Chapter 9 ~ House of Keys
"I know where the next clue is!" Fabian whispered when the seven Sibuna members were settled in the sitting room after the girls got back from dress shopping. "Where is it?" Amber asked. "I was thinking about what the clue said, "you have found an answer here once before," and it came to me to go through all the places we found things in last term. I found the god online that was often referred to as "the Bender." His name is Aker, and he was the guardian of the traveling sun. Remember the stained glass window in the attic?" Nina smiled. Then she frowned. "We don't have a key anymore. It's also Jade's bedroom." "It's my bedroom too, and I have a key. We just need to be really quiet." Patricia smirked. The group grinned. "Tonight, then." Alfie said. "Sibuna?" Nina raised a hand to her right eye. "Sibuna." Everyone repeated. "Don't you ever wonder what they're doing?" Mara asked, pointing to the group of students gathered around the coffee table. "I don't know." Mick said. "We might as well find out." Mara got up. "Where are you going?" Mick pouted. "To find out. If you won't, I will." He sighed and followed her. "What are you up to?" Mara demanded. "Huh?" Jerome scratched his head nervously. "Did you even hear what I just said?" "We weren't doing anything that concerns you." Jerome said, his voice shaking. "Yes you were, don't even try lying Clarke!" Mick put a protective arm around Mara, as if he were saying "Do anything to try and win her back, and I will make your life terrible." Jerome nodded, signaling that he understood. "Please Jerome?" Mara gave him the look that always worked. "Fine." Jerome sighed. "Jaffray, I can deny you nothing." He muttered. "It all started when Joy disappeared. She was supposedly the "Chosen One" for the Cup of Ankh." Mara gasped. "What does that mean?" Mick asked. Mara hushed him. "Then Nina came. The old lady she kept visiting gave her a locket and clues. She was Sarah Frobisher-Smythe. If you want Sarah's story, just look at the play we put on last term. Anyway, the locket opened secret passageways in the house. Basically, in the end, we found all of the pieces. On the Chosen Hour, we found out Joy wasn't the Chosen One, Nina was. Then we built the cup and hid it. Nina can explain what happened this term. Did you get everything?" Mara nodded. "No." Mick said. "I'll explain it to you." Mara said, pulling Mick up the staircase behind her. "What's new since you built the cup?" Mara asked Nina. Cori was in the shower. "Who told you about that?" Nina exclaimed. "Three guesses." Joy held up her hand. "Jerome, Jerome, and Jerome." Nina answered confidently. "Correct." Mara said. "Will you explain everything now?" "Hey guys!" Cori waltzed clumsily into the bedroom. Nina motioned that she would explain later, and Joy whispered into Mick's ear when the next meeting would be. They left. "What did you tell them!" Nina cried angrily, stomping into Jerome's room. "What did you tell them?" She asked again. "Mara tricked me!" Jerome defended himself. "Not here." He mouthed, gesturing to his oblivious roommates. "You have some explaining to do later." Nina said angrily. Jerome had never seen her this enraged before. In a way, it was almost funny. Almost. "Say one more word, to anyone, and I will make you regret it, do you understand me?" Nina growled. "Ooh, I'm SO scared. What did you plan to do, sic your boyfriend Rutter on me?" "Don't tempt me." Nina spat.
To Be Continued...