Old Promises, New Mysteries: Book 2 of The Kinstone series

A couple days later I was sitting at “Study” going over a few notes. My attempt was to push out all of the bad and emotionally draining memories that coincided with the week, but nothing truly was working.

A knock then rattled on the door, “Aria, may I come in?” asked Rachel.

“Yeah.”

The door opened with my mother carrying a small wooden crate. I turned in my chair staring at it. She slowly walked over to me, setting it onto the floor. I rose out of my seat and stepped towards her.

“You received this just a few moments ago.”

Kneeling in front of the crate, I examined the box, then looked up at her, “Do you know who sent it?”

She shook her head, “I do not.”

The crated was about the size of a banker’s box and was emblazoned with some kind of mark. “What’s this?”

Rachel knelt down beside me and peered at it, “This is the mark of the Court,” she replied. Her mouth stood slightly agape, “This…this could be the box that Regulus and I were sent to retrieve. Granted I never knew what exactly the contents were.”

I looked to her, “And you’re sure it was sent for me?”

“Indeed my love,” she said, still peering over the mark.

I dropped to my knees, brushing my hand over it.

“Before I brought it up to you, we checked it for any sort of traps or anything malicious in nature.”

I glanced at her, “Have a pry bar?” Rachel smiled, summoning one and handing it to me.

I jammed the prongs under the lid of the crate and pushed down, hearing the nails creak open. I repeated this a couple more times before it finally came off. I placed the lid beside me and we both leaned in.

Inside laid a small box, slightly bigger than a large toaster, with bleach-white wood and trimmed with arching and looping sliver etchings and embossments.

I lifted the box out of the crate and held it up. Upon a closer look, the embossments appeared to look more like switches or dials. The top of the box was riddled with even more switches. It really was beautiful to look at, and light, really light. The wood was incredibly smooth to the point that it appeared to shine.

Within the silver lied etchings of a language that I had never seen before. The words looked like a mix between something like Elven, Dragonic and Nordic, but at the same time completely different.

Pointing the carvings, “What language is this? I can’t read it.”

Rachel leaned over, “That is because I haven’t taught it to you. That is Alcoran, the primary language of Dewloura. The only people who do speak it are those of the Great Houses and few others, including myself.”

I looked to her, “Can you read it then?”

My mother traced her fingers against the carvings, her lips moved subtly, trying to speak the words. She sighed, “Sadly my love I cannot. It’s in a dialect that even I haven’t seen before.” I sighed, turning back to looking over the box.

Her face then went white, as though she has seen as ghost. “This…this is a Ze’criesch.”

I looked to her, “A what?”

Rachel stroked her hand across the box, “Roughly translated it means ‘labyrinth box’. These were used similar to safes or security boxes by the Great Houses of Dewloura. But I have never seen one in such pristine condition."

"Most remnant pieces from the empire are held by the surviving families. However," she continued, "this…this can’t be. An artifact such as this would undoubtedly be amongst their collections.”

I again looked at her, “Okay, so how does this work?”

She smiled, “Obviously one would turn the dials and knobs to find the correct combination in order to open it.”

I cocked my head at her, “Well duh.”

She smirked, “It’s not quite that simple my love. Another security measure was that Ze’criesch possessed was that they could only be opened by those belonging to the house in which it was created for.”

She then pointed the front of the box, “The house crest however has been completely removed. So who knows which of the Great Houses this belongs to, and only the four Great Houses were ever allowed to possess them.”

I hoisted the box into my lap, “So can you open it with magic?”

Rachel shook her head, “As I said, it could only be opened by those belonging to one of the four Great Houses. Here watch,” she leaned over and tried to move one of the dials. I watched as nothing happened. “See? Naturally I cannot open it.”

I nodded, “So why would someone send it to me then?”

Rachel then rose to her feet, turning towards the door, “I don’t know sweetheart. Let me make a call to a friend. Perhaps they might have some answers.”

