Chapter 9-Truth
Shock, surprise, disbelief-these were the first emotions that stabbed the girl painfully, sending a wave of conflicting and inconsistent expressions across her tear stained face. She swayed vigorously and almost fell to the floor, breathing irregularly as she clutched at her side. Her lids stung with eye-offending brine mixed with salt and grief.
"I…I…I…I have…a sister?" she stammered, desperately gasping for breath.
The professor nodded sincerely, taking her arm in order to steady her balance. Thoughts ran through his mind: Why had this been kept a secret from Flora? Who had been down here and taken the strange crested box that lay empty on the other side of the room? There were so many questions-and the professor was determined to answer them all.
Flora shakily looked up at her sister's statue, trying to make out the main details of the young girl through her now indistinct vision.
"F…F…Flora?" Luke asked in a wavering voice, feeling rather uncomfortable.
The girl tore her vision away from the statue and spun around to face the worried expression that both her friend and mentor wore. The blurriness around her immediately vanished, being burnt away by the fire which now set her eyes ablaze with a new consciousness. She clenched her fists tightly together to detain the boiling of her blood; hate, anger, betrayal, hurt and many other powerful emotions of an undying strength had finally taken their hold on her.
Was this really true? That she'd had a sister whom she'd never been told about?
"Flora, dear…"
Why? What was the reason?
"Flora…" Layton started again in a louder tone.
What was her sister like and where was she now?
"Flora Violet Reinhold," Layton pronounced sharply, immediately getting her full attention, "this must be such a shock for you, as it is for us as well, but you can't let this affect who you are."
Luke nodded weakly, in defence to the professor's comment. She sighed deeply in a tone of undeniable frustration.
"Professor," she started in a cool tone, "I have only just found out that I've got an older sister out there- and that my mother, my father, Bruno and this whole village has known all of this time and hadn't even considered it an option to tell me!"
Luke tried to put his arm around her but the girl only wriggled away, shooting him an agitated glare, shocking him greatly.
"I know, dear," the professor replied in a firm tone as he placed a gentle hand on Luke's shoulder, "but there is no need to—"
"You don't know, Professor-and there is a need to express how I feel!" she interrupted in a raised voice, "I've known these people for the majority of my life! I've loved them and they've always been so supportive to me and promised that they'd never keep any secrets from me! I've trusted them all of my life! Do you know what it feels like to find out that the people who've been held the dearest to you have been keeping one of the most important secrets away from you?! That they've lied to you all of their life?! That's what's happened here; they've betrayed me!"
Flora threw her arm out to the side in fury, her eyes glistening like garnets as she cried even harder. Luke looked pitifully at her as the professor pulled his hat over his face slightly and sighed in defeat.
"Yes…I know…how you feel, Flora," he said quietly, closing his eyes, "It's terrible to think that this has been kept from you but there has to be a good reason for it to be so. It could be linked with the message on your mother's statue."
Wiping her tears away roughly with the back of her hand, she let them drip to the ground to provide a brief noise to the silence that now lingered around them. The fire inside of her was extinguished and she let her arms drop limply to her sides, as if keeping them up was too strenuous for her.
"It…it…it could be," she sniffled, sighing deeply, "but I have a sister…somewhere out there…and I was never told…I really…don't know why!"
Luke sighed in response, keeping a suitable distance away from her to give her some space.
"There…there has to be a reason…," he answered quietly, "Lady Violet and Bruno would never keep something like this from you unless there was a very good reason…"
Flora nodded in understanding, straightening her outfit and gazing around the room with determined eyes.
"I'm going to find her," she announced, "and I shall not give up until I am united with my sister! Why has she run off?! What happened in the past—"
"Flora," Layton responded in a low pained voice, "that may not be possible."
The girl spun on her heel and placed her hands firmly on her hips; she was starting to get annoyed how people underestimated her abilities.
"Why ever not?!" she retorted in frustration, "I can do something about it!"
The professor shook his head sadly, pointing to the writing on the statue.
"Your…your sister is dead…"
She blinked rapidly, her eyebrows creasing into an angry frown.
"No, she isn't! Where's your proof, Professor?!"
"Look here; it says that she was taken from them when she was a few years old and never seen or heard of again…and she had…some form of life threatening illness. Your mother said that…she'd 'look forward to seeing her on the other side'. Your sister has passed," the professor explained, backing away, "I'm truly sorry…"
Flora fell against her sister's statue, her eyes scanning the words about a dozen times before the message finally sunk in. Her tears threatening to erupt again, but the teenager managed to hold them in momentarily with a superhuman effort.
"So…so that's why my mother always appeared so sad in our portraits," she whispered hoarsely, biting her lip repeatedly to stop herself from screaming her sister's name, "but…what happened to her? What was she like?"
Layton bowed his head respectfully as Flora slumped against her sister's statue, caressing her golden face.
"How I wish I'd known her…we seem…so alike," she said longingly to no one in particular, "She was so young...it's just so unfair!"
"None of us know what happened to your sister, Flora…but it remains a mystery that could very well be linked into this current one…" the professor said gently, wrapping his arm around her as she collapsed against him and clung to his jacket, "but I promise you that we shall try and do everything we can to uncover the truth…"
Mystery 6-The secret of Seryna
Hidden under Lady Violet's statue is a shrine dedicated to Flora and her now deceased sister, Seryna. No one has ever breathed a word of this to Flora, which has resulted in her denying their trust. Why was she never told about her sister and just what has happened to the young girl?
"Hmm…," Luke murmured as he peered closely at the portraits of Seryna Reinhold, "she looks so uncannily like you, Flora…there is no doubt that she's your sister…"
The girl wriggled out of the professor's grip and cautiously approached the paintings and photographs, keeping her eyes trained on the one which showed the two young girls playing together. How happy they looked together; it was clear that they both shared a powerful bond with the other. She touched it lightly with her finger, tracing the outline of the other girl's face.
"She…she looks like she got on well with my sister," she replied as their unheard laughter filled her ears, "I wonder who she was—"
"I think I know," Luke announced, "Take a look here…"
Pointing to the small silver writing that decorated the bottom of the photograph, he tentatively took Flora's hand and guided it to the words in front of her:
'Miss Seryna Violet Reinhold (at three years) playing in the manor gardens with her best friend, Miss Connie Anthea Smith, in the spring.'
"Connie Anthea Smith?" Flora repeated as she closed her eyes, "That…that name doesn't sound familiar at all…but she was a friend of my sister?"
