Teri's eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Prince Ivive tried to steady his breath. "I saw her. The real Darlene. She is dead and her ghost is trapped inside that barrel."
Teri felt a surge of fear and looked at him closely. "Did you see well?"
Prince Ivive nodded grimly. "Her hands and legs were bound with some kind of rope. Her tears were bloody and her lips looked like they had been cut and stitched repeatedly."
Teri felt his legs give way and was about to collapse, but Prince Ivive caught him.
Mizak, who was walking ahead of them, turned around and saw Teri. "Teri, are you alright?" he asked, concerned.
"He's fine," Prince Ivive lied.
Mizak sensed something was wrong, but did not press further. He turned back and continued walking.
"She was wearing the same dress she wore during the evening banquet we were invited to. So it is possible that she died that night," Prince Ivive whispered.
"But I met her that night and Mizak was with me. Or is it possible that...is it that she wasn't the one I spoke to?" Teri said, feeling a lump in his throat.
"I remember when Lord Hoself told her to rest because she was not focused. Maybe it was not long after that," Prince Ivive said.
"If that is not Darlene, then who is that? How could she know so much about our past?" Teri asked.
"I've figured it out already. I believe she had a friend she shared her pains, secrets and experiences with. But that friend was none other than the illusionist or someone helping the illusionist.
We need to ask Melovine.
And the Darlene we see now is the illusionist. She's capable of becoming anyone.
According to the books, no one has seen her real appearance. No one knows if she's a man or a woman, but she's mostly in a woman's form, so it's assumed to be a woman," Prince Ivive said.
"We need to tell Mizak and Melovine. And as for Elley, I can't tell Elley about this yet," Teri said.
"No, we will tell Melovine, but not Mizak. Teri, promise me you won't tell Mizak about this. I and Mizak are friends, but that doesn't mean I completely trust him," Prince Ivive said, warning him.
"If you're talking about him not being the biological son of Lord Melvor, I already know about it," Teri said.
Prince Ivive was surprised. "You knew?"
"I found out recently," Teri said.
"Do you also know that a person comes once a year to the palace to paint Mizak? When he comes to the palace, Mizak is always summoned and he will be painted," Prince Ivive said.
"And what does that have to do with Mizak not knowing about what we found out about Darlene, that it's the illusionist that we see, not her? Why should I not distrust you when you followed me and Mizak out from Dew City?" Teri said.
"One, Mizak's real identity is unknown. Only my father, the king and lord melvor, knows who he is, but they won't say. Two, I still feel that mysterious thing is Mizak," Prince Ivive said.
Teri scoffed as he removed Prince Ivive's arms from his shoulder. "It is not Mizak and I don't want to hear that again.
However, since you don't want to let Mizak know about this, then fine, only you, me and Melovine."
"Good, we'll meet in my chamber," Prince Ivive said as he walked to Melovine.
************************************
IN PRINCE IVIVE'S CHAMBER
Prince Ivive and Teri were already in the chamber, sitting on the bed, waiting for Melovine.
Melovine opened the door and entered the chamber. She wore a red gown, her hair was braided and her whip was on her waist. She had replaced her normal whip with the new one she had.
"I know I wasted time, but don't worry, I made sure I was not followed, as His Highness said I should," she said as she closed the door.
"So what are we talking about that you don't want Mizak to know about?" she asked.
"Was there a close friend Darlene had?" Prince Ivive asked.
"A close friend?" she thought as she sat on a chair in the chamber.
"Darlene knew people outside the manor, but I can't call them close friends. However, she had a personal maid whom she was very close to. Come to think of it, I have not seen her for some time," Melovine said.
"Since when?" Teri inquired.
"I know not for certain, perchance the banquet night or the morrow," Melovine answered.
"I was right," Prince Ivive declared.
"About what? Is this the weighty matter you said we have to converse about?" Melovine said.
"That personal maid was the illusionist," Prince Ivive said.
Melovine's eyes widened in astonishment. "What? How did you know that? Even though she is, we have no clue where she is now."
"And the lady Darlene we all see, is not the real Darlene," Prince Ivive said.
"What mean you? Are you saying..."
Teri cut her off. "She's the illusionist."
"Then where is the real Darlene?" she asked, her eyes full of curiosity.
"Dead and we know not where the body is. I see ghosts and I saw her ghost inside that barrel in her chamber," Prince Ivive said, as he recalled the dreadful scene.
She gasped and looked at Teri with pity. "Oh, Teri, I am so sorry."
Teri stood up with determination. "I say, we go tonight and capture her before the mysterious one does.
Melovine, please can you take me to my room?"
"Sure, let us go," Melovine said as she walked to Teri.
************************************
Melovine escorted Teri to his chamber door.
"You can go, thank you," Teri said.
"Till then," Melovine said as she walked away.
Teri opened his chamber door and was about to enter inside, but stopped when he heard familiar footsteps.
"Come in," Teri said as he was about to enter inside.
"I do not want to," Mizak said.
"Do you need anything?" Teri asked.
Mizak walked to him and leaned his back on the wall beside Teri's door and stared at him. "Are you, Melovine and Prince Ivive planning something?
And am I excluded because you trust me not?"
Teri was silent.
Mizak looked away and exhaled. "Do not worry, I will not ask you about it. After all, I did say it is your choice to trust me or not."
He chuckled slightly. "However, I did not know I would feel this way. It hurts and I expected it not to hurt this much."
Teri felt a pang of guilt, but he was still silent. Then he hurriedly entered his chamber and closed the door.