I examined the box, fumbling with the knobs. I took a firm grip of a switch and felt it give. Twisting it a little harder, the switch turned with a loud cracking sound.

My eyes flared, “Ah…Rachel?”

My mother stopped and looked at me, “What?”

I looked at her, moving the switch back and forth with relative ease, “Okay, so what does this mean?”

She shook her head, “I don’t know. Do you know of your family’s lineage?”

I nodded to her, “Well, my dad’s side of the family is from Wales and Scotland. He did an ancestry search a few years ago, and found it tracing back to long before Edward Longshanks. My mom’s side is from the Balkans but we could only trace back to around a hundred-forty, hundred-fifty years because they were of the peasantry.”

Rachel nodded, “I see. Let me do some digging then.”

A cold shiver then ran down my spine, “Oh god what if…what if I’m related to those girls Lana and Mistral?”

My mother looked to me, “I highly doubt you are, my love. You are nothing like them.” I sighed, but still worried.

I held the box in my lap, “So can I try and open it?” grinning to her.

She laughed, “Why not, what is one more project to occupy your time?”

I giggled, rising to my feet, and rushed over to “Study”. Placing the Ze’criesch, or box, yeah I’m just gonna keep calling it the “box” onto the desk and started fiddling with it. “So what happens if I get a combination wrong, will it explode or something?”

Rachel chuckled, “No sweetheart, it shall merely reset and you will have to start all over.”

I grinned, pulling out a notebook and a few pencils. As I began to work the switches and knobs, I would jot down what moved and what didn’t.

My mother smiled to me, “I shall leave you to your task my love,” watching for a moment and the quietly left my room.

I was far too focused on trying to open the box that the sound of the door closing didn't even register. The question still lingered in my mind as to who sent this thing.

I love puzzles. Hell, my room is littered with hundreds of models that I had constructed over the years. But never was one for the puzzles that most people are fans of. Can’t stand Sudoku or finger puzzles. But do I love a good mystery and riddles. This box was both at the same time.

With every switch flipped and knob turned, I would discover a new clue to how to open it. I couldn’t even begin to tell how much I had spent working on it. The sun had even gone down and I wasn’t even aware of it.

It was frustrating, each time a combination failed, I swear under my breath and tear off the page I was working on and crumble it up, only to undo it and copy down where I had left off. My desk was littered with half balled-up sheets of paper.

Rachel brought me my dinner, setting it next to me. Again, it didn’t register that she did. She pulled my headphones off my head, “Young lady, you need to eat.”

I twisted another knob, “Just a few more.”

She shook her head, “No. Now.”

I sighed, drooping back into my seat, “Fine.” I spun in my chair and picked up a sandwich, taking a bite as I went over my notes, never realizing how many I had taken.

Rachel leaned over my desk, also studying my notes, “Any progress?”

I groaned, scratching my head, “No…I had this thing reset on me at least a couple dozen times. I spent like an hour just mapping out this stupid thing. That’s how I got the code you see on the page.”

She nodded, “I see.” I took another bite, before just stuffing the sandwich into my mouth, coughing as I choked on it.

Rachel rubbed my back, “You don’t have to eat it so quickly.”

I nodded, picking up the glass of water and downing it, sighing in relief. My eyes then turned back to the box, again examining my notes.

My mother picked up my plate, “Don’t stay up too late sweetheart.” I nodded to her, pulling my headphones back over my head, resuming my work. My mother sighed, quietly leaving the room.

The hours droned on and I had made very little progress. Each time I thought I made a step forward, the stupid box would reset. I’d groan in frustration, having to yet again start all over. I was so entrenched on working on it that my eyes had grown heavy. I couldn’t even say when I fell asleep, but sleep I did.

I woke up the next morning, finding myself on my bed. I looked over and saw Fenris staring at me.

His eyes shimmered softly, “You were awake nearly before dawn little one. You should not push yourself so hard.”

I sat up on the bed, eyes instantly gazing at the box, “Yeah…I know.” I then slid off the bed and sat back down at my desk and simply resumed my work.