"So it seems," Luke responded, "Maybe the residents know something about her. She could still be alive—"
"So if I can find her then she could tell me information about my sister!" she exclaimed gleefully.
Layton placed a hand to his chin in thought.
"It's certainly a possibility, yes," he answered, "The only other person around here who could know something is…is…"
"Who, Professor?" Luke pressed, his eyes wide with interest, "Who else?"
"B…Bruno," Flora answered immediately as she clenched her fists again, "He was very close to my parents and I'd assume he'd been with my father when Seryna was alive…Maybe he could give us information!"
"How do you know he knows anything at all?" Layton inquired.
"You remember yesterday when he was ranting about the sorceress taking 'her' away from the village? He hesitated when you tried to press him and appeared to have a change in his behaviour; it's obvious that he's hiding something!"
The professor opened his mouth to say something but then found that it would be fruitless; the girl was right. If Bruno knew something about Seryna, which could also be of relevance to this case as well, then it was certainly worth investigating. Luke nodded in response to Flora's statement.
"She's right, Professor!" he exclaimed, "It's as good as a chance as any…and it could prove useful. Besides, we'd better be heading back to the town square now, Professor. We promised the other's that we'd be back in two hours and the last thing we need is to make them worry about us."
Layton nodded at his apprentice as Flora grasped Luke's hand, surprising him greatly but pleasantly.
"I'm…I'm sorry," she apologised, "I shouldn't take this out on either of you…it's just…such a shock…to me…to discover—"
"It's perfectly natural, Flora. You are not to blame, my girl," Layton responded, kissing her forehead as Luke squeezed her hand to show that he forgave her, "Our first priority upon returning to the village is to head to the clock tower and ask Bruno if he can tell us any valuable information concerning your sister and if he knows anything else about the present incidents here. Alright?"
The girl nodded in understanding as the professor guided the two teenagers out of the door and into the luxury of fresh air and greenery once again. Helping the professor out of the passage before leaving Violet's grave, endless thoughts clouded her mind as her memory flitted back to the missing box, the words on Violet's statue and the innocent youthful face of Seryna Reinhold. She dug her fingers into her palms, glaring in front of her with a renewed attitude.
"I will find you, Seryna," Flora vowed as the three of them crossed the river in readiness to re-enter the village, "and I shall not rest until I know the whole truth…"
"Any luck?"
Clark returned to his wife's side, shaking his head.
"Well…unless a robot telling me to run back to the police station and stop harassing innocent passers-by was helpful…then no. Nothing new has been accomplished."
Brenda bit her lip and shot a smile at her husband as Emmy folded her arms.
"You know, I wouldn't blame them if Inspector Chelmey had been grilling them with endless questions-which wouldn't be unusual in his books," she answered with a light smirk, "He never rests until he has his suspects cornered…it won't be long before he starts classing us as 'suspects'."
"Ugh, I hope it doesn't get to that," Brenda responded as she rolled her eyes, "They're probably just wasting their time anyway when the real sorceress is probably plotting her next act of vengeance…"
Emmy laughed at her comment as Clark turned to her with a burning question in his eyes.
"How…how do you interview people without them getting all hot under the collar?" he asked with a defeated sigh, "You must be a proper professional, Emmy."
"Well…I guess it just takes practise…and sometimes a lot of flatteries and apologies," she replied, "Act like a gentleman and they'll immediately listen to you!"
Clark groaned.
"I'm no good at playing a gentleman!"
"That's not true, dear," Brenda answered as she kissed him gently, "You're a gentleman around me…that's for certain…"
"Brenda!" he hissed as Emmy smiled at them.
"Well…she does have a point there, Clark," she responded truthfully as she caught a figure slowly shuffling towards them from out of the corner of her eye, "Look. Maybe I can try something."
The woman turned around and coughed, succeeding in getting the attention of the figure as she carefully turned her attention towards them. A small smile crept on her face, but this couldn't mask the look of bitter sadness that swam in her dark pupils. Her glasses hung loosely down her nose to match her greying hair so she quickly straightened them before addressing the group.
"Ah! I remember you-you're Flora's friends, aren't you?" she asked as she pulled her glasses further up her face, "I do hope that you know how grateful we all are for your help in trying to sort us out of this mess! With Professor Hershel Layton and his wonderful assistants looking into this case it should hopefully be over soon and I can finally get a good night's sleep!"
Emmy pushed her hair behind her back and managed a sad smile at Ingrid's small figure as she turned her attention to the two other adults.
"Well, we've been trying to recover some information from the villagers…but it seems that Inspector Chelmey from Scotland Yard has given them quite a scare…" Clark explained, "Have you been interviewed yet?"
"Oh, that moustachioed big nosed man from London? Yes, I was one of the first he 'interviewed'…and by that I mean yelling his head off and getting his moustache in a twist! I tell you I feel really sorry for that little policeman who accompanies him…he must be scared stiff of the inspector!"
"Um…you do have a point there," Emmy replied, trying to suppress a laugh, "We're…very sorry about…Dahlia—"
"Don't you worry yourselves, dearies! It's a real bitter shame and all…but I just hope this sorceress is stopped before anyone else gets harmed," she interrupted, sighing deeply, "If anything were to happen to little Flora then…then...my cogs would burst! But don't you worry, laddie; the villagers around here are pretty sentimental at the moment...you'll find something, don't you worry!"
Clark nodded, wincing a little at the word 'laddie'. Brenda nudged him playfully and grinned as he shot her a look of mock agitation.
"Um…Ingrid, was it?" Brenda asked gently, "Other than what has been going on recently, do you have any knowledge that could be of use to us in this predicament?"
The elderly lady thought for a few moments, screwing up her face before she relaxed slightly and nodded, holding her head with her hand.
"As a matter of fact…yes, I do actually! But…this lack of sleep has made my brain go all fuzzy…that and this old geezer I passed earlier gave me a puzzle that's been giving my brain cells a right pounding! Could you be a good girl and help out an old lady in need?"
Brenda instantly nodded in response; if information was the reward then she was going to get it.
"Of course, ma'am, I'll give it my best shot…"
Ingrid beamed and clasped her hands together.
"Oh, thank you, dearie! It's a right toughie for old Ingrid here but it should be a piece of cake for you!"
