"What?" I sat up in bed, staring at Daniel. "Are you sure?"
"E-Eh... but of course. Barrett is the one who made me aware of your whereabouts in the cave? He is one of the five individuals who know the truth about the war."
"He must've known who I was even before meeting me... that's..." I couldn't help but scoff. The old man managed to completely fool me. "I'm assuming Adam is unaware?"
"But of course. If he confronted Adam right now..."
"He would risk exposing himself and hurting Adam in the process. Smart man." I couldn't help but laugh. Such a turn of events. "As for the other four? You mentioned five."
"The royal family, of course."
"... I see." With a sigh, I faced Daniel. "So? What is the plan now?"
He shook his head. "I... I am unsure... is it confirmed that Adam truly has the third key?"
"That can't be possible. Barrett... he was around all that time, yes? If he truly had the key, he would've given it to me by now."
"Perhaps he didn't know what it was until now."
I narrowed my eyes, sighing. "Can that truly be the case? If the other two were found on the royal family, perhaps the third would be closer to where the other two were found.
"You can't keep all your eggs in one basket. There is a chance whoever distributed these keys did so with your safety in mind."
"Explain." I rested my head on my hands.
"Well... The princes didn't know why the paperweights were so precious. There is a high chance the royal family weren't the ones who hid your power away in those paperweights."
"The princess is a scarlet witch who feeds off of magic; why else would they have my powers?"
"The princess has the crystal shard as a direct energy source; the reason you were able to defeat her a couple days ago with so little of your power must be due to the lack of control over her abilities."
"Who would give them those paperweights? And how did they know something bad would happen to me?"
Daniel paused to think and then shook his head. "I'm... I am unsure... but that person could."
"—Could be the same one who released me." I realized. Daniel nodded. I sighed. "Everything has just gotten far more complicated." I turned to him. "You can leave; I'd like to rest now."
"Yes, Miss."
๏๏๏ꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉꪉ๏๏๏
Far from the abandoned Watergate mansion in a lavish castle...
In the biggest room of a life tower that once dawned beige and white curtains and color. A glass vase was thrown to the ground and shattered instantly.
"Why won't it work?!? What did that b*tch do to me?!?"
Isabella was breathlessly scanning her room, with a disheveled appearance. Hair that was strewn out of order, which a small bejeweled tiara sat clumsily on. Upon glance, she saw another vase containing flowers. She extended her hand, focusing on the faraway vase.
Her brows furrowed, and she gnawed her teeth down, but nothing happened. She could no longer feel the buzz of magic beneath her skin. It was gone.
Isabella whipped around and pushed her desk, miscellaneous objects flying off of it, some breaking and others scattering to the ground. "What happened to me?!!"
Tears of anger filled her eyes as she thought of her unfortunate fate. All because of one common denominator. As she thought, the door to her room was latched open, in walking her older brother.
"Isabella." He walked towards her. "What happened?"
Isabella's face of anger and fury dissipated; she dawned a face of tears, crying loudly.
"Elicus. That witch!!" She tossed herself towards her brother, who lovingly held her. "She- she's done something to me!! My magic-"
"Isabella, hush. Magic isn't something a royal such as yourself should be so concerned with."
Isabella pushed herself away from him with a loud cry. "Truly?!? Do you believe now is such a time for those ignorant thoughts?!? Our kingdoms is in shambles! Your useless brothers have only brought shame and humiliation to this family!! The one- the only, advantage we had over Elodie is gone!!!"
"Isabella!" The king scowled. "Hold your tongue."
Her fists shook, the uncontrollable itch in her throat growing. "I have held my tongue for far too long." She spat, "Every idea of yours we have followed has only resorted to one thing, King of Peace—chaos."
Slap!
The sound echoed in Isabella's room.
She was sent to the ground by the strong force of the hit, her tiara falling beside her, surrounded by broken glass.
Slowly, Isabella lifted her hand to her cheek, stunned. "You think I'm lying? Huh?"
Her brothers eyes darkened. "You will continue trying to suppress the evil witch. Everything else isn't your concern."
"Elicus! That is unreasonable! I cannot use-"
"Then find a way." He scowled. "I have a country to look after. If you cannot handle a girl with party tricks, then, consider yourself useless."
Isabella grated her teeth. "Elicus!"
However, the towering eldest brother only turned around and left the room, ignoring Isabella completely.
Isabella stared at her hands, grasping them. "Who does she think she is??"
Her fists shook in anger, her knuckles white. Lifting herself up forcibly, Isabella walked to her bed, ignoring the broken glass completely as she picked up her tiara. Glass pieces scratched her hand.
She walked towards her large closet doors, pulling them open. Behind were extravagant robes and dresses, taking up an entire room. Isabella walked until the end of the closet, mindlessly.
When she reached, she pushed apart two dresses, revealing another door.
She opened it, following another illusive hallway and reaching a barren room surrounded by darkness. "Isabella Solaria, Princess of the Crystal Shard. "
A light bloomed in the developed room. Suddenly, a tall glass bloomed from the ground; inside was a large crystal suspended by a strand of pure white magical energy.
Isabella stared at the crystal, blinded by its magical radiance. She then glanced at her hand, feeling nothing. She pressed her hand to the glass, her palm resting on the crystal.
The light fluctuated, briefly making contact with her hand. Isabella's eyes widened, pulling away from the crystal. the tips of her fingers were warm.
"Magic... inside the Crystal shard? But of course... it is what powers the kingdom." Isabella stared at the crystal, hopeful. "A Scarlet Witch's powers rely on magic... ha!"
Giggles bubbled from her lips; she laughed without stopping and, only minutes later, calmed.
"Elodie, you've truly courted death this time..."
Isabella plucked her tiara off of her head, aiming it at the glass casing, hitting it forcibly. The sound of glass shattering rung throughout the palace, echoing ominously.