The wolf stood behind me and grabbed me by the collar with his teeth and yanked me out of my chair, carrying me back to the bed. “No. You need rest little one.”

I groaned, sitting back up, “I will after I do some more work on it.”

He glared at me, pressing his paw to my chest, and holding me down, “Rest. Aria.”

I rolled my eyes at him, “All right, fine. I’ll get some more sleep. Happy?”

His head bobbed slightly, removing his paw from my chest. I sighed, closing my eyes. I ran numerous combinations through my mind. My fingers twitched and rolled with each imagined turn of a switch or dial. Eventually I fell back to sleep.

I spent the following week working on the box. Hours would fly past me and the sun would rise and fall. The attempts would last into the wee hours of the morning, at which point Fenris would step and force me off to bed. My mind was churning with countless combinations and permutations of the dials and knobs.

With each failure, my anger grew. This thing was just impossible. At times I felt like it was taunting and laughing at me with each reset. I even wondered if the damn thing was trolling me with false leads and fake steps.

My near-fanatical obsession with the box did not go unnoticed by Rachel, who kept a constant vigil over me. She would bring in meals for me to eat, which I did…after a fashion. She too would walk in and find me still at my desk, working on it. Like Fenris, she’d pull me away from the desk and compel me into bed.

The constant retort from me would be, “I’m fine, just a few more turns.” She wouldn’t have any of it and threaten to take the box away from me. Grumbling, I’d relent and climb into bed.

By the fifth day of trying to solve this stupid thing, I finally had had enough. I sighed loudly, sliding away from “Study”.

“This stupid thing just doesn’t want to work with me!” I exclaimed.

Fenris stepped over and sat beside me, lowering his head to the side of my face, “Perhaps you should take a break. You have not truly left your room in days little one. The cold, fresh air might help clear your mind and center your thoughts.” I nodded, leaning forward in my chair.

Standing up, I stretched, feeling my body burning back to life. My joints popped and set as I turned for my bathroom. A quick shower later I hopped out and got dressed. Grabbing a coat and scarf, I threw both on and headed out my door.

I walked down the steps and saw Rachel walking from the parlor. “She finally has emerged from her cave,” she said, grinning to me.

I rolled my eyes, “Very funny.”

She chuckled, “Going for a walk sweetheart?”

I nodded, “Yeah…Fenris suggested that it might help clear my head a little.”

My mother smiled, peering over to my bonded as he stood beside me, “Your ‘father’ is rather wise in this case.”

I blushed softly, knowing that I did indeed think of Fenris as a father. The wolf stared at me, his eyes shone softly in the light. I then sidestepped Rachel and bolted for the door.

The air was fresh and crisp as I stepped out onto the back veranda. The sky was heavy with dark grey clouds. A gust of freezing wind rushed against my body, nearly knocking me back.

I took a long and deep breath. The cold air filled my lungs, feeling them prickle and burn. A good feeling.

I lowered my gaze onto the grassy fields before me. Every blade of grass was covered in a thin sheet of frost. I stepped down from the veranda and walked out towards the fields, following down the well-traveled path.

It felt good walking on dirt, feeling each stone underfoot. I ventured past the stables, wondering if I wanted to just walk to the lake and back or head to my glen. Either way, I was outside and away from the torture device that I had been so obsessed with.

I walked slowly, listening to the trees and grass as the wind rushed past them. The open fields of the Estate, no matter what season it was or how bad the weather, are a real pleasure and joy to be in.

I shoved my hands into my coat pockets as yet another gust of wind brushed against my tiny frame. Once again it threatened to knock me back, until my back rested against something both firm and yet soft. I looked over and saw Fenris’ head coiling around me.

I smiled to him, “Thanks.”

He nodded and stepped alongside me. I pulled a hand out and grabbed a portion of his fur. The two of us then continued our march down the path.

My eyes scanned the forest, sighing softly. I wasn’t sure what I hoped to find, maybe that was the point. Just letting my thoughts flow out of me like water from a glass.

