UNDERGROUND LIBRARY

              Chapter Twelve

They stepped closer to the opening and a once again a wall blocked them. This time, it was not flowing water, but lava.

     "It's..... it's lava", the twins said in unison and everyone turned to look at them, trying to deduce meaning from their worried expressions. Miya chose to speak.

     "Leo, Ari, what's the matter?"

     "Our powers don't work on lava", Leo answered.

Before anything else could be said Flynn jumped up, his face brightening.

     "Bingo!" He shouted, his voice bouncing back on the cave walls.      "I think I get it now."

     "Get what, Flynn?" It was the first time Hazel spoke since they saw the lava, and Miya realised she had let go of Kiko's hand. She sighed inwardly.

Flynn clasped his hands together and began to pace around.

     "First it's water, and the twins undid it. Now it's lava, and only a fire devil can undo it."

     "But wait", Hazel said, raising a brow. "Were there magicians and fire devils to undo these spells when Matanceros was still alive?"

Flynn stopped moving.

     "Yes, Hazel. Matanceros was not just a place for humans. It was so peaceful to the extent that other creatures could live there."
He paused, and looked at Kiko.

     "And there were shape shifters also. But when Matano died and the crown was hidden, the humans suddenly began to push them away. Them - the fire devils, magicians and shape shifters took refuge in the woods and hidden parts of other lands, so that the humans would not find them and try to kill them."

     "Flynn, how do you know all this?" Hazel enquired.

He unclasped his hands and folded his arms.

     "Well....I was.....um....it's a very long story. Do you want to hear all of it? I'm very good at talking."

     "And I'm super good at listening."

     "Oh yeah Hazel, half an hour with Flynn and you're going to really know how good at listening you are."    Miya said to herself.

Inside she was laughing. She recalled the number of times she had to listen to Flynn say the same things over and over again and pitied Hazel, for she was about to go through hell.

A masculine voice she would have loved to hear all the time jolted her back into reality.

     "Miya, the wall."

     "But Flynn can..."

Ari cut her off. "Miya, we believe in you. If we did it, so can you."

She nodded calmly at the younger twin whose green eyes bore deeply into hers as he spoke to her.

Hopeful but a little hesitant, she stepped forward and carefully stretched forth her right hand. Fortunately, it got through and her hand was not burned when she brought it back out.
Breathing our heavily, she lifted both hands in an attempt to part the lava wall, but they shivered and fell back.

     "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

     "Yes, you can." Kiko surprisingly said in a voice that was more encouraging that instructing. "Focus."

More surprising was how he held both of her hands in his and directed them to the wall. Miya could not stop looking at both of their hands joined together, his tan skin against her chocolate milky colour. She realized he was doing same too.