The Hidden Crown

Ch16

The streets of Paris hummed with life as Aurora, Rowan, Emma, and Lucian made their way through winding alleys and bustling squares, the evening sun casting long shadows over the city. The smell of fresh bread, roasted coffee, and blooming flowers mingled with the faint scent of the Seine, and the cobblestones beneath their feet echoed with the rhythm of hurried pedestrians and distant street performers.

“This city feels… alive,” Aurora murmured, glancing around. “It’s so different from anywhere we’ve been before.”

Rowan adjusted the strap of his bag, frowning slightly. “Different doesn’t always mean safe. Keep your senses open.”

Emma, walking beside Aurora, gave a small smile. “I like it. Feels… magical, doesn’t it?”

Lucian’s dark eyes scanned the streets, noting every alleyway and possible threat. “It is magical,” he said quietly, his voice calm but sharp. “But not in a harmless way. We need to stay focused.”

The four moved together, ducking past café tables and street vendors as they approached the library Chloe had recommended. From the outside, it was unassuming: a tall stone building with heavy oak doors, ivy creeping along its façade, and a small brass plaque engraved with “Bibliothèque Ancienne.” Yet Aurora could feel the subtle pulse of power emanating from within.

“This place looks ancient enough,” Rowan muttered, pushing open the heavy doors.

Aurora took a deep breath as the scent of old paper and candle wax enveloped them. Sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows, splashing colorful patterns across the worn stone floor. Towering bookshelves stretched toward the vaulted ceiling, ladders resting against them. The library seemed almost alive, its silence pressing on them, whispering secrets of centuries past.

“Alright,” Aurora said, exhaling slowly. “We need to focus. There has to be something here about the mentors.”

The four split into natural pairs: Aurora and Emma gravitated toward a section filled with ancient witchcraft texts, prophecies, and spell books, while Rowan and Lucian drifted toward rows of mystical bestiaries, magical creatures, and records of supernatural phenomena.

Hours passed as they sifted through dusty tomes, some with pages yellowed and brittle, others still vibrant with intricate calligraphy. Their fingers traced the spines, their eyes scanning arcane symbols and illustrations. Aurora paused frequently, feeling subtle vibrations beneath her fingertips, a hum of energy that made the hairs on her arms stand on end.

“Wait,” she whispered, stopping abruptly. A small, leather-bound book called to her, warm and inviting. Its cover was faded, its surface worn from centuries of hands touching it. Aurora held it carefully. The moment her fingers brushed the cover, a gentle pulse of power rippled through her, a quiet hum that made her heart race.

“Emma… I think this one,” Aurora murmured, her eyes wide. The book seemed almost alive, as if acknowledging her presence.

Emma leaned closer, placing a hand over Aurora’s. “I feel it too. This is… incredible. Powerful magic. This has to be her—the witch Selena mentioned in the vision.”

Meanwhile, Rowan had stopped at another book, its surface etched with faint silver runes that shimmered under the sunlight. The moment he touched it, Fenrir stirred deep inside him, a low, rumbling pulse that made his senses sharpen. Lucian leaned closer, sensing the intense magical energy radiating from the pages, though he could not perceive the wolf itself.

“This has to be the other one,” Rowan murmured, a mixture of awe and determination in his voice. “The wolf mentor.”

Aurora’s heart raced as she realized the significance. “So… the books are telling us where to go?”

Emma nodded slowly, her brow furrowed. “Yes. But they’re separate. One for the witch, one for the wolf. We’ll have to split up to follow them.”

Rowan exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Then it’s decided. Aurora and Emma take the witch. Lucian and I take the wolf. We meet back after we’ve found them.”

Aurora hesitated, glancing between Rowan and Emma. “It feels strange… splitting up. But if these books are right, it’s the only way we’ll find them.”

Lucian’s dark eyes met hers, unwavering. “We’ll come back together. That’s a promise.”

Carefully packing the books, the four left the library, Paris now quiet beneath the fading twilight. The city looked ordinary, yet the subtle hum of magic beneath their feet reminded them that the path ahead was anything but normal.

⸻

By the time they reached their small hotel near the city center, the night had fallen, and the streets were aglow with lamps and the soft shimmer of distant neon. They secured two rooms, but instead of separating immediately, they all met in the boys’ room, spreading the books across the bed and ordering pizza to fuel their energy.

“This is where it starts,” Aurora said, pointing at the pages of the witch mentor’s book. “If we follow this, we’ll head toward the farmer’s lands. That’s where the clues say she’s hiding.”

Rowan leaned over, scanning the wolf mentor’s book. “According to this, we head toward the forest. Makes sense—my path will take about two days, yours a bit shorter.” He smiled faintly. “Timing will be tricky, but if we leave early enough, we can meet our mentors without being seen by anyone else.”

Emma traced her finger along the page. “So, we split tomorrow morning. Girls on the train, boys on the bus?”

Lucian nodded. “Exactly. We’ll reconvene at the safe meeting point once we have our mentors.”

For hours, they discussed strategy, tracing routes on maps, cross-referencing clues, and double-checking supplies. Pizza boxes were pushed aside, notes scribbled, and spells quietly murmured under Aurora’s breath as she tested her emerging intuition.

Aurora’s mind wandered briefly to the vision she had with Selena—the moon goddess—and the stirrings of Electra inside her. The magic pulsing from the book resonated with that vision, and she could feel her wolf yearning, restless but restrained. Rowan noticed her pause, reaching over to brush a strand of hair from her face.

“Everything alright?” he asked softly.

Aurora nodded. “Yes… just thinking about what’s coming.”

Rowan’s icy blue eyes softened. “We’ll handle it. Together, in spirit, even if we’re apart physically.”

Finally, after they felt confident in their plan, they allowed themselves to rest. Aurora laid back on the bed, the warmth of the blankets mingling with the lingering pulse of magic from the books. Rowan, Lucian, and Emma settled nearby, the quiet hum of the city outside fading into the night.

Tomorrow, their paths would diverge—Aurora and Emma toward the witch mentor, Rowan and Lucian toward the wolf—but tonight, they rested. The journey that would change their lives forever was about to begin.