We eventually ended up at the lake, and finding our favorite outcropping. I sat under the tree and stared out onto the lake. Fenris lied down beside me, his head nearly just a few inches from my face.

I leaned over and rested my head against him. He didn’t move or react. I took several long and deep breaths, seeing them fog in front of me. I closed my eyes.

One of the best things about the Estate was how there was absolutely no one around us. No cars, no neighbors, no human civilization, just nature and my thoughts. This was my world, mine. I had left my old life behind and was never looking back.

Well...not quite just yet. There was something I still had to do, and I had been dreading it since I returned from Italy. But that is a month away and it could wait.

“Hey Fenris?” I asked softly.

“What is it, little Aria?”

“Do you have any memories of Dewloura? Aside from the ones I saw last year?”

I felt Fenris’ tail wrap around me as the wind blew against us. I blushed, holding down my skirt. “I have very few. The memories I possess are fragmented at best. If you are referring to the box, I know not of any way to help in your endeavor.” I sighed.

When Fenris and I bonded, we each exchanged memories. It was there that I caught glimpse of a massive white city which I learned was of Dewloura itself. Uldulvan wolves share a racial memory, but I guess over time even that can fade. The city and its history intrigued me, but there was so little information available on it within our library.

After the incident at Court, I actually tried to find out more about the fallen empire. Thanks to the Loreian network, I was able to gather some information on it. But again, it really wasn’t much and I hated that. It’s like waiting on an upcoming movie and the details are practically non-existent.

I allowed my mind to wander back to the box. With each permutation I imagined, I worked out what I was to do. Then it dawned on me. Perhaps I shouldn’t approach from a human’s perspective, but maybe try from a non-human’s point of view. It wasn’t magically activated, but maybe the mindset of something cleverer than a human might help.

I grinned. I had been studying so much of kitsune lore that I was able to get somewhat of a grasp is the psychology of the race. Hell, I often acted more like a kitsune rather than human at times. Tricks and pranks, but with a purpose. In other words, think unconventionally.

I opened my eyes and rose to my feet. “I think I might have figured out what to do.”

Fenris lurched forward and stood up, nodding to me, “Then let us be on our way.” I smiled, turning and heading back to the Manor.

Upon sitting back at my desk, I took another look at the box. While the knobs and switches did indeed turn and spin as one might think, I decided to try and lift up on them.

My eyes grew wide when I discovered a second layer of switches hidden within the first. A grin rose on my face as I pushed forward with this new lead.

The box was still tricky and crafty, but not for a kitsune. With every knob I lifted, I flipped the hidden secondary switch under it while still working with the others. I had to move fast though because the box’s lock tended to reset on me faster now, appearing as if it’s secret had been found out.

My hands flowed and swerved over the box, moving faster and faster, attempting to keep a step ahead of it. I had to laugh. While my mindset became that of a kitsune, my body followed suit. I used a tail to hold a pencil, writing down more notes as I pressed onwards.

A few hours later, I spun a dial on the top of the box, which then lifted up. Two circular bars wheeled out and connected, hearing a soft click. I looked at it, now appearing to be a latch. My hands grabbed the latch and lifted up and over the centerpiece.

A button then popped up. My heart raced in my chest as the adrenaline surged through my body. Anticipation mounted and grew. My index finger slowly pressed down on it, hearing it click. The sounds of bolts snapping and shifting echoed from the box.

I sat there for a moment, hoping this wasn’t a dream. I leaned forward and grabbed each side of the lid, lifting it up slightly. I did it a few more times just to be sure.

A stupid grin rose on my face. “OH, HELL YEAH!!!” I screamed.

I kicked away from the desk and laughed like an idiot. I then got to my feet and danced around my room in triumph.

“Aria? Did something happen?”

I blushed, stopping mid-step, seeing Rachel in the doorway. Giggling sheepishly, I point to the box, “I unlocked it.”

She walked over to me, arms folded; beaming with pride and relief that I finally completed a task which had grown to worry her.

