Finding Me (Chapter 12)

Chapter 121

“What do you mean you left Melody behind?”  Canace yelled tiredly, angry with her friends. They were lodging in an extra room of a family Danny knew, whose oldest son had recently married and lived a few streets over.  Canace, laying on one of the two beds in the room near the window, was sitting up glaring at her friends.2

“We called for her, but she didn’t come!”  Melissa protested.  “She was nowhere to be found.” 3

“But she could be out there!  Hurt!  Maybe she was sleeping and didn’t hear you!”  Canace desperately cried.  “Can’t we go back to her?”  Her eyes met and pleaded with each of her friends.4

“I’m sorry Canace, but we can’t go back.  You were almost killed out there!”  Jay leaned back against the wall he was sitting under. His face was expressionless.  “Even if we did go back, there’s a good chance that Melody, er, might not be there.” 5

“My poor puppy.” Canace moaned. Although expected tears did not come out of her sorrowful eyes, she laid back forcefully on her bed and mentally burned holes into the ceiling.  Jay found himself fidgeting while Melissa checked her temperature.  Danny was thinking in a chair next to her bed. 6

“You know, I don’t recall seeing Melody while we were eating.  I suppose she could’ve gotten lost as we went through the brush of the Starfield. 7

Canace brightened a bit, but saddened again when Melissa said, “Don’t get her hopes up Danny.”  There was a period of silence.8

“Hey Canace, do you know what that strange light was?  It flashed just before you went out.”  Jay asked, breaking the ice. 9

She turned over, and looked at him questioningly, “What light?” 10

* * * * * * * * *11

Danny and Jay had slipped out of the room after Canace had fallen asleep, leaving Melissa to watch over her in the meantime.  They hustled down the street and made their way to the library.  Once again, the entire city looked the same as the others, except for the library.  This time, the library had an over dosage on stairways.  Once entered, Jay and Danny gaped at the large amounts of bookshelves going from wall to wall and floor to floor.  After getting over the shock, they made their way to find a librarian.  After going up and down way too many stairs, the found her hunched over a thick book, with eyes peering through thicker glasses that were almost bigger then her head, muttering to herself. 12

“Miss?” Danny asked, slightly tapping her on the shoulder.  13

She rudely turned him off and yelled in a loud whisper, “Are you back again?  I thought we kicked you out days ago!  What nerve!”  She turned around, and realized she had been yelling at the wrong person.  Her face turned red as she straightened he dress, “Sorry about that.  How may I help you?”  14

Jay smiled thoughtfully as Danny went on to explain the reason of their visit.  His smile faded when they found that this was one of the three libraries required the test.  15

“You’ll have to come back with this girl, and the other pieces.”  The librarian told them.  16

“Can we know what kind of test this is?”  Jay asked. The librarian thought for a moment, then answered, “Why not?  It’s a puzzle.” 17

“Really miss, we figured that one out on our own.”  Jay sarcastically remarked. 18

She shook her head, “No, literally, a puzzle.  One of those things you slide together to make the pieces form a picture.  There are three different puzzles, and the last one will have to be read to finish the test.”19

Danny nodded, thanked her, and the two walked out together, debating what the puzzle could be.  20

“Maybe a picture of the king?”  Danny mumbled to himself.  “Or maybe a picture of the castle, perhaps?” 21

“I think it’s a picture of some kind of rare food; exotic, delicious, and one of a kind!”  Jay announced. 22

“You’re thinking of your stomach again, aren’t you?”  Danny asked.  “No surprise, you always are.” 23

Jay glared at him, then replied, “At least I don’t have that prank happy girl following me around.” 24

“Don’t insult Melissa,” Danny said as he dodged others on the street.  “I might just tell her, and she might pull a worse one.” 25

“Danny, she’s pulled so many!  Does she even have anymore ideas?”  Jay asked, then said quickly, “Wait, don’t answer that.”26

A little old lady came up to them and started yelling, “You won’t get away this time, you naughty boys!” 27

* * * * * * * * *28

Melissa had stayed up all night waiting for Danny and Jay to come back.  Hour after hour she sat waiting for them to return.  Where are they? she thought to herself irritably.  They should’ve come back long ago!  Melissa glanced at Canace, who was sleeping soundly on the bed. 29

“Lucky,” she muttered spitefully.  Outside, the sun began to rise.  Melissa yawned, then sat down on the other bed.  “They’ll be back soon.” She closed her eyes.30

“Who will be back soon?”  31

“Are you up now?  Drat, and I almost got some sleep.”  She opened an eye and saw Canace sitting up, feet dangling over the edge of the bed.  “Feeling better I see.” 32

“I feel a lot better. Not drained anymore.  I don’t know where that feeling came from.  It was here on moment, and gone the next.  I wonder if it will ever happen again. Do you think it will happen again?  I hope not.  I don’t want to spend another day in bed when I could be out doing things like…what are we doing?  Where’s Jay and Danny?”  Canace asked quickly. 33

