all, for a moment, Rae had sworn that she saw a brief light that came out from the lady's eyes when she had touched her. Reaching the gate, Sarah locked it exactly the way it was and put the keys back inside her boots.
• As the gate was locked, Rae felt as if a part of her were locked inside, she shook that feeling away and started thinking.
• Sarah saw the look on Rae's face and decided to ask.
• "What are you thinking?"
• "Tharollin." Was Rae simply answer.
• "Tharollin? What happened to him?" Sarah asked confusedly.
• "Didn't your grandmother told you anything else concerning this demon king?"
• "Nope, only that he betrayed the queen of mermaids, he broke the trust he had from Avonmora, I told you my grandmother forgets a lot of things so she couldn't remember." Sarah answered. "But I will tell you something, ask your grandmother, she was amongst the few who witnessed everything. My grandmother only heard hers from rumor, so if you want to know more about the demon King ask your grandmother, she is in the best position in telling you." Sarah added and they continue their journey back to the school.
• "So where does this priestess of ours lives?"
• "At the top of that mountain." Sarah answered and pointed at the highest mountain surrounding them.
• Rae followed Sarah's finger and saw nothing at the top of the mountain she voice out her thoughts. "But I see no house or tent on it."
• "Yeah, the priestess comes and goes like she wants. No one had actually know where she lived, we only know that she appeared from that mountain and disappeared at that same mountain." Sarah replied. By this time they were about to enter the school compound when Rae stops.
• "I don't feel like going back in there today, I want to go home. Everything I saw today seem to overwhelmed me and going back to school would make me took for trouble, which I have been avoiding." Rae told her.
• "Okay," Sarah said.
• "Oh and you must not tell anyone what you saw, you know placing my hand on that frozen lady."
• "I won't, I promise." Sarah promised and smiled. "So since I have memorized your rules about fighting when you beat up those Amazon's, when are you going to teach your new student how to fight?" She added.
• "If you're ready I will know, but for now, I know you're not ready to learn." Rae said with a smile as she remembered how she had kicked their ass. "I better start going home and not delay you for your next class." She added as she touched her bracelet and a portal opened right in front of them.
• "Take care Rae, see you tomorrow."
• Rae waved and entered the portal, once it closes, Sarah quickly entered the school compound and made her way to her next class.
• ****
• Tamara who was sitting inside her cave, felt the presence of the water man heading towards her.
• "I haven't figured out where the last mermaid might be yet my Lord." Tamara said with her back facing the water man. She stood up and knelt before him. The water raised up his hand which signified Tamara to stand up.
• "I know that Tamara, but that is not the reason why I am here, you see, a thought just crossed my mind and I came here to share it with you." The water said.
• "My Lord, what then do you want to share with me?" Tamara asked with her head bowed.
• "I think a witch is hiding the last mermaid."
• "A witch? Why do say so my Lord?"
• "My instinct told me so, if not, where can she be hiding. I told you I once felt that she had been conceived and suddenly, I couldn't feel her aura again, it was as if she was killed, but today, I thought differently. What if a witch is the one hiding the last mermaid away from us. Avonmora soul moved aggressively today and stopped, her soul hasn't done that for the past 1,000 years ago." The water man said. "And you know my instincts never lie."
• "Then I will check in the witches school and the supernaturals, and will have to come up with an excuse from the gods, telling all the witches and Jack that they were the ones who had sent me to check on them." Tamara suggested.
• "Perfect plan Tamara, no one hasn't suspected a thing for so long. Tharollin is closer and will soon collect my bones, we don't have much time." The water man said.
• "Of course my Lord."
• "What about your sister's son, ask Rosa to get ready."
• "Yes my Lord."
• The water man disappeared leaving Tamara to her own thoughts.
• ***
• Rae stepped out of the portal and wasn't surprised when she saw her grandmother standing right next to her.
• "What happened, why are you back so early?" Lillian demanded.
• "I was down and became homesick, so I decided to come home straight." Rae answered.
• "Okay, why don't you go to your room and change then come back to eat." Lillian said as she entered the kitchen.
• Rae didn't reply back, she quickly walked up the stairs and entered her room, showered and change her clothes to the ones she normally wear at home.
• Coming down the stairs, she sat on her chair awaiting her food.
• Lillian came out of the kitchen and gave Rae her food.
• "I called Jack and told him that you are home sick, so he said you should take the whole week off and resume school next week." Lillian said expecting Rae to start eating which sh didn't. "What is it Rae? Did something happen in your school that you are not telling me?"
• "No grandma, nothing happened in school. I came across a lady today when I was taking a stroll." Rae said cutting off Sarah.
• "What lady, was she the one who had offended you?" Lillian asked worriedly.
• "No, I saw a gate behind the school compound and climbed inside it. Then I saw the lady, she was frozen and was standing right in front of a gate called the Gate of Darkness."
• Lillian eyes were filled in shocked.
• "You saw Avonmora?" Lillian whispered asked.
• "Yes, and I touched it, grandma you won't believe that where I touched shone brightly. And I felt within me that Avonmora is still alive. Why was she frozen?"
• "She was betrayed by her lover and has to pay the consequences of her actions. She was warned but she was blinded by love. I wouldn't blame her, who wouldn't do anything for your soulmate. She paid with her life." Lillian said sadly.
• "So tell me more about Tharollin, the demon King."
• "He was Lucifer son, the Prince of Hades. Back then, Lucifer was the ruler over us before it was taken forcefully away from him. Tharollin helped the gods by defeating his father, he gave his father's bones to the gods who then throw it at the bottomless pit behind that evil gate. Tharollin was then given the King of Demons, he was a very good person, but all that changed one day, the Tharollin we know, changed into a cold hearted person. He kills and doesn't feel remorseful. He became greedy for powers and started a war with us, just like his father, he wants to rule over us again. He was defeated, later on, I realized that was his plans to fake his defeat and meet the healers, and when he met Avonmora, the gods made them mates. And he betrayed her and opened the Gate of Darkness, and entered it, he wants to bring out his father's bones." Lillian explained.
• "Why then Avonmora didn't try to persuade him to stay back?"