“Have you seen what is inside?”

I shook my head, “Not yet.”

We walked back over to my desk. I lifted the lid and peered into it. Inside the box was something wrapped in a purple cloth. My hands reached in pulled out the wrapped object.

Unraveling the cloth, I discovered…well, I have no idea what this is. The closest thing that came to mind was a lantern of some kind.

But it was different. It was pentahedral in design with four paned windows on each long side. The bulk of the lantern was silver, matching the box, but held a rainbow hue. The top, middle, and bottom all fanned out into discs.

Each disc was covered in more Alcoran, but swerved in patterns which reminded me a little of Celtic designs. The letters themselves were inlaid with what may be sapphires. The windows were soft blues and greens, reminding me of stain glass windows. This thing was simply gorgeous.

Fenris then sat up like a rocket from where he was lying on the bed. I peered over to him. His fur stood on end, bristling. It wasn’t anger or apprehension filled his eyes, but something…else. It was as if he recognized whatever I was holding.

I turned my attention back to the thing I was holding. “Okay, any idea what this thing is? It looks like a lantern, but why was it locked away like this?” I asked, handing it to Rachel.

She shook her head, rolling the object in her hands, “I don’t my love. But there might be someone who does.”

Tilting my head, “Who’d that be?”

She smiled, “Andriy Mikulich. He is one of the Court’s historians. If anyone might have the faintest idea of what this is, it will be him.” She then left my room for a moment.

I smiled; Andriy was a vampire that I had met while at Court. He was a good friend of Rachel’s and was the first vampire that I actually felt comfortable around. He and I spoke a few times in the past few months. But I had grown to like him.

Mostly he spoke with my mother, but either way I had grown a healthy respect for him. The vampire was also easily over a thousand years old, so yeah, good person to turn to.

Rachel returned, holding a phone in her hand. “Yes, is your master available?” She nodded and stood next to my bed. I plopped myself back into my desk chair, waiting.

“Ah Andriy, I do hope I haven’t caught you at too late of an hour.” I leaned back, bundling up my tails and hugged them.

“Well that is a relief. Now the reason why I called you is because my daughter received a package which was revealed to contain a Ze’criesch. And she just now managed to open it.” I blushed softly, hugging my tails even tighter, watching her talk.

“I’m not sure why either, old friend, but the fact remains that she has.” My ears flicked, trying to listen in, but she was speaking just softly enough that even my fox ears couldn’t pick anything up. Rachel nodded, “Yes, you can speak to her,” then walked over and handed me the phone.

“Evening Master Andriy.”

“Good morning to you young Aria, I do pray you are faring well little one.”

I nodded, “I am sir. So yeah, I opened this…Ze’criesch thing and was kinda wondering if I could get your opinion on it.”

“I would be glad to be of service to you little one. Now, if you would be a dear and set the phone to video call.”

I nod, doing so.

The image of the vampire appeared on the screen, “Ahhh, much better.”

His crimson eyes blinked a few times, “Well, you truly are a sight to behold little one. Quite the beautiful kitsune you have for a daughter, Rachel.” My face blushed even more.

Rachel grinned, “Aria, show him the Ze’criesch.” I nodded, spinning around in my chair and flipped the perspective on the camera.

“What a treasure you have here, little one. But I am afraid that this phone can hardly provide me with the adequate means by which I can truly examine it. Rachel, do you still possess your blue seer stones?”

I looked back to her, watching her nod. “That I do old friend. Just give me a moment to retrieve them.” She then left the room once more.

“Aria, are you able to transfer a call from the phone to a computer?”

I nodded, returning the camera to normal, “Yes sir.”

I leaned over and opened my laptop, booting it up. A few moments later, I pulled up the call app on it and synced the phone to my computer, sending the call to it, and setting the phone down.

The vampire now encompassed the entirety of the screen. He smiled to me, “I was so happy to visit your mother last month while you were on your trip. Kerrigan has been talking about you as well.”