Puzzle 12-The weird will (40 picarats)
A wealthy fisherman who had just passed away stated in his will how he wanted his 17 boats to be divided amongst his three daughters: He stated that his eldest daughter should receive half of them, the second eldest should receive a third of them and his youngest daughter should receive one ninth of the whole fleet. After his passing, the girls found that they simply couldn't fulfil their father's wishes. Sensing their distress, another fisherman decided to help them out so that the will could be fulfilled. What did he do?
(Get this right and you will have 460 picarats)
"Oh, I know this one!" she declared with a smile, "The other fisherman gave them a boat, so that there were eighteen in total. That way, his eldest daughter received nine boats, his middle daughter six and his youngest two. When these figures are added together they make seventeen exactly. The fisherman could have his boat back and all of the ships were divided as stated in the will."
Ingrid's face stretched into a proud smile as she clapped her hands.
"So that's how it was done!" she gasped, "Absolutely brilliant puzzle solving skills, dearie! You've got a good head on your shoulders that's for sure!"
Clark smiled proudly at his wife as she blushed modestly.
"Th…thank you," she stammered, "so…you said that you had some information?"
"Oh, yes of course! Silly me! I did!" she responded as she cleared her throat, "Between you and me, Bruno has been a bit…strange lately. He's been run off of his feet and what-not but…he's developed a jerky movement whenever someone speaks to him...it just seems a bit strange for Bruno. Usually he never lets anything like this get him down…I guess it's affecting us all…"
Brenda nodded, absorbing the woman's words thoroughly. Emmy frowned.
"So…Bruno's acting out of character lately?" she repeated as Brenda scribbled some notes down in her handbook, "That's interesting…"
Ingrid suddenly began waving her hands around frantically, if she thought that she'd lost their attention.
"Wait! There's more where that came from!" she declared as she pointed down the adjacent road, "When I was in bed a few days ago, I woke up to hear the most horrendous crashing noise in my life! At first I thought it was the sorceress, but when I went to check, all I found were several large scraps of metal littered over our lawn. Has she started making metal rain from the sky or something?!"
Clark rubbed his hands together and smiled at the woman.
"That sounds rather interesting. I'd say it's certainly worth investigating, wouldn't you two?"
The two women nodded in response as Brenda put away her notebook carefully.
"Where did you put the metal when you found it?" she asked curiously.
Ingrid hesitated for a moment before clicking her fingers, having remembered where she'd left it.
"Oh…I just left it on the lawn…I couldn't think of anything else to do with it," she confessed, "I'm sharing a house with my nephews at the moment but it should be the first house that you see on your left."
Brenda winked at Emmy as she bent down so that she was the same height as the woman.
"Well, we'll make it our next stop…thank you so much, Ingrid. You've been extremely helpful!"
The woman blinked rapidly and she smiled modestly, pleased that she had proved herself useful to them.
"Well...you're more than welcome! Oh and there was something else: this woman who looked like a witch said that 'if you want to solve any poor little puzzles that you've forgotten about during the investigation then you should look out for Granny Riddleton's shack...I think it had some cat in front of it based a few doors from the town hall..." she replied cheerfully, "Anyway back to the metal! Personally, I can't see why a few scraps of metal would be of use in your situation…but if you think it will be of use to you then who am I to argue?! I only hope that you find what you wish!"
"Oh, I'm sure we shall. Thanks again!" Brenda called as her arm encircled her husband and they quickly followed Emmy down the path.
Ingrid smiled after them before adjusting her glasses and skipping off down the path, now filled with confidence. Emmy peered behind her, grinning at the sight of her small and delicate figure running through the streets of the village.
"The poor thing…," Brenda said sympathetically as they turned around the corner, "She still tries to be happy even after what's happened…she certainly has spirit…"
"Indeed," Clark agreed as he hugged his wife even tighter, "I do hope that Flora is okay; it must have shocked her greatly to find out about her mother…"
The woman smiled at him as Emmy quickly ran for the house to their direct left, determined to gain some answers.
"I'm sure she's okay," Brenda replied confidently, "Luke and Hershel will somehow make her feel better; they are true gentlemen after all!"
"Of course…I just hope that no one else gets hurt...or…well…for all we know Flora could be next! Or even you or Luke! She…she could have anything planned…nothing seems too large on a scale for her…"
Before Brenda could reply to his worried statement Emmy ran up to the two adults, a gleeful expression imprinted on her face.
"I think I've found what Ingrid was talking about!" she announced triumphantly.
She gestured to several large chunks of painted metal, each scrap measuring at least a metre square. There had to be more than a dozen parts in total littering the grass below their feet. Clark and Brenda walked over to examine them in more detail, bending down to survey the scene.
The house itself hadn't been damaged, which was incredibly fortunate for the building and its occupants, but several plants and one apple tree had fallen victim to the collision. Each piece varied in shape, some possessing sharp daggered edges whilst others had smooth curved sides. Whatever it was that had fallen had collided with the ground at quite a force…but why metal had inexplicably started falling from the sky was another question entirely.
"Well…," Brenda mused, "whatever caused it only happened in this area…otherwise it would have been visible all over the street…and we don't even know when this happened…"
Clark ran his finger across one of the pieces, rubbing off a large quantity of a dark red dusty substance.
"Well…it's rusting…," he responded as Emmy bent down to examine the oxides that covered almost every inch of the metal, "and the only rain we had was yesterday…so this indicates that it probably happened sometime around yesterday, or the day before that."
Emmy nodded in understanding as she squinted at the deep marks running through the piece she was currently examining.
"I'd say that's a sound theory, Clark!" she congratulated as she slapped him on the back, "You can certainly understand why it gave poor Ingrid a shock! However…what would be plummeting to the ground with such a force and why was it just around Ingrid's house? It could've happened anywhere in St Mystere if you think about—"
She cut herself off abruptly, peering at the ambiguous white creature that had settled down next to her through her forlorn eyes. Brenda shot her husband a concerned look as she threw herself down next to the woman, wrapping her arm around her shoulders in a soothing manner.
"Emmy?" she asked in the gentlest tone that she could manage, "What's wrong, dear?"
Emmy sniffled in response, pointing at the creature as tears dripped down her face.
"A d…dove...," she faltered, "free and…alive; the very opposite of…m…m…my…d…dove…I just…can't stop thinking about…h…him…"
Brenda pulled her close towards her chest and gently stroked her hair, rocking her sideways to ease her emotional pain. The beautiful bird watched them with wide eyes for a few moments before he spread his wings and flew away into the skies.
