I hesitated at the entrance of the pitch-black room, but took a deep breath before stepping inside.
After a few steps into the pitch black room multiple candles suddenly lit.
In the middle of the room was a girl with long hair that covered her face. She spoke in a hoarse, creepy voice, exclaiming, "Who dares enter my home?!"
There was a sudden gust of wind which made me tremble, this was exactly how people got cursed in horror movies!
Before I could drag Eugene out of there, he spoke up. "Alice, please you're scaring her."
She pushed her hair away from her face as she said. "It's been six cups of tea, four upside-down dreams, and a biscuit since I last saw you Eugy! Or was it two biscuits?" with a smile on her face.
I stared at 'Alice', completely confused before turning to Eugene, whispering, "Do you seriously know this girl? Please don't tell me she's the astrologer."
"Forgive me, Lady Selene… but she is," Eugene replied, dropping Phoebe somewhere comfortable.
I stared at Alice, hoping this wouldn't take long because she honestly gave me the creeps.
He said her name was Alice… which didn't sound like most of the names in this kingdom.
"She's not from here, is she…" I unconsciously mumbled.
I suddenly moved to the side, barely dodging a knife, as Alice's whole aura had changed. It was like she wanted to kill me.
Before she could lunge at me once more, Eugene stepped in between us as he said, "Alice, calm down, she's my friend. I give you my word, she means no harm."
Alice hesitated still holding the knife as she said, "A cup of team may look warm but it could be scorching hot."
"Then trust me."
She turned around sitting down as she said, "Fine, but she'll be gone slower than a tortoise on a fiery day if she tells anyone. And I never go forward on my word. Or was it left?"
Eugene nodded before turning towards me, he was staring at me but before I could ask why his face was inches from mine as he gently touched my cheek.
I turned bright red, my heart was pounding, he had the face of an angel! I almost fainted.
He took a step back, his face turning red as he said, "Forgive me, Lady Selene, I acted without thinking. That was terribly forward of me."
"I-it's fine." I replied, trying to get my heart beat to return to normal.
He grabbed a small bottle from his pocket. It had a light green liquid that seemed to sparkle just like the ones the banana guy used. He handed it to me saying, "Please, take a sip. It should help heal your wound."
I hesitated before collecting it, I removed the lid before taking a sip and before I knew it the cut disappeared.
Alice stared at Eugene in amazement as she said, "You've went down the rabbit hole and came back better, Eugy. Your potions are of better quality than the cricket crack potions you made before."
"Wait, I thought people don't have magic here." I replied.
Alice grinned before saying, "Well not all the leopards have grass, only a few, maybe only 10 in the whole world do."
What? Does she mean humans don't all have magic? Her name reminds me of something…
"Astrologers like you?" I asked.
"Nope, rather us star readers are connected to the spirits of elements from the moment we pop from the rabbit hole."
She tilted her head to the side, as a gust of wind blew through the room, "Like a clock going backwards they obey us."
I looked at her surprised, she was so cool! Other than the fact she tried to kill me and half of the things she said didn't make sense.
"Wait, so how can Eugene make potions? Or is magic not needed?"
"Oh it definitely is, he needs it as much as a chicken needs rocks. without it he wouldn't be able to tell which plants tik and which are tok, what to put inside the potion. Eugene has magic, he's a potion maker."
"Which has magic and which doesn't," Eugene replied
I turned to Eugene asking, "So how did you get magic? Were you born with it?"
"No, I gave it to him." she replied with a smile on her face.
"Huh?"
"That's enough for today, the longer you stay here the higher the chance Alice gets pulled back into hell. I'm guessing you want to know what enchantment you have?"
I nodded as she stood up walking towards me, she lightly touched me on the head. Taking a step back a mark in the shape of a star that I hadn't noticed on her hand started glowing.
It was like she was in a trance. She stared at the ceiling as she extended her hand towards it.
The candles flickered and there was a light gust of wind. By the time it stopped Alice pointed at me and the mark on her hand stopped glowing.
"Eugene, where in the rabbit hole did you find her?" she asked.
Eugene took a step towards her as he asked, "Alice, what's wrong?"
"...She has two enhancements and the potential to be like me, once who reads the holes in the star, she's a shell without a cat. Like she was meant to be born with a connection to the spirits but for her tail was cut."
Dang I got that main character potential!
"Wait, what are the two enhancements?" I asked, remembering why I was here.
"Reflex and hearing enhancement."
She smiled saying, "time to go, the tick says tock. The stars are spinning and the hands unlock."
Before I could ask what she ment Alice suddenly made me pick up Phoebe before shoving us out the door.
No goodbye, no nothing.
Eugene sighed saying, "Sorry she does that sometimes, but did you find out everything you wanted to know?"
I smiled nodding, "Yeah I did thanks."
"Oh let me carry Phoebe."
"Nah it's fine, I'm surprised she was able to sleep through all that."
"Yeah… she's a deep sleeper." Eugene mumbled with a bittersweet smile.
Before we knew it we arrived back at the center of the capital, at the fountain. Trixie approached me saying, "Your late Lady Selene, I feared you had gotten kidnapped."
"Yeah you have a calm way of showing your concern." I replied.
Just then a man in his twenties stepped definitely older than me and Eugene stepped out of a fancy carriage and approached us.
He was dressed like a knight as he slightly bowed saying, "Lord Eugene, we must return or the other servants will start worrying."
"Understood Alexandros, thank you for covering for us, it must not have been convenient."
"I was only doing what my master asked of me." he replied with a cold blank expression.
I gently dropped Phoebe in the carriage as Eugene turned towards saying, "Lady Selene though I wish I could make sure you return safely I must return to finish my work."
"You snuck out?" I asked genuinely surprised.
"Yes, I wanted Phoebe to have a good time. Even if it was just for a few hours."
"God, you're good looking and such a good brother!" I mistakenly said out loud.
He looked at me, taken aback, his face lightly turning red, before taking my hand and kissing it.
He looked up at me smiling like an angel as he said, "Thank you, lady Selene, until we meet again."
As soon as they had gone I started falling backwards, my whole face red as a tomato. Just when I thought he couldn't get any more adorably handsome, he got more adorably handsome!
Trixie caught me as she asked, "Can we head back now?"