I blushed, nodding, “I thank you for keeping my mom company, and I know she needed it. And I had a really good time with her. And to be honest, I think I needed the break from my group.”

Andriy nodded and smiled, “I am honored that you sought my help, little one.”

I smiled, reverting to a human, “And I am grateful you offered it to me.”

He grinned, “You are welcome child.”

Rachel returned holding a velvet bag. She reached inside and pulled out three small dark blue crystal spheres. They each reminded me of a watchsphere.

I looked at them, “So what are those?”

She smiled, levitating them and sent them around the box, “These are Seer stones. Much like crystal balls that allow psychics to predict the future, these are utilized for the transmission of images but in real time.” She leaned closer into the computer, “Are you receiving this old friend?”

The vampire leaned back into his chair and peered to his right. A soft light shone onto him, “I am.” His hand stroked the bottom of his chin as he examined the image.

“The ze’creisch is perfect condition; I daresay that I have never seen one like it before. The only other examples that I have examined are in poor states. You young lady have a piece of history in your possession. Artifacts of Dewloura, whenever found, are coveted and highly sought after.” I felt my pride prickle somewhat.

He grinned, “It is made of Snowwood, rare and rather valuable, for this species of tree is extinct. The metal is comprised of truesilver, equally as rare. I believe the setting of your necklace is made of the element young lady.” Rachel smiled, stroking my hair.

“Metalwork is absolutely exquisite,” he added, “truly art in of itself. Whoever crafted this must’ve studied under one of the master artisans of the imperial court. Note the swirling arches and feathering of the silver. The sculpting of the features is finer than any other specimen that I ever seen. Truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship.”

Rachel rolled her eyes, “Andriy, you are straying from the primary purpose.”

He looked to her, blinking, “Right, do forgive me.” I giggled softly.

“Now as for the engravings,” he continued, “they are of an older dialect of Alcoran. Much older in fact. If I had to venture a guess, I would say that it is from around two to three hundred years before the fall of Dewloura, possibly even older. What I can say for certain is that it was inscribed before the 'modernization' of the language.”

I looked to Rachel, “Say what now?”

She chuckled, “Shortly after a certain event, the empire decided to update its language in order to strengthen ties with Western Europe.”

“That is correct,” replied the vampire, “this Ze’criesch also appears to have been constructed from the same era. Now, let me see if I can translate this.”

He nodded for a moment, eyes fluttering. “Yes. 'I hold what is precious and safe. To be opened by those of whom I serve’. A standard inscription for a Ze’criesch. But what is odd is the house crest is missing. Very strange.” I nodded watched the spheres continue to orbit the box.

“Rachel, this box is a treasure onto itself. The condition is perfect, as if it were fashioned merely yesterday,” announced the vampire. “You are sure you do not know who sent it to you daughter?”

She shook her head, “I do not.”

He nodded, “Now here is another oddity. ’For when darkness falls, the path dies, and the hearts of those are lost, I shall hold that which shall restore the light.’ Very strange, this appears to have been added long after the box’s construction.”

I tilted my head, “So is it referring to the lantern?”

Andriy turned to me, “What lantern?”

Rachel looked to me and nodded, “Show him my love.” I nodded, standing up and opened the box, unveiling the lantern from underneath the cloth.

Andriy’s eyes grew as big as his face, dropping his mouth to the floor. All color flushed from his face as he pulled back into his chair, “Rachel…are you sure this call is secure?”

She looked to him, “Why do you ask?”

His eyes flared to her, “Is it secure?!?!”

She reeled back slightly before nodding, “Yes it is. Now what has you so flustered old friend?”

Andriy’s jaw twitched, “This…this is the Xur’canah.”

Now it was Rachel’s turn for her eyes to grow huge, “The king’s lantern.”

He nodded, “That it is.”

I looked at both of them, “Okay…what’s a king’s lantern?”

My mother looked to me, “An artifact of royalty, not unlike the crown jewels of England. It is said that only one was ever made. It was created to search for the hidden paths that the king and his family might use finding certain objects or even doorways. It was also brought out during the coronation of a new king. Some even believe that it holds other abilities.”