"There, there, dear…it's okay," she whispered softly as Emmy cried into her blouse, "we'll get to the bottom of this…I promise you…"
She looked up at her husband helplessly as he slowly bent down and patted her shoulder tentatively with downcast eyes.
"Brenda's right, Emmy-we promise you that everything shall be fine," he reassured her as he looked sadly at Brenda, "I just hope that Hershel has had better luck than we have—"
"Emmy! Clark! Brenda! There you are!"
Clark leapt to his feet as Brenda helped to pull Emmy into a standing position, still whispering reassuring things to her.
"Hershel!" the man greeted, sighing in relief.
The professor steadily approached them with Luke and Flora trailing behind him.
"Ah, Clark, I thought that you'd be at the clock tower by now. I trust that your investigation has gone well?"
Luke looked at his parents with questioning eyes as Flora held onto his hand tightly and peered uncomfortably at Emmy.
"Are you okay, Emmy? If you're too upset then you should return back to the inn to take a break," Flora suggested kindly, "Have…you found anything interesting?"
The woman sniffed and quickly dried her face as the professor looked at her sympathetically.
"Um…not as…useful as we'd expected, Professor; all we found out was that at some time yesterday Ingrid woke up to hear a loud noise and several large scraps of metal outside," Emmy explained after peering at Brenda's notes, "As far as we know it has only happened outside of this house for now. It's…something…I suppose…still no…clues as to…what happened with—"
"Hmm…," Layton mumbled in thought, "I wonder…"
"What is it, Professor?" Luke asked curiously, "Do you have a theory?"
"It's just a thought at the moment," he replied as he turned back to his assistant, "On the contrary, this may turn out to be quite helpful. Thank you for sharing this information with us."
"No problem, Professor," she answered with a sigh, "Did you…find anything useful—"
"Well…you could put it that way," Luke replied, "We couldn't find anything to do with…him…either, Emmy…but we did find a secret shrine underneath Lady Violet's grave…and…well…it was quite a shock—"
Brenda tilted her head to the side, examining Flora's white face with concern.
"Are you alright, dear? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
"I…I feel like I have because…I've just found out…that I had an elder sister…but she's most likely dead now…"
Emmy looked up, a confused expression on her face as Brenda put a hand on the girl's shoulder, clearly sensing her distress. Clark placed a hand to his chin.
"You never knew about any of this?" he asked her, "This is the first you've heard about it?"
"Y…Yes," the girl stammered in reply, "it said on Mother's grave that there is something down there that must never be seen until the darkest days of St Mystere. Down there were two shrines next to Mother's grave: mine and my sister's. She was called Seryna and probably died before I was born…"
Emmy closed her eyes sadly.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
Flora smiled weakly at her as the professor coughed.
"There was also an empty box down there that most likely held some vital information…but it's gone now—"
"So…we're back to square one?" Emmy confirmed, frowning deeply.
Layton shook his head.
"Not quite, Emmy, please have patience. It seems that someone in this village has something to hide. We were going to ask him a few questions before returning to the inn and discussing the rest of our plans," he explained, "Do you know who I mean?"
Brenda clicked her fingers as she scanned through her notes.
"Are you referring to Bruno, by any chance?" she guessed, "Some of the other residents feel that he is acting strangely also; Ingrid especially. Do…do you think he is hiding something?"
"It could very well be a possibility, but we won't know until we investigate the matter further," he replied, "Besides, Flora feels that his strange behaviour could be linked to her sister. It's as good a lead as any I suppose."
The three adults nodded as Brenda turned to Luke.
"Did you get yourself injured?"
"No, Mum, I didn't get injured. I was being very, very careful because a gentleman keeps his promise," he droned as his mother poked his shoulder.
"Well, you'd do good to teach your father a few things about being safe!" she exclaimed, shooting a fake frown of agitation at the currently grinning Clark, "and you can wipe that smug grin off of your face, Mr Triton! It's time to start investigating again!"
Clark stifled a laugh and winked at the professor as he chuckled and looked at Flora.
"My girl, would you like to lead the way to the clock tower?" he asked her seriously as he adjusted his top hat, "I think we ought to pay the caretaker of St Mystere a little visit…"
"Hello?" Flora called loudly as she gently pushed open the door to the tower, "Is anybody here?"
A quiet dripping noise was currently the only sound that occupied the room, making it seem more eerie and scarier than ever before. A shiver tickled her spine as she carefully made her way across the variety of tools littering the floor, accompanied by endless rolls of parchment completely covered in complex figures and symbols.
"Hello?!" she called even louder as her eyes searched for any sign of the man, "Can someone hear me?"
"I don't think he's in at the moment, Flora dear," Layton told her as a light scuffling sounded from the corner of the room.
Standing in front of the group as a precaution, the professor led the way across the floor, peering into the shadows as a familiar trembling figure came into view.
"Oh! It's you!" Luke exclaimed as the man relaxed a little, "Mr…um…Stately, was it? Do you know where Bruno is at the moment?"
Jacob rubbed the back of his neck and forced a smile at the group.
"Oh…he went out not too long ago…to get some more supplies…they left me here to keep watch and…I don't like…being on my own…thank goodness you came a…along!" he stuttered, "W…what did you need him f…for?"
Layton tipped the side of his hat and smiled comfortingly at the man to show that they meant no harm.
"We were wondering if we could ask him a few questions when he returns," he answered, "Would it be okay if we had a look around this room to see if there is anything here that could aid us in our investigation?"
Emmy clenched her fists, finding that the dove had become attached to her mind and nothing could drive it away for the time being. Brenda kept a supportive hand on her back as Jacob squinted at her and gasped.
"Of course! You're the woman who…lost that little boy the previous night!" he exclaimed as he flashed a smile at her, "Truly terrible…I'm sorry for your loss…but I'm sure you'll find him soon!"
The woman just nodded, unnerved by the tone of what sounded to her like mockery in the man's voice. It only brought the pain back to her, which was something she didn't need.
"Oh, do forgive me…I should know t…that…you don't want to be reminded like…I…I was once…but anyway, I'd assume that if it helps you in any w…way then Bruno wouldn't mind you looking through this room…please d…don't mind the m…mess."
The professor smiled gratefully at him and carefully approached the large table strewn with cogs, metal tools and papers. Jacob stood by the wall, shaking a little and twitching at the sound of every drop of water coming in contact with the ground. Luke and Flora ran over to help the professor whilst Clark peered through the various parchments to see if they wielded anything of use. Emmy stood quietly next to Brenda, her despondent nature having quickly claimed her again. All Brenda could do was hope that everything would be well; not even the most comforting words that she could muster would have an effect on Emmy at the moment.
