Phoebe arrived home with the groceries and she apologized for coming late. "I thought something bad had happened to you," Gwen told her while holding her shoulders. "How was the experience like?"
Phoebe looked at her and said, "This isn't my first time going out alone, mom just doesn't allow me." She handed Claudia the things she bought. She looked around but there was no sign of Chad so she asked, "Where is Chad?"
"He went out to see his girlfriend," replied Gwen with a smirk on her face. Phoebe knew she was joking. If Chad had a girlfriend, she'd be the first to know not Gwen.
She turned to face mom and said, "Is he upstairs, sleeping?" she asked.
Claudia smiled and nodded.
They started cooking when Phoebe told her mom about the amulet she saw. "Lest I forget," she paused with the tomatoes she was cutting, and everyone stopped what they were doing to pay attention to her. "When I was coming back from the grocery store, I passed by that little marketplace down the street and I saw something that caught my attention."
"What was that?" Gwen asked.
"I saw an amulet similar to my amulet," she answered before bringing out her amulet. "I tried to buy it but the seller was just so adamant."
"What do you expect? That your amulet is the only amulet in the world?" Gwen asked before going back to her cooking.
"Actually, yes." Claudia started. "Her amulet is a rare one and the fact that there is another one like hers in this world means something."
Gwen stopped what she was doing to look at Claudia, "What do you mean?"
"We need to get that amulet," Claudia answered.
"I told him I will come by tomorrow."
"We will leave first thing tomorrow morning. That amulet mustn't fall into the wrong hands."
"It's just an amulet."
"No, it's not just any amulet but a powerful one," Claudia explained. She looked at Phoebe and Phoebe understood what she meant. "Tomorrow morning, we are getting the amulet."
Phoebe nodded and they all continued to cook.
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"What's the plan?" Lucas asked. "We have seen the amulet, all we need to do is get it."
"But how?" Prince Edward asked.
"What do you mean but how? We go there first thing in the morning and get the amulet."
"Phoebe would also come by and then the boy will tell her that we came to buy it and what do you think will happen then?"
"Nothing is going to happen, it's not like she knows what the amulet is used for or the power attached to it. We will go to the market first thing tomorrow morning."
Prince Edward sighed. Lucas was right, Phoebe doesn't know anything about the amulet but what if she starts asking weird questions? He tried to weigh it and he wasn't sure it was a wise decision to make. "The more I think about it, the riskier I feel it is."
"Then, don't think about it," Lucas told him. "Just don't think about it. If you won't go, I will."
"This is my mission too."
"Then prove it."
It took a while before Prince Edward agreed to it. "Fine, we will leave first thing tomorrow morning."
"That's the Prince I know."
"But if this goes wrong, I am blaming you for it."
"Deal."
The following morning, the Prince and Edward left the house for the market place but arriving there, they saw Claudia, Phoebe, Gwen, and Chad. "What are they all doing here?" Prince Edward asked.
"Probably came to assist Phoebe," Lucas replied. "Let's go."
"Where is the amulet?" Claudia asked the boy.
"I told you already that I sold it."
"Sold what?" Lucas asked.
"The amulet. I sold to someone who paid a bigger sum of money that I couldn't refuse."
Gwen looked at the boy angrily. "How old are you? Eight?"
"Twelve."
"How can a little boy like you like money so much?"
"Business is not about age and it's my business, I can sell to whomsoever I want."
"There's something called trust in business," Gwen told him.
The boy smiled and said, "I don't intend to build on that." he brought out the goods he was ready to put out for sale and said, "If you will excuse me, I have things to sell and money to earn."
"Fine, tell us who you sold it to," Prince said but the boy shook his head.
"I don't give out the details of my customers."
At first, they thought they were dealing with a young boy but now they figured they were dealing with a full-grown man.
Prince Edward had no choice but to spill out the truth. "Listen, if that amulet gets into the wrong hands it's..."
"I don't care, besides, it's an amulet, nothing special about it."
Prince Edward was about to argue but Lucas stopped him. "Erik, that's enough."
Claudia and Phoebe looked at each other. If Prince Edward knew about the amulet, then it must mean something but what?
They decided to leave since it was no use convincing the boy but Claudia stopped them. "Chad, take Phoebe and Gwen home. I will like to have a word with Erik and Damian."
"Yes, mother." Chad and his two sisters left.
"Is anything the problem?" Lucas asked.
"Not at all but I want to know more about the amulet. You said if it gets into the wrong hands, it's dangerous, why?"
Lucas looked at Prince Edward, he was waiting for a sign of whether or not he should tell her. Prince Edward nodded and Lucas told her about it. "Our names aren't Erik and Damian." Lucas started and Claudia was shocked.
"We have never met your daughter before." he continued.
"So, who are you guys?"
"My name is Lucas and he is Prince Edward. We come from a kingdom called Havilla. Right now, our kingdom is in a dark state and only the amulet can help us out."
"How?" Claudia asked.
"It will help us find the person whom the guardians spoke about."
"She was said to have an amulet similar to the one we had." Prince Edward added.
Claudia was shocked. If they were from Havilla that means, they are here to take Phoebe and kill her too. I won't let you guys take her away from me. She looked at the Prince and all she could see was his father.
"Mrs. Claudia," Lucas called, waving his hands in front of her.
After regaining herself from the shock, she smiled. "I hope you find the amulet and the girl. I have to go home now." she left.
"Do you think she's angry at us for lying to her?" Lucas asked.
"I think she's shocked."
"Let's try our luck with the seller again." they both went to meet the seller to try out their luck.