“Good question. I don’t know. Been staying up all night waiting for them.”  Melissa yawned.  34

“Maybe they’re still at the library. Maybe, the puzzle is so hard that they tried to stay up all night so we could go on today.”35

“First things first, can you walk? I don’t want to get in trouble by Danny for taking you out without you feeling up to it.” 36

“Of course! Who can’t walk?” To prove her point, she went walking around the room, then started hopping in glee.37

“We know the answer to that question now. Go get dressed and then we’ll head to the library.”  Canace nodded and immediately started getting ready. It took Melissa a few minutes to get out of bed, but she did and they left to the library.   38

“Do you know the way?”  Canace asked, munching on a cracker.39

“This city is the same as every other city in the five cities.  I was paying attention the last time we went through one.”  Melissa replied, a hint of anger in her voice.  In a calmer tone, she asked, “Did you remember to bring the necklace?”40

Canace twiddled the chain on her neck.  “Of course I did.” 41

“That’s a relief.”  And they made their way to the third library. 42

Canace ran into the library and immediately started scanning for her friends. Nowhere in sight.  She and Melissa went up to one of the librarians.  “Excuse me miss, have you seen our friends?  They were here yesterday, supposed to be asking about the stone that’s held here?” 43

The librarian pushed up her glasses in thought.  “Yes, I remember them.  You must be their friend. Do you have the pieces of the necklace with you?”  44

With a glance toward Melissa, Canace answered, “Yes I do, but I was hoping-”45

“Let me see them then,” she rudely cut Canace off.  Reluctantly, she took off her necklace and handed it to the awaiting hands.46

After a quick inspection, the librarian gave it back to Canace, “Good enough, follow me.” 47

“But-” Melissa protested. 48

“Do you, or do you not want to see the puzzle?” 49

Both girls shrugged and nodded.50

“Then stop talking and follow me.”51

The librarian led them to this secluded room in the library.  She turned to one of the walls and pulled a handle behind a painting.  A door popped out of nowhere, and the girls followed her through it.  It led down a corridor with white walls.  Boring really, Melissa thought, pitiful they couldn’t come up with anything else…52

The librarian opened a door at the end, and led them through it.  There was a table and stools to go with it.  In the middle of the table, there were three puzzles.  All along the edge of the table, there were pieces that had to be correctly put into place. 53

“As you probably guessed, the challenge is a puzzle.  Just put the pieces together, and when the third one is completed, tell me what it says.”54

“That doesn’t sound too hard.”  Canace answered, glancing at the pieces.  “Wait!  All the sides are flat!  How are you supposed to tell which one goes where?”  55

The librarian shrugged, “How am I supposed to know?  I’m not royalty.”  Then she walked away, shutting the door behind them. 56

Twenty minutes later, Melissa was stumped.  “How are you supposed to do this?  Why don’t you give it a try Canace?  You’ve had good luck so far with these messes.” 57

Canace, who had been watching Melissa hopelessly fail, said, “Okay. Are you going to help?” 58

“Melissa? Are you going to help?”59

…60

“Melissa?”  Melissa was fast asleep.  61

* * * * * * * * *62

“Well this stinks,” Jay stated blandly. 63

Danny nodded, “I totally agree Jay, I totally agree.” 64

“Only a few more hours’ boys, then we can let you go.”  An old man with white hair said as leaned against the bars.  “I hope you are learning your lesson.” 65

“But we didn’t do it!”  the two said in unison.66

“That’s what they all say,” the man chuckled, “That’s what they all say.”67

* * * * * * * * *68

Hand still on her sword, Canace watched herself peek out of the tent again.  She silently cursed under her breath at the large amount of people in her camp.  In the light of the fire, she could see an insignia on the arm of one of the men.  Wait, they were on every arm.  No, she thought, pulling her head into her tent.  I know that sign! Not good, not good, she thought, racking her head for a way out.  It’s the Rebels! How could they know I was here? How did they know I was coming? Who told them?  69

Canace suddenly found herself back in the library, holding herself up against the table.  How?  Who told? Who told the bad people I was coming from where and going where else?  Who told them who I was?  Why can’t they tell me who I am? 70

Plainly, because they are the bad people.71

Oh, right.  She turned to the puzzle. What can I do with this?  Canace picked up a piece with her hand and it started glowing.  She had a good bet that no one else could see the eerie light coming out from the stone.  Might as well get to work.  Pulling all of the parts of the first puzzle to herself, she checked each for what part they had, and after a few minutes had finished the first puzzle.  Light shot out of it, shortly blinding her, and when her vision cleared, she knew that the picture would now be able to be seen by others.  She studied it and came to the conclusion that it showed what the necklace would look like completed.  Beautiful, she thought to herself, I wonder what the next one will be.  Canace immediately started working on it. When she was done, she gasped.  It was the symbol that had been on the shirts of the men outside her tent!  It looked like a ‘Z’ that had two ovals across it, and a line going straight through the center. 72