"Are you and Mr Spencer assisting Bruno in fixing the robots?" Clark inquired as he picked up a detailed sketch of the layout of Simon's gears.
Jacob nodded quickly.
"Yes, we are doing t…that. The inspectors from L…London are busy interrogating the residents here…I hope we find the c…culprit soon…"
"So do us all," Layton added as he handed about a dozen sheets of paper to his apprentice, "Could you hold these please, my boy? I think there may be something lurking underneath all of this…"
The boy just nodded, staggering under the weight of what was presumably light material. Flora crouched down on the floor, not fretting about dirtying her dress, as she scrabbled through several misplaced cogs and gears with Bruno's logo imprinted on each one.
"There's nothing of interest down here, Professor!" she called as she quickly wiped a bit of mildew off of her gown.
The professor patted her shoulder as Luke finally set the papers down delicately on the ground.
"There has to be something underneath all of this junk!" he shouted encouragingly as the professor cleared the desk.
Throwing aside all of the insignificant objects certainly made a difference; the desk now appeared bare and much more methodical, baring a few bits of stationary, tools and a selection of boxes all alternating in size and colour. The professor grinned triumphantly, his hand immediately reaching for the smallest of the four without hesitation.
"Just as I thought…," he murmured as he turned back to face the group, "Luke, does this box look familiar to you?"
The boy fingered it gently, his eyes widening in realisation as the faded dark colours and the silver engraving swam before his eyes.
"The box in Violet's grave!" he gasped as he handed it back to the professor, "This is the one that was missing! Bruno must've had it all along!"
"Correct, my boy," he responded as he turned to Flora, "I thought it looked familiar; I could see the box on the table yesterday when we went to talk to Bruno, but I thought nothing of it then…and I felt it was strange that he had moved it today, when we had seen its twin in Violet's grave. Flora, you were right all along!"
The girl sprang to her feet and ran over to the professor as Clark and Brenda looked over in interest. Emmy raised her head a little but showed no other signs of interest.
"B…Bruno had it all along?" she faltered, a tear brimming in her eye, "He was a friend of my parents…he must've known how to get down there…but he took this from my mother's grave?"
Layton nodded as Luke peered hard at the box.
"The better question is: what is inside it?" he stated, a trace of excitement in his voice.
Flora tried to push the lid open, only to find that it showed no signs of wanting to be opened at all. She tilted her head to the side, gasping when she caught the silver glint of the lock keeping Violet's secret safe from prying eyes. She groaned and ran her finger along the thin metal grooves.
"Well…it looks like if you don't have the brains then the secret will never be known," she muttered, sighing in a defeated manner.
Luke patted her shoulder favourably.
"Flora," he started, "you're the adopted daughter of one of the best minds in the country and you practise puzzles daily…and you helped to save the world from the Gorgons last year-this should be like bread and butter for you!"
The teenager giggled before turned back to the box and gritting her teeth with determination.
"Both of these puzzles shall not go unsolved," she vowed, "not whilst I draw breath!"
Puzzle 13-Combination cracker (30 picarats)
See before you two different coloured wheels: One orange and one blue. When one wheel is turned so that its pointer is pointing directly to a number, the other moves also, only it points to a different number every time. There are the numbers 1-9 running clockwise over the whole wheel. When the orange wheel points at the number 4, the blue wheel points at 6. When the blue wheel points at 1, the orange wheel points at 8. Knowing this, what number will the orange wheel point to if the blue wheel is pointing at the number 7? Insert it into the combination lock.
(Get this right and you will have 500 picarats)
Flora took deep rasping breaths, sweat dripping from her forehead as she shakily inserted the number five into the combination lock. A high pitched click that emitted from the lock told her that she had clearly solved the puzzle.
"Yes! I did it!" she exclaimed triumphantly, "You had to just work seven digits anticlockwise to find the blue number and two clockwise to find the orange digit!"
"Well done, my girl," Layton congratulated as Flora bounced up and down on the spot in anticipation, "I suppose that the time has come to see what your mother has been keeping until the darkest days…"
Tremoring slightly, Flora gingerly opened the box and groped around the inside until a smooth soft surface met her palm. She pulled it out hesitantly, finding a small piece of paper that had been lying at the bottom of the container for many years. The paper had started to fade with age and the corners had become quite brittle also. The girl gasped as she shakily unfolded the paper, eyes tracing every line of words on the paper. After a few seconds she frowned a little and placed a hand to her chin.
"What is it, dear?" Layton asked her.
"This isn't my mother's handwriting; it's too large. I think…that this is my father's!" she exclaimed in shock, "Why is his writing in Mother's grave?"
"I really don't know, Flora. What does it say?" Layton prompted as the others crowded around him to hear what she had to say.
Clearing her throat and biting her lip to stop it shaking from fear or excitement, she held the page to her face and began to read.
"'Times are at their darkest, so now my little flower,
You must finally learn of our family's strange and unique power,
Passed on through blood, the Reinholds possess,
Powers to be used in the time of distress,
When attracting fruits of power come together as one,
The Dark times in St Mystere shall forever be gone,
When an apple dark is held in hand,
All evil shall perish across the land…' "
Flora blinked a little after reading the letter, not quite knowing what to comprehend. Luke appeared as equally confused as Flora; he looked at the professor in the hopes for some explanation.
"W…what does it mean, Professor?" he asked in a confused manner, "Do you think it's referring to the Sorceress of Darkness?"
"I honestly don't know, my boy," he replied quietly, shaking his head, "I believe that it could be referring to the sorceress…but by the way Augustus was talking…it sounded as if you possess some type of unique power that has been passed on through the Reinhold bloodline…but as for the second part, I have absolutely no clue as to what it means…"
Flora shook her head, feeling more confused than ever.
"P…power?" she stammered, tracing the outline of her birthmark, "Is that…why my birthmark is suddenly glowing? A power through the Reinhold bloodline…I don't know of any powers that my father possessed and…why was I never told about this?!"
Layton frowned, touching her shoulder tentatively.
"Maybe it was for your own good…or they just didn't want you to know…," he suggested, trailing off as a loud slam issued behind them.
The professor spun around as Luke followed suit, training their eyes on the old and tired face of Bruno. Luke's eyebrows furrowed but the professor placed a hand in front of him, quickly scanning the area for any sign of Flora. Emmy didn't respond in the slightest, still leaning against a confused and desperate Brenda, Clark at her side.
