Starting Off Wrong [𝐠𝐱𝐠]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗: 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬

We're all quiet as Magnolia lets the last of the rhyme slip from her fingers. I don't know what the others are thinking about. They could already be putting together the pieces or even be thinking about how ridiculous this is. I know what I'm thinking.

I believe it, as much as I don't want to. I'll definitely have to go through it again, but it sort of seems to match up. At least as of now.

Maybe I'm just intimidated by the unknown. I don't know who is messing with me and why? If I believe this curse, or prophecy, to be true, then that means I have answers, and all I want right now are answers. So, even if it's only a little part of me that is producing a small amount of belief where everywhere else rests doubt, I want to believe it.

"Curses, Magnolia? Really?" Suri asks, eyeing Magnolia suspiciously. "I mean, does anyone really believe in this?" "That's what I was thinking," Karina shrugs. "It's just a random rhyme someone wrote in a book."

"That somehow sounds exactly like us?" Magnolia asks, trying to defend her point.

"Can we go through it?" I question, hoping it'll make more sense if we discuss it a bit more. "Slowly," I emphasize. "Good idea, Odette," Karina nods.

"Four friends, one more added with secrets unknown," Aurelia reads, her voice gentle and soft as if the looming threat of a curse is not hanging above our heads.

My heart starts to beat a bit faster with nervousness. I should have thought through this. "I don't have a secret," I lie, pretty sure my sweaty hands are probably giving something away. "I mean, not everything has to match up," Aurelia says, helping me out. "The height requirement from earlier was not entirely accurate."

"Your hair," Suri states. "What about my hair?" I ask, confused. "Maybe your hair was the secret?" Suri suggests. "That's it, Suri," Magnolia points at her. "That must be it," she says, looking at me.

I nod quickly, anything to move along with this prophecy. I want to tell them. I really do, but right now is not the best time. I want to make sure I have this under control. If I start telling everyone, I don't know who is going to tell who and everything could spiral out of control. I trust my friends, but I don't trust myself to keep everything together.

"Now happily together, never alone." "Okay, so that just means we're friends, right?" Aurelia asks. "I think so," Karina agrees.

"But a looming curse threatens their throne," Suri reads. "A secret not known by any of their own," she continues. "The secret known by a foe, set to destroy all that's shown. Everything caused by an enemy's scorn."