(Note: pictured ovals not accurate, but close) 73

She stared at the picture and her stomach tightened.  Why was someone who was related to the legends looking for her?  She couldn’t be royalty.  She had seen Luke’s shop.  If anything, it looked the opposite of royalty. Not royal, she convinced herself, not royal. 74

Quickly she put together the third puzzle.  It was a message, it seemed.  Finishing, she read it silently to herself.75

When stars are collected and a mind has         transposed,76

Out of the lost will come the fiery rose77

What in the world does that mean?  Canace thought.  A fiery rose?  Wouldn’t it burn to a crisp? 78

She went to go wake Melissa up, excitement, fear and confusion tingling in her body.  “Melissa?” 79

“What do you want?” she mumbled, head on the table.80

“Melissa, you might want to come see this…” 81

“What did you do now? Cut yourself with that sharp sword?” 82

“Melissa, I didn’t bring my sword.  Wake up.  I’ve finished the puzzles.” 83

Her eyes snapped open.  “You did what?” Melissa sat up and stared at the now completed work. 84

“How…how did you do that?  There was nothing on them and…now there is!”  She stared in disbelief. 85

“I just put them together until I got something.  Look what they made.  A star, something I don’t know of, and the message that is terribly confusing.  Should I go get the librarian?” 86

Melissa could only nod as Canace ran out of the room. Her face started to pale as she stared unblinkingly at one of the pictures. 87

The librarian had been so surprised that she immediately handed over the stone and could only stare at the puzzles as the two girls walked out. Smiling, Canace clipped the third stone from the Star Cities on her necklace to make four total.  Happily she hummed to herself as the two girls walked back to the house.  When they reached their room, Jay and Danny were waiting for them with glum looks on their faces. 88

“Jay!  Danny!  Where were you two?” Canace asked. 89

Melissa followed behind her and yawned, “Where id you guys go? I was up all night waiting for you.” 90

“We got in trouble.” Danny said, “They locked us in jail all night.” 91

“Why am I not surprised?” Melissa asked herself, shaking her head.92

“You think we got in there by being bad?”  Jay almost yelled.  “There we were, walking ourselves back, minding out own business, and some lady comes out of nowhere saying that we stole food from her stand yesterday. No one would listen to us as we tried to explain that we just arrived last night, and they took us to the jail.” 93

Canace tried to hide a giggle.  Jay and Danny glared at her, making her stop.  94

“We have the next piece of the necklace.”  Canace said, hoping they might feel better. 95

Danny perked up, “What did the puzzles say?”96

“The first one was of the completed necklace, the second of some weird symbol, and the third said ‘When stars are collected and a mind has transposed, out of the lost will come a fiery rose.’  I’m not sure what it means.” 97

“Melissa, did you help put it together?”  Jay asked questioningly. 98

“Um, I was asleep.  Staying up all night has its toll.” 99

“Well, at least we have the next piece, and no sign of those people who tried to hurt us yet.”  Danny said with relief.  “Canace, how about we practice with your sword today?  You need it now more then ever.” 100

She nodded happily, and followed Danny out the door.  She came back in moments later and grabbed her sword, “Danny says we’ll leave later today. Bye!” 101

And she left Jay with Melissa, who left him alone to go shopping. Wondering what to do, he went to find Canace and Danny so he could watch them practice. 102

* * * * * * * * *103

The door opened to a bar and a lone figure walked in.  Passing everyone in sight, they made their way over to where another figure was eating by their selves.  “I take there’s been a new development?” 104

Gritting teeth, the person sat down across the table.  “They know what it looks like.  The insignia.” 105

“That’s crazy talk.  How could they know that?” 106

“It was on the puzzle.  I’m assuming that this insignia has been used so long that end the old kings knew about it, and have sent it as a warning.  Tell our people in TODH that it needs to be removed from all clothing items so that when they arrive, they won’t realize who we are.” 107

“They don’t realize that it’s a dangerous sign to them, do they?  If not, they may be lured into thinking that it linked to where the royal family is.” 108

“I think the girl may have some idea though.  She’s pretty smart for a brat.” 109

“Um, boss?”110

“Not a word.  Just send the order out.  Make sure it gets out.” 111

* * * * * * * * *112

He was sitting in his room, attempting to wash the uncooperative dog while thinking about the puzzle in this town.  I wonder if she’ll remember what the message means.  Will she understand what it’s trying to say to her? What happens if she doesn’t?  Never mind that, once her memory is back, I know that she’ll get it. No doubt about it. 113

The dog leaped out of the tub and shook herself off, drenching him in the process. 114

“Stupid dog.” He muttered as he stood up to go catch the fleeing dog. 115