-Chapter 33-

~Arabella~

"Are you coming with me and Joy?" I ask Mia, look at the clock, 9 am, she'd be here in half-an-hour

"It's Joy and I." Mia corrects me

"Okay grammar police... But are you?" I question again

"I have to, you know..." She trails off

"What?" I say "Tutor Zander? It can't really be that bad. Your smart, Mia, that isn't something to be ashamed of."

"Just don't say anything, please?" Mia asks

I nod and she leaves the room to go see Poppy. I adjust my headband and bow in my straight hair and smooth my skirt.

Joy picks me up in her car at 9:30 am

"Hey." She says hugging me

"Hi, Joy." I say "How are Jerome and Jessamine?"

"Their doing good. How are you?" She asks

"Pretty Good." I nod

"Your dad told me to ask. But I wanted to know to, of course." Joy tells me "c'mon." She ushers me into the car

She pulls out of the drive-way and through the school grounds like an expert. She drives down the road and into Liverpool. She stops at a cafe.

"Was the house weird when you were at Anubis?" I ask, once we were at a corner booth at a nice cafe, sipping my coffee

"What kind of weird?" Joy asks

"Like, I don't know. Strange dreams, dollhouses, the Chosen One, woman names Sarah?" I question

"Don't dabble in that. Forget all of that." Joy puts her hand on mine

"Why? Please." I pled "what if I can't forget?"

"Your parents are going to fucking kill me." Joy sighs

"Your going to tell me?" I asks

"Not here. But, yes. Finish your muffin then c'mon." Joy says and I quickly finish my last few bites

When we're in the car, I could tell she's anxious

"How much do you know?" Joy asks quietly

"Why?" I reply

"Because." She snaps, then shakes her head "I am sorry, it just brings back a lot of memories. Just give me the basics. I don't want to tell you more than you know and make you confused. I will give you the answers you want and that's all you need."

"Why?" I ask again

"It is a very complicated thing. Once you get questions, I will give you answers. If I give you them all now... It won't be good." Joy says

"Who's the Chosen One? What is the Chosen One?" I question

"The Chosen One has powers. They communicate with people the house has strong connections to. They can control the house and a special locket in ways no one else can. They can complete certain things no one else can. They have to be born on a special date. 7/7 at 7 am." She looks down, she knows that's when I was born

"Who are they?" I ask again

"The original was Sarah Frobisher Smythe." She starts to tap her thumb on the wheel "then they thought it was me. They took me away my second year. Told me I had to put together the Cup of Ankh, so that Victor, my Father and other teachers could have immortal life. Turns out the Chosen One wasn't me, it was Nina. I was born at 7 pm, were as Nina was born in the morning."

"Like me." I connect the dots

"I'm afraid your right." Joy sighs

"What about the doll house?" I ask "The Anubis one."

"It was how Sarah communicated with us, after she died." Joy explains

"Does Sarah happen to be an old lady, with like short white hair? Or a little girl with braids? Or both?" I interrogate

"Yes." Joy says "you are the Chosen One." She stops the car "there's a compartment. In the dash, open it, you'll find a box."

I find a compartment, just where she said, "I didn't know this was common thing that the car dealers will put in."

"It isn't. Jerome knows someone. I put in this car just for that box." Joy tells me

I look inside the small compartment, perfectly fitting, is a small, wooden box. I take it out and open it. Inside I see a locket, shaped like an Egyptian eye. "it's beautiful."

"It's also deadly. It has powers. It can do certain things in that house." Joy explains "look, I have had Trudy keep some files. When you get back, tell Trudy that I told you to get them from her. I will also call her. Right now, though, get out of the car. I want to show you something here."

I do as Joy says, and get out of the car. We're at a cemetery.

"Final resting place of Victor Rodenmaar. He is the reason your parents, I, everyone went through what they did. He passed away when you were 5. Almost 100-something-or-another." She tells me as we head up hill, then stops "there he his. His grave."

She goes to a wild batch of flowers and picks them "There he goes."

We stand in silence for a moment then we hear a voice

"Quiet a beautiful grave, don't I have?" I turn around, there he is, a man, but he doesn't seem quite there, as if he's... Transparent

"Victor." Joy nods

"Joy Mercer." Victor nods

"Uh, no offence, but your dead." I tell Victor

"Yes, I am. But I sensed you needed help." Victor look at me

"Why are you talking to a dead person?" I ask Joy, "Why am I?"

"You live in Anubis. Expect much more in your days there." Victor tells me

"Why me? Why must I be the Chosen One?" I question

"I cannot tell you, child. You must ask Sarah, she's knows why." He bows his head "but, I can tell you, your journey is not over. Sarah has given you a doll, yes?"

"Yes." I reply

"You must find the others. I cannot tell you where or how. But I can tell you there's six. Six more you must find." Victor tells me then starts to disappear

I hear a voice, as Victor leaves, a whispering, something, then I catch it 'Sibuna.'

"Sibuna!" I say "I must find Sibunas dolls! Wait, what's Sibuna?"

"I feel like Amber should be the one answering that." Joy puts her hand in the pockets of her jacket, then slowly pulls it out "I think Victor has left you your first clue."

A/N sorry this is soo late, but it's long! What do you think about Ara being the Chosen One? Do you think Joy was in the right place telling her? What do you think about Victors appearance, do you think we will see him again? What do you think the clue is? Tell me✌️.