"So it wasn't just my imagination but the reality!". Ambrose exclaimed more to herself.
Akaya was standing right in front of her with that same smirk that she had a day ago when they had met.
"What are you doing here?". Ambrose asked. By the matter of fact, she couldn't place it right why the witch was here in the FireWings Mansion.
Akaya raised a brow in amusement, "Same as you dear. To gain trust and help out".
Ambrose scoffed, "You must be kidding me, right?".
"Why should I?". Akaya questioned. "At least I've been honest with you about my agenda here. What about you?".
Ambrose's brows furrowed with confusion, "What about me?".
"Everyone thinks that you're madly in love with Rufus but you and I know that it was just a fluke!". Akaya started as she moved to stand beside the girl.
"I think your witchy portions overpowered your medulla. I don't know what you're talking about". Ambrose answered, earning a chuckle from the witch.
"You've tried your level best to hide the emotions by using several spells but as you said, I'm a witch and such things don't pass me by without noticing". Akaya said as she touched Ambrose's chin to lift her head up and face the direction she wanted.
"We both know why you refused to give Rufus your jade was because your heart adores him, huh?". Akaya asked as they looked at the direction in which Lucky was coming from.
Ambrose's expression softened. The boy looked troubled and yet, she was so sure that he wouldn't tell her anything concerning his worries.
She quickly slapped Akaya's hand away and took a step away from her. "Stop beating about the bush. Tell me what you want from me".
Akaya smiled. This girl was smarter than she looked.
"Simple you tell no one what you know about me. Secondly here's your map". Akaya replied as she retracted the map from her austral storage and gave it to Ambrose.
"Thank you". Akaya said then left.
••••••
"The light never goes away my son". She said softly as she stroked back his hair.
"Really, then why is it dark at night?". He asked in his small innocent voice.
She smiled at him, "Is it really dark at night?".
He stopped and thought for a while, his index finger in between his small lips.
"We use bulbs so it's not dark at night, don't we?".
She chuckled, "Son, I wasn't talking about the bulbs. I was talking about the moon and the stars. The sun lights up the day whereas the moon and stars lights up the night".
The boy exclaimed a small "Oh!" at that.
"The sun as hot and powerful as it can be while the moon as gentle and radiant. In life you have to learn to be like the sun and the moon at the same time."
"How?". The boy questioned.
"You'll have to learn that by yourself". She answered.
Lucky shook his head at the memory of him and Ninah when he was still but a small child. He was seated on top of his desk out looking down the woods through the large window.
Up to date, he still hadn't understood what she had meant. The statement made him feel stupid than ever.
The first thing in life that challenged him to the core had to be a simple sentence like that one.
The door to his room was knocked. He looked away from the window towards the door.
He said nothing. Whoever was knocking out there would get tired and leave. He was in no mood to talk with anyone.
The knock on his door came again before it was opened and Akaya came through while holding a tray containing some food that she had been cooking earlier.
Only she had the nerve of knocking and budging into his room without being welcomed. She was the only one who didn't understand the meaning of 'him having his privacy'.
He watched her place the tray on top of his bedside table. She hadn't seen him yet. She started to collect the clothes on the floor.
"Leave those". Lucky said as he got up from the desk he was seated on and walked to where she was. Making her gasp and turned to look at him in surprise, the clothes falling back on the floor.
"Sorry. I didn't know that you were in here. I knocked and I received no answer so I came in". Akaya replied.
"It's called privacy". Lucky commented. Her mouth formed a small "O"
"Why are you here?". He asked.
"I brought you some food. I'm sure that you're hungry cause I saw you eating nothing throughout the day". Akaya replied.
"Oh. I cook for myself. I don't eat food cooked by others, didn't he tell you that in your small catching up?". Lucky questioned, he looked at the tray of food then back at her, digging his hands deep in the pockets of the jeans he had on.
"I... I ... I'm not just anyone but your mother!". Akaya exclaimed.
"That's the problem. You're not her. You think you're her but you're not". Lucky muttered. His face held no expression whatsoever.
Tears threatened to stream down her cheeks at the open rejection from her son but she managed to blink them away and placed up a small smile on her face.
"Lucky... I..". He cut her short before she could complete whatever she was going to say.
"You better leave". He said and was about to turn and walk away from her but she stopped him by holding his arm. He looked down at her hand on his arm then up to her face making her drop her hand quickly.
"Sorry. I also came to talk to you about something else". Akaya started. It was either now or never.
"Sorry I don't want to hear any of it. Kindly leave". Lucky replied using the same format she had used earlier.
"It's important. A matter of life and death. Your father told me about what you two are planning.." She lied.
"You're lying. We both know you have been stalking me. Just go straight to the point and leave". Lucky answered.
"Okay. I'm sorry but I can't bear the thought of loosing you so... so I brought the crossbow that belonged to the first golden fiery red Phoenix". She said making him to turn and look at her with. interest.
"I know... I know it's powerful though I don't know how to use it. What I know it's a spiritual weapon and only a golden fiery red Phoenix can use it". She explained then brought the crossbow out of her austral storage. It was a circular tube, not that long.
He raised a brow.
"As I said, only you can use it. You have to figure it out on how to use it. It's important. We both know that you are no match for the mythical creature because the Phoenix inside of you is inactive". Akaya explained further, outstretching her hand out to give it to him but he made no effort to take it so she placed the tube on the bed.
"I just want you to be safe. That's all that I ask". She said almost in a whisper before leaving.
He uttered no word.
His eyes were glued on the tube she left on his bed.
Could this be the answer that he had been looking for?. Could this be what he needed to defeat the mythical creature that he was supposed to face in one day?.
Moreover, how was he going to use it?. It was just a tube.
Lucky swallowed hard and looked away from the object on his bed. He looked around. He was indeed all alone and the door to his room was shut.
His room was soundproof no one would hear him in case of anything.
He took a deep breathe and looked down at it with hesitation.
It was now or never. Better risk than nothing.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breathe again. This was it.
Lucky stretched out his hand so as to hold the tube, he couldn't touch it. It was like an illusion on his bed. He could see it but not touch it.
"What's wrong?. She could touch it but I can't". Lucky said to himself.
Lucky sat on the bed beside it, took in another deep breathe and tried again but he couldn't touch it.
This was getting stupid now. He was about to stand up from his bed and leave when he felt something on his hand.
He slowly turned his head to look at his hand. There it was, the tube.. glowing a small shade of golden and red.
It was as if his hand had been a magnet and the tube a metal because there was no other way to explain how the tube got into his hands.
He looked at it closely.
This was no illusion but the reality.
Lucky slowly turned it in his hand as he examined it. It suddenly retracted something from it's insides making him to let out a small gasp of surprise as he looked at it.
It wasn't a crossbow but a longbow with no string. Was he supposed to tie the string on it himself or what?.
Another question was. Where was the arrow?.