The Royal Crown

Chapter 10. Kidnapping.

As soon as we entered the ballroom, we immediately froze in place with delight. The hall was huge! A large crystal chandelier with a thousand small diamonds hung from the ceiling. After the entrance there was a descent down to the dance floor, around which, slightly above, there was a balcony. 

Everyone immediately rushed to the dance floor, but I preferred to go to the balcony. I don't like dancing. 

From the balcony there was an amazing view: right behind our school there was a huge lake that shone from the moonlight! I was so amazed by the beauty of nature that I didn't even notice Tania coming up to me.

- Hello!

- Oh, my God, you scared me!

- You've been admiring nature so much. Very unusual for you.

- I know.

Tania leaned on the railing next to her and looked at the moon.

- The moon is beautiful today.

 - Yeah.

So we stood there for 20 minutes, looking at the moon, then at the lake. Suddenly Tania started up.

- What are you doing?

- Let's run, faster!

Tania grabbed my hand and dragged me to the dance hall.

- Hey! What's going on?!

- There's no time to explain, we need to find Leah and Vlad faster!

- Why....

- I'll tell you later!

But my sister and Vlad were nowhere to be seen. Then Tania dragged me into some closet and threw: "Wait here!", ran away again into the unknown. After 10 minutes, she came running again, but already squeezing Leah and Vlad into the closet. 

- Hey, what's goin-... - Vlad began, but Tania interrupted him, closing his mouth.

- Quiet! Not a sound! - she whispered. 

I tried to say something, but Tania closed my mouth too. I noticed that Tania's pupils were very narrow and realized that it was better not to contradict now.

After a while we heard screams and thuds in the main hall, but after a few minutes everything stopped. Tania listened and, telling us to sit here a little longer, cautiously looked out the door. 

 - You can come out, - she said, abruptly opening the door wide.

When we came out of the closet, we saw that there was no one in the hall.

 - What's going on? Why is there no one here? What were those screams?! - Vlad began to pry into Tania.

- Strangers have been here. They took everyone. 

- So you saved us?! - I was surprised.

- You are alive only because of me, - Tania chuckled.

- But how did you know that? How could you have known in advance that these people would come and take everyone away?! - Vlad continued.

- Maybe... Are you their accomplice?! - Leah suddenly exclaimed.

- No, really! I just heard them.

Not so long ago, Tania told me about the peculiarities of werewolves. Among them was acute hearing.

- You couldn't hear them! They were too far away when you grabbed us! 

Tania looked at me. It was impossible to reveal her secret, so I would have to stand up for her.

- It's just her peculiarity. Very acute hearing. Believe me, I know.

Vlad and Leah looked at me. 

- Or maybe you're just helping her?! - Vlad began.

- No, she's telling the truth. I know when she's lying, - said my sister.

- So be it, I'll believe you....

- Okay, we need to inspect the hall, maybe someone was able to escape.

We started searching. We ran around the whole room - not a single living soul. At least that's what we thought. Unexpectedly for us, a thin voice rang out from under the stairs:

- Hey! Is there anyone here?