The Magic Cube [BOOK TWO]

Chapter 1: An owl's crash

There is an uneasiness that remains after you raised a riot that almost killed your friends. But Harley was beyond that.

It was still the holidays (Much to his delight), and of all the things that he can do... he was reading books. Most eight-year-old kids play outside the yard, books left forgotten and dusty in a corner. But Harley was different. He wasn't an immature young boy (he used to be) he just sat in his mansion and read until it's time to do something else.

Like, eat dinner for instance.

His sister Lesley was really nice and kind despite her fierce expression that seemed frozen on her face, an eyepatch on her left eye, her long magenta hair tied into a braid, and this sniper rifle she kept close to, most of the time.  She spoke softly and loves her little brother more than anything. But she was really strict when it came to Harley eating his dinner.

Harley didn't know why his sister didn't do that with breakfast and lunch too, and why she was always so strict on him eating his dinner only.

Lesley was the adopted daughter of the Vance family ever since her father got killed on a mission protecting Duke Vance, Harley's father. Vance is one of the noble families since mostly all of them were born with incredible talent. Duke Vance had an unknown talent that nobody ever saw, and Harley's talent was magic.

It's obvious but when he was way younger, he never knew he was capable of magic, until that one time. But that was another story.

Harley looked up from his spellbook for the first time in five hours. He closed the book, stood up, and bellyflopped onto his bed.

His eyes were exhausted and his brain was still taking in a piece of new knowledge it gained. Harley closed his eyes, wanting to take a nap before-

"Brother, it's dinner time!"

His eyes fluttered open, Too late. It was already dinner time. Lesley said she should be the one that cooks Harley's dinner in that enormous kitchen and not any chef else. He didn't know why but didn't complain as her sister's cooking was delicious.

He made it down the staircase and into the dining room, walking past staring guards, and sat down on the closest chair he found, with his dinner in front of him. Her sister was already beside him, a plate in front of her too.

For dinner was freshly cooked broccoli, mashes potatoes with mushroom gravy, and burnt ham.

Harley stared at it, slobbering. Lesley grinned.

"Well, what do you think?"

"This was much better than the last one." he stared at it... then only realized how hungry he was when his stomach rumbled. he smiled sheepishly at Lesley who noticed and bit back a smile.

Both of them ate silently after Lesley called off the guards, for they need privacy and didn't want the guards looking at them eat too.

Harley was glad that Gusion didn't drop by as he disliked it when Gusion and Lesley started dating after he broke up with someone named Guinevere. If memory serves him right, he was pretty sure Guinevere was a student in the Magic Academy too. Or probably it was another Guinevere. Then again, how many Guineveres are there in the world?

Come to think of it, I didn't see Gusion after that riot 3 months ago... And wait I didn't remember seeing him and the others leave either... Harley thought, suspicious. Then again, I didn't pay much too...

"Harley?"

Harley snapped out of his trance and looked at Lesley. "Yes?"

"Are you gonna eat?" she pointed at Harley's plate. Then only did he realize he stopped eating.

"Oh yeah..." he continued eating vaguely.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong," he mumbled.

Lesley gave him a concerned look then continued eating.

Actually, everything was wrong. He had no idea where Gusion or the rest of the Venom squad is, and he didn't know when will they come back to take him again.

He never saw that side of Gusion before, being evil. That wasn't right. Then again, Harley hated that guy sometimes.

But being Evil is just wow. He did hear that Gusion got banished from the Paxley clan when he violated the rules, and nearly got killed by the elders. But that wasn't being evil, what Gusion did three months ago was definitely Evil.

Harley bit on his spoon suspiciously, He hoped Gusion won't come for him... but as Harley dug deeper into his memory, he remembered there were other people. Grock, Hanabi, Angela...

Hold on, why is Angela there, isn't she a good soul? Harley stuffed a scoop of his dinner into his mouth.

Something is wrong.

"Harley."

The magician looked at his sister, who was eying him suspiciously. "Mmm??"

"Are you trying to eat that spoon?"

Harley then realized he was biting on the spoon which was in his mouth now, his dinner not even close to being finished.

"Sorry, I was thinking," Harley said sheepishly, looking at his sister. her plate empty, plate smacked with grease. He continued eating his dinner and Lesley took her plate, walked into the kitchen before sparing a glance at Harley before doing so.

🧊

Finally, after one freaking hour, Harley finished his dinner. He flopped onto the bed after a nice warm bath, exhausted. He heard wolf howls echoing outside which reminded him of Ruby, Popol, and Kupa even though they can't be outside right now, but they might be howling somewhere afar.

Good, let them howl more, Harley thought, drying his wet blond hair and laid back down, eyes closed.

He was starting to fall asleep, heavy eyes fluttering shut-

Then jolted out of the bed when he heard his window break, something falling to the ground, and stopped beside his feet.

He took his staff and repaired the window, before looking at the thing that crashed his window.

Harley's eyes widened because it was something he knew so well. 

It was Diggie's time bomb. He knew something was wrong.