"Flora?" he called quietly, just catching the pale fabric of her dress as she flew across the floor towards the man she now considered as the 'traitor'.
He pulled his hat over his face, swallowing as Bruno's eyes widened and a smile spread on his lips.
"Ah! Professor Layton! Flora! Please forgive me! I didn't know you were coming!" he babbled, "How can be of assis—"
The man was cut off in mid sentence as his eyes flitted to the ancient box held in the teenager's hands and the furious expression on Flora's face. The welcoming smile was instantly erased as his mouth fell open and he quickly tried to focus on anything other than Flora's accusing glare. She coughed and placed her hands on her hips, ignoring her adopted father's pleas to be reasonable. Jacob squealed and placed his hands over his ears, humming loudly.
"F…F…Flora?" Bruno faltered, still keeping his eyes off of her face, "What's…what's wrong? Did you *gulp* find Lady Violet's grave—"
"Yes I did, Bruno," she interrupted coldly, "and I saw everything…even the box containing my father's secret message that you tried to hide from me when you went down into her grave and took it!"
The man's skin became transparent as he began shaking from head to foot.
"W…w…w…w…what on…e…e…e…earth are you t…t…talking about?" he spluttered, tugging at his beard.
"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about!" she shouted, shooting her finger in his direction like the professor did when pointing to the culprit, "So I demand an explanation to everything!"
"W…w…w…what? I don't k…k…know anything about this! What has the sorceress p…p…put into your…m…mind—"
"Oh, she hasn't put anything into my mind!" she snapped angrily, "By 'what things' then…hmm…how about…how about my family's unique power and oh what else…hmm…how about the elder sibling that no one even considered telling me about!"
The man turned to stone in front of her, becoming rigid and unmoving. He even appeared to have ceased breathing.
"H…h…h…how do you know…a…a…about—"
"The shrine in my mother's grave! One side dedicated to her love for me, the other showing her devotion to the sister whom I never knew I had. There was a huge statue and candles and flowers decorating that area-they were impossible not to miss!" Flora answered as she clenched her fists, "Little Seryna Violet Reinhold…why didn't anyone tell me anything?! Where is she now?! What happened to her?! You were on the family portraits, you knew her and I have the right to demand an explanation from you!"
The professor quickly stepped to her side, trying to console his daughter.
"Flora, please…," he said sternly to her before he focused on Bruno, "However, the child is right; tell us everything you know, please."
Bruno swallowed, fidgeting constantly as he closed his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.
"You…you're right. You do deserve an explanation," he started, staring at the wall behind the group to avoid eye contact, "but it isn't as…simple as you'd imagine…I don't…I don't even know where to start…"
Flora folded her arms as Luke frowned at little at the man's vacant glare.
"How about stating the obvious: Do I really have a sister and where is she now?"
The man shook his head hesitantly.
"You…you are correct about the first part. A few years before you were born, Lady Violet conceived a child with Baron Augustus Reinhold. It was a premature birth…and we expected the baby not to live through the night. To our greatest surprise and pleasure she made it…but she was always a weak child who struggled greatly to survive in her early years. Violet worried about her greatly…but the little dear never moaned at all. Seryna rarely complained or wanted anything apart from love and attention. Your parents would treat her as if she were gold; they'd play with her everyday…give her anything she desired... If you had been born at the same time, no one could mistake the fact that you were related…"
Flora listened intently, images of the smiling happy child playing with her parents and her friend in their manor garden. So it was true…
"So…what happened to her?" she pressed, now craving information far more than oxygen, "Where is she now?"
Bruno kept his gaze averted the whole time, his voice becoming quieter with every syllable he spoke.
"Understandably…due to her early birth…she caught an incurable disease when she was just a year old," he explained sadly, "The doctor gave her a few years to live…but that was all…your parents were determined to make every day that she had left a happy one…so your father asked me to make Matthew, a robot to serve on your sister so that she didn't need to get up as much. Even though she was ill the poor child never let it stop her having fun; she'd run about in the gardens until she lost her breath…oh the times your parents had with her…"
"Did she die?" the girl asked suddenly, a tear forming in her eye.
"We believe so…allow me to explain. What you read about a unique power being passed through the Reinhold family bloodline…well…to put it simpler…Augustus had Reinhold blood…so he possessed this…unique power. Your mother, being from a different family, did not possess such powers…"
"What were these powers?" Layton asked curiously as Luke eyed the man suspiciously.
"He…he had the extraordinary power of…bringing happiness into the world around him…and…of…seeing into the future…"
The girl's mouth dropped open as the tower's inhabitants gasped loudly.
"But…surely…surely not! How was it possible?!" Clark exclaimed as Brenda looked up with a mildly disbelieving expression on her face.
"I…I don't know myself, good sir," he replied quickly, "but this power…was very strange. I know that he inherited it from your grandmother…but I don't know any further back than that. Anyway…Seryna showed no signs of any powers…but, like you, she spread happiness wherever she went. Your parents often referred to her as their 'little apple' because of how sweet she was and how her rosy cheeks resembled freshly picked apples. However, Seryna seemed fascinated in the world of mythical creatures and beings; your father would spend a fortune on a books filled with fairy tales galore for her to read all day long. She wouldn't do much other than that and playing in the garden during the day…but strangely enough, she inexplicably started suffering from nightmares—"
"What type of nightmares?"
"Horrible nightmares," the man replied bitterly with a shudder, "All I know is that she'd describe the leering faces of these monstrous incomprehensible creatures gathered around her bedside and watch helplessly as they tortured their victims with a variety of diabolical spells and blades forged by the most pernicious blood-thirsty sorcerers that anyone could imagine. That was…the general description of it…but of course the process of having these…these…despicable images implanted into her dreams was a more terrifying affair for the poor child. I remember waking to her bone-chilling screams almost every night and running in to assure her that she was safe and no one would ever lay a finger on her…"
"It…must have been awful for her...," Brenda said sympathetically with a doleful sigh.
"Oh yes, ma'am, it certainly was. After that, Violet would put her to bed every night and sing lullabies to her to ease her pain and fear. Songs that took her to paradises beyond her wildest dreams—"
"Do you mean 'Serenity'?!" Flora gasped with the realisation, "Mother used to sing that song to me too…before I went to bed…I remember the first five verses word perfect and I've never forgotten it…but…she'd always get tearful on the last few verses and have to leave my room…do you know why?"