The vampire nodded, “It was constructed just after to the formation of the Great Houses and founding of Dewloura, placing it around the first dynasty. This…this could be used for finding where the city is.”

I blinked, “Okay…two things. One,” looking to my mother, “you told me the crate this thing came in was magically sealed, and yet I was able to open it with a pry bar.”

She nodded, “That is correct my love. But obviously someone must’ve removed the seal. Someone incredibly powerful.”

I nodded, “And two. I thought Dewloura was destroyed.”

“Not destroyed,” responded Andriy, “merely sealed away, which caused a cataclysmic event in the region with the disruption of the leylines. For I am certain your mother has taught you that the city was constructed over two critical lines of intersected between Europe and Asia.”

I nodded, turning back to the lantern, “Okay…so now what?”

The vampire turned to my mother, “Rachel, are you certain about this girl’s lineage?”

She shook her head, “While I have confirmed her father’s ancestry, her mother’s has proven quite difficult if not impossible. Aria told me how her mother’s family records only stretch as far back as a hundred and forty years, of which again I have confirmed. But there is nothing before either branch of her mother’s family.”

He nodded, still staring at the lantern, “You must keep this safe and locked away. Post whatever protections upon it and let no one know of its existence.” Rachel nodded to him.

I slumped into my chair, pulling my legs into my chest, “So what does this have to do with me? Like, I was able open the box. Does this really mean that I’m descended from Dewloura?”

Andriy's crimson eyes shone at me, “I do not know little one. There are still far too many mysteries surrounding all of this. But I dare not say more. Even if our conversation is secure, we never can truly know who might be listening. Hide that lantern, and keep it safe. I will attempt to find some answers. Be safe little one.”

I smiled nervously, “Thank you Master Andriy.” He smiled, ending the call.

I wrapped my arms around my legs and sighed, staring at the lantern. Rachel leaned over and hugged me, stroking my hair, “Are you all right my love?”

I sighed, “Yeah…just…just wondering about this thing.”

She placed a kiss onto the top of my head, “I know sweetheart. I hope to have answers for you. But for now, you should take the lantern and hide it away.”

“Sure.”

Rachel gave me one final hug and walked over my desk and picked up the lantern, wrapping it up and placing it back into the box.

I watched her, “So if for whatever reason I had to, would I have to re-solve this stupid thing in order to open it up again?”

My mother shook her head, “You won’t, as it will reopen upon your touch.”

I nodded as she closed the lid, hearing it lock shut once more. Rachel then walked over to me. She then leaned over and kissed my forehead, “I will let you hide that away. Once you have, dinner should be prepared.”

I nodded to her, “See you soon.” She smiled and exited my room.

I got up and picked up the box, taking it over to my closet. Last year, I found a hidden compartment behind the wall. I pressed lightly on it, which caused it to open.

I placed the box inside and closed the panel. I then found a few seals that I had made while studying my kitsune texts and slapped them into the wall. Not the best, but a start.

I then added even more protection charms and spells onto the hidden panel, which concealed the paper seals. I knew the Manor possessed its own defenses that my mother had erected. This simply added an extra layer of protection on top of my own.

So no need to worry all that much. I hope. I got back up and returned to my chair.

During this whole exchange, Fenris had sat beside me. His guard had been raised until my mother exited the room. I leaned back in chair, still wondering about what I just heard.

Questions still rang through my mind. Just who sent this thing to me? The idea of being descended from Dewloura hadn’t fully sunk in, sounding a bit farfetched. Why was something from the royal family of Dewloura now sitting in my home?

Fenris’ head rested onto my shoulder. I reached up and stroked his muzzle. Why was everyone freaking out over a lantern? It’s just a lantern for crying out loud. I rested my head against my bonded’s muzzle, still confused by it all.

But that could all wait for another time. I stood up and left my room. Dinner was ready and I was hungry.