Lamenting Life

chapter 13 - clue

Athena's Pov.

It was easy to fool around Dan.

I would make sly remarks and tip of his ear would turn red.

Dan was keeping up a calm facade through all my flirting advances.

His face decieved nothing but his ears always give him away.

I would bend over him while he read those books seriously and i could see him struggling to keep his concentration.

Some days i would just casually lean over him saying i was too tired and i need a rest.

It was fun to see his dumbfound expression once when i wiped the cream on the corner of his lips and licked my fingers.

Today i was lying down on the feather carpet holding an opened book to my chest.

As usual Dan was reading the  book which contained the royal  family history for the nth time.

There was a custom that the king would sign his name on the book along with his predecesors on the day after coronation.

He somehow had a gut feeling that the clue we were looking for would be found in that book.

Dan is a handsome man.He sure is an eye candy.I found him really pleasing to look at.
"You seem better these days.Like a child who found a new toy ".
Dan said out of the blue.

I smiled at him playfully." And you look like someone playing too hard to get! "

He smiled and returned to his reading .
My gaze gradually shifted to his long slender fingers grazing over the book.

He seemed to be carved out of the stone in perfection.
It was sure that i desired him.

Suddenly my gaze fell over the side of the book.
There seemed to have some weird markings which were visible only because the book was open and the pages spread  in layered fashion.

Suddenly it clicked inside me that these might be the hidden clue since it was impossible to see them while the book is closed.it could only be seen if some one looked at it from below while it was opened in this fashion.

Then it clicked in my mind.

My grin grew wide and i called him "Dan"

He looked up from the book and asked ," What is it?"

"Come, lay down here with me for a second ", I asked in a honeyed tone.

Dan turned into ghastly pale complexion and then blush started creeping into his cheeks.
"What did you say? "He croaked out.

"Here "I patted at the space next to me "I might have found the clue that we were looking for"

"Please... stop ..fooling around "He stuttered.

I was enjoying this far too much.

"I am telling the truth.I can show you.keep the book open and come here."I smirked again.

Dan reluctantly raised from his seat and layed next to me.

I purposefully scooted and close to him.

His heart was beating so loud that even i could hear it.

"Don't you think the markings  resemble cassios ?" , I pointed at the book .

Cassios is the star constellation which is  visible over the dark forest only  at the time of our yearly festival .

I was glad that we found it on the right time.

The brighest star was marked in azure blue while the others were in red .

The light of the brightest star was the only light which would ever penetrate the core of the the dark forest.

"I think we will find it in the dark forest . The light of the brighest star will show us the way in there.

Dan stared at it for a moment and jumped up in joy.

" We found it atlast." He cried out in a happy tone.

I got up  from the carpet.

In his state of utmost happiness he picked me up and twirled me around.

"We did it ", He kept on saying.

I was staring down at him a wicked grin.
Was he aware of his actions just now?
I dont think so.

I bought my hand up to his face and carresed  his cheek softly.
That brought him back to reality.

After a second he gently lowered me to the ground.

We stared at each other.His eyes held sparkles .

At that moment i felt like i was winning this game.

I stood on tip toe and kissed his cheeks.
He was rooted in place.

"We better start our preparations " I smirked at him and walked out.