Bruno screwed his face up; it was clear that this was the most excruciating memory.
"It…it was…a day before her fourth birthday," he stammered, his head bowed with tears rolling down his cheeks and soaking his beard, "Augustus and Violet had…gone into town to get something for her. I also assisted them…leaving Seryna with Matthew. W…w…whilst we were out, Augustus…he…he had some sort of vision in the village…and told us that we had to get back to the manor immediately. We didn't question him, we just ran w…with him…b…b…but when we arrived back at the m…m…m…manor…she…she…she—"
"Yes?" the professor prompted gently, already guessing the answer.
"Seryna…was nowhere to be f…f…found…," Bruno finished in an unnatural tone as he buried his face in his hands.
A tear rolled down Flora's face also as she peered at the man's crumpled face, now feeling sorry for him.
"She…she just vanished? It…it doesn't sound like she'd run away or…anything…"
"No. We searched everywhere. Your mother asked your father what he had seen in his v…vision…and he…he answered…that he'd seen…a dark figure draped in darkness snatch her from her room…whilst the manor went up in flames…and that's exactly what happened…but we rebuilt the manor…and Matthew couldn't remember any details about the event…your parents were distraught; they'd lost their child to the hands of a dark being…and it was unlikely that they would ever see her again. Violet went into mourning; she was rarely seen outside of her room for at least a year…but you changed that, Flora dear. When you were born, you restored your mother to life again; she was almost her normal self. However…she still had the memory of her previous daughter fresh in her mind…and the last thing that your parents wanted was to lose you as well. They moved elsewhere in St Mystere where the dark creature couldn't find you…and they never let you out of their sight for more than one second. By the time you were a few years old, it was clear that you possessed the power passed down through your family's blood line; you brought happiness and goodness to everything around you, but your true power inexplicably showed itself when you were very young. A little bird fell out of its tree and scratched its wing. You were deeply upset and wanted to help it…that was when something glowed on your shoulder. Your father was astounded; when the glow cleared, the bird was completely cured and there was a strange mark on your shoulder. It was in the shape of an apple-and it was your mark of power…"
"Wha-?! B…b…but my birthmark was glowing!"
"Yes, it is true. However, by what your father told me, it isn't natural to know or acknowledge your powers until you become sixteen years of age-by that time, your powers will have developed and will have started to show themselves. Technically, you weren't supposed to realise that you possessed these powers until you were the age you are now…but from the moment he saw you with the bird, it was clear what your powers were: healing and bringing light to all things dark," he explained slowly, "That is why your mark of power has started glowing; you are of age now and so your powers are finally showing themselves. That is why your birthmark appeared, but never glowed or showed any strange signs, whenever you were happy-and how Professor Layton became your guardian in the first place. As for those visions you had a few days ago about St Mystere burning in flames…I believe that you may have also possessed your father's power, except you are seeing things as they happen at present…or have happened."
"B…Bruno?" Flora asked quietly, "What happened to my sister's friend, Connie? How did they get on?"
Bruno scratched his head.
"Oh, the little lass who spent almost every day with Seryna!" he exclaimed, "Yes, they were inseparable. Miss Smith loved Seryna deeply and they spent long hours playing with each other, even when Seryna was ill. She claimed that it was Miss Smith and the kindness of her family that were keeping her alive. When…Seryna was taken…the news was…hard to break to Miss Smith; she took it dreadfully, locked herself away in her room and never left the house. Her mother even claimed that she'd become mad. She left the village a few years later after some...tragedy...and was never seen again-and before you ask me, I don't know where she lives now. Maybe your father has her address in his old diaries…Shortly after you left St Mystere we had them moved to the Town Hall and kept them in dated boxes labelled as your father's files. I'm sure one of the servants may be able to help since I have no idea of their exact whereabouts. It's worth a look if you ask me…"
Flora nodded as the professor raised his hand.
"So if we heard correctly earlier then Flora is now 'of age' and her 'powers' are finally starting to show themselves? Anyway, why did you never tell her about Seryna?"
Bruno swallowed.
"Violet was…terrified that the dark creature would come looking for you as well. Your mother didn't want you taken from her as well, so you were never told the truth about your powers or your sister in order to protect you. Augustus knew you'd ask questions about Seryna at least…and it would just make you terrified...so they said nothing. Your father regretted it deeply; he thought you had the right to know, but he didn't wish to expose you to danger. When your mother was ill…he had this vision…about St Mystere's final moments…how it would end…how it could be saved. He also saw that someone would be there to try to stop the events…and that someone would solve the mystery of Seryna. That was when your father wrote that piece of paper…and gave it to your mother. She kept it until she died, requesting to be buried with it so that it wouldn't be unearthed by prying creatures. Only a true friend of the Reinholds would know how to unlock the secret of her grave at the right time-and that person…was me."
He paused for a moment as he looked at the inconsistent emotions crossing Flora's face.
"I was…given instructions before your father died. He knew what would happen, so he built other elements to St Mystere and helped me to construct the robot citizens in the few years he had left in order to keep you safe. Then, when the right person came for you, you would be safe and away from the creatures that took your sister away. However, I swore on an oath that if I had to tell you the truth then I would never tell you the truth…until you were sixteen. By then you would've been of age and you would understand it easier. So…I went down into your mother's grave…and took the box with the prophecy inside. I intended to give it to you when I next saw you…and tell you the truth about your sister, Seryna Reinhold…but you beat me to it."
Flora's eyes narrowed as she shot him a suspicious glare.
"You're lying!" she declared, "You had the box carefully hidden underneath all of these papers-as if you didn't want us to find it! Why is that, may I ask?!"
The man gasped, quickly shaking his head as he looked pleadingly at the professor.
"I swear on the life of every citizen in this village that I was not hiding it! I just…didn't know when it would be best to give it to you…with Lady Dahlia's abduction and everything that—"
"You do know about her abduction then!" the girl accused furiously, "For some reason I don't believe anything that you're saying! When should I—"
"That's enough, Flora," the professor interrupted sternly as he turned back to the trembling pensioner, "About this 'prophecy'…what did he mean by 'an apple dark'?"
"How do you expect me to know?! I was just a friend of the baron! Did you think that I had managed to miraculously leap into his mind to see what he was dreaming about—"
"Of…of course not...," Layton answered, thoughts clouding his mind as a light scraping sound filled his ears.
The professor turned towards the sound, his eyes widening in confusion as he watched his apprentice finger the bricks in the wall, scratching his nails along the adamantine surface of each one. Clark turned to his son, intrigue written on his face.
"What are you doing, Luke?" he asked curiously, "Why are you scratching the bricks? It's just a normal wall."
Bruno's pupils seemed to dilute in horror before his face flushed an angry crimson shade.
"What do you think you're doing, boy?!" he demanded as the hairs on his beard bristled, "Get away from there this instant!"
Luke glared at the man as he began knocking each of the coloured bricks, in no way intending to retreat from the wall. Layton looked at him seriously.
"Luke, a gentleman always follows the request of another," he reminded him, "Please step away from that wall now."
"No, Professor," he replied firmly as he turned to Bruno, "What is there behind that wall that is so important to you, eh?"
"What?! Are you expecting to find something to prove me guilty of a supposed crime?!" he shouted loudly, "I have nothing to hide!"
The boy shook his head as Clark shot Bruno an angry look.
"Then why do you keep staring at the wall and why did you suddenly change your attitude when I started pressing the bricks?" he demanded as he gestured to them, "Look at the bricks; they are of different colours and have different features to them!"
He thrust his finger at a sheet of paper nailed to one of the bricks as he grinned triumphantly.
"Look! This piece of paper gives you clues as to which brick you have to press!" the teenager yelled as the professor immediately peered at the paper, "There is something behind there-I'm sure there is!"
Jacob squeaked and looked at Bruno.
"You'll find nothing…b…b…behind there," he stammered, "Bruno would…n…never hide anything from anyone!"
Flora walked over to Luke as the professor gasped.
"You are…correct, my boy!" he respired, "I'm…astounded. If there really isn't something behind that wall then I'm sure Bruno won't mind if you solve that little puzzle…will he?"
The man inhaled sharply but gave a reluctant nod. Emmy raised her head slightly to see what they had found as Brenda smiled proudly at her son.
"N…No…but you're wasting your time! You'll find nothing!"
"Oh, we'll see about that!" Luke declared as he stroked the corner of each brick, "No puzzle or brick wall can stop Layton's apprentice!"
Puzzle 14-Behind the wall (50 picarats)
This note has been found in the centre of a 3 by 3 square. Each of the bricks are coloured differently and are labelled with a number. The first brick is yellow and has a crack in it. The second brick is red and has no crack. The third is yellow and has a scratch running down the brick. The fourth is purple and has neither crack nor scratch. The sixth is blue and has a scratch, but no crack. The seventh is orange and has a crack, but no scratch. The eight is red and has both a crack and a scratch. The ninth and final brick is also orange and has a scratch and no crack.
The paper tells you that by pressing on the correct brick, the secret passage shall be opened. To find it, you are given some clues:
1) It's a secondary shade
2) Made with blood and sun
3) Is in perfect condition
Knowing this, which brick must you press?
(This one is quite hard. Think clearly and you will find the answer. Get this right and you can say hello to a total of 550 picarats!)
Luke surveyed each of the bricks thoroughly, lightly tapping each one with his finger but to no avail. Jacob sighed as Bruno let out a harsh laugh.
"See! I told you so! Nothing there to find! How do you feel now, boy?!"
Luke opened his mouth slowly in shock as Flora placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.
"Luke, I think it would be best to leave it for now," Layton said quietly as Brenda quickly placed her arm around Clark in case he lashed out at Bruno, "None of the bricks fit the description. Come on."
"B…b…but…I don't understand…," he protested, "All of the bricks we can see aren't the same as what is being described so—"
The boy froze in his tracks; that was exactly what the puzzle intended for him to fall for. He grinned a little and reached a little higher so that he could reach the paper. The professor had already turned away and was currently trying to keep Flora calm as she glared at Bruno.
"I would really appreciate it if you didn't speak in that tone to my friend!" she told him angrily as the professor stepped forwards.
"We're…very sorry for the inconvenience caused, Bruno," he apologised, "We shall continue with our search else—"
A loud grinding sound accompanied by a loud crash immediately cut off the professor as Emmy flinched uncomfortably. Layton and Flora spun around, being greeted by the sight of a dark gaping hole just a few inches away from the wall. The professor gasped in shock as Bruno inhaled sharply and began sweating slightly. The piece of paper barely clinging to the wall fluttered down to greet them, exposing the bright orange brick labelled with the number five, showing no visible scratches or cracks on its surface. Flora clapped her hands together.
"That's why none of the bricks fit the description!" she gasped as she took a tentative step to the edge of the hole, "The true answer was being covered by the paper all along! That explained why there wasn't a fifth brick!"
Clark sent a stony glare at the old man.
"I thought that you said that you had nothing to hide!" he said coldly, clenching his fists.
Layton nodded in response to his friend's comment as Brenda quickly began swivelling her head around, worry written on her face. The professor took one look at Brenda and instantly put two and two together. As the low muffled moan met his ear drums, he rushed to the edge of the passage and cupped his hands over his mouth.
"Luke! Are you okay?" he called into the dark abyss below.
The teenager took a while to respond, trying to recover his breath as he squinted at the professor.
"Nnggh…I'm…okay, Professor," he responded hoarsely, "I think…I think that we've found the secret passage…"
Clark and Brenda breathed a sigh of relief as Flora leapt to the professor's side.
"What's down there? Can you see anything?" she asked hopefully.
Another loud crash accompanied by the boy's all-too-familiar scream echoed back to the world above. Jacob squealed and forced himself against the wall as Bruno's eyes widened with surprise, rather than horror. Clark and Brenda were by the edge of the hole in less than a second as Emmy began shaking vigorously. Layton pushed his daughter behind him and clenched his fists.
"What's down there?!" he yelled, fear creeping into his tone, "What is it?!"
Layton got his reply almost instantly.
"D…D…D…D…DEATH DOGS!"
Hello friends! Thank you to everyone who has read or reviewed this so far! I really appreciate your support and feedback! 47 reviews already?! Thanks so much! I know my chapters are long but thank you so much for taking the time to read them! Like I said, the main story is now beginning. If you have any thoughts or feedback for how I can improve please don't hesitate to let me know! Does anyone notice how it's always Luke who falls down the trap door and hurts himself? Lol! The next chapter may not be up for a little while because I have a lot on this month. I'll try my best though! Plant peace for the planet, see you all around soon and keep well and happy!
Abbie XD XD XD XD XD
