The Travelers

Royal Secret

She looks at her reflection in the big vanity mirror that her mother hates. "Is there a hidden keyhole in here?" she wondered.

But no matter how she looks she sees nothing special about the mirror except that it's plastered on the wall and can't be moved.

That's when she saw the reflection of her grandpa's clock. It's different from all the clocks in the palace because it's the only digital clock from his grandpa's collection. Her grandpa loves to collect clocks. And the digital clock is a gift from his best friend.

Just the other day she met his best friend. He wasn't able to attend her sister's funeral that's why he visited the palace thinking her grandpa still lives here.

What's odd is she thought before that his best friend's name is Ruperta and is a woman cause it's what's printed on the stand of the clock. But his name is actually Ignacio.

She again looked at the name's reflection in the mirror and that's when she smiled. Why didn't she realize it earlier? It's an anagram. If you rearrange the letters a new word will be formed. Puerta, which means entrance is the hidden word.

It could be that the door opens at exactly 5 pm. That's why the maid always enters the room at that exact time.

The clock is inside a glass box. She no longer have enough time to find out how to open the box. Her nanny will come back soon from her lunch break and will look for her. She needs to be back in her room soon.

She looked around and then she saw her grandpa's cane. She took it and with little hesitation she used it to break the glass.

"Sorry grandpa for breaking your thing." She apologized to his large picture in the room.

She carefully took the clock and adjusted the time to four fifty nine pm. And then return it to its original place. When the time exactly hit 5 pm, the middle of the clock opened up. But to her confusion and dismay instead of a keyhole she saw a finger scanner.

The key she found at the maids quarter is useless. So where exactly will she be using the key she now has?

But she can't quit now. She thought of scanning her own finger to see if it works. But she's afraid it will trigger some security features that could alert her parents. But nothing positive will happen if she doesn't try it. Might as well risk it.

She put her index finger on the scanner and to her surprise it worked. The huge mirror moves to the right side and behind it is an entrance to what seems like a tunnel.

And just like what she reads in some mystery and sci-fi books there's another passage going to another door. It again needs a fingerprint scan to open it. The door behind her closed automatically.

"I hope this is the last," she said to herself. She'll be trapped if she fails to open the next door.

She has no idea what she's looking for. She put her index finger on the scanner and the door opened automatically.

It revealed a very beautiful and spacious room. And inside the room was a man. His back is facing her but she would recognize the man anywhere.

"Father," that's all she could say. He turned around and looked at her. He wasn't even surprised to see her. He's obviously waiting for her.

"It took you too long to find this room." He commented.

"Father, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to visit your sister."

She looked at the huge bed and her eyes widened in shock when she saw her sister lying there, in deep sleep.

She hurriedly ran to her side. Ara looks very pale and sick. Her once red hair is now all white.

"What did you do to my sister? Why did you not bring her to the hospital? How will she recover if you don't give her medicine? Are you just letting her die?" She's crying while asking those questions. She is sad about her sister's situation.

"She doesn't need a doctor because she is not sick. You're still too young to understand everything." he said

"I may be young but I know what you did. You sold her. You used her. You used her as a sacrifice to pay your debt."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know what I am talking about because I saw that man. He said that you have a debt to pay. I don't know what you owe him but Ara doesn't deserve this."

"Our family and your sister have a responsibility we need to fulfill, Akana. This is what we have to do in order to survive. You're a smart girl, where do you think our money and power came from? You think this is just simple luck and diligence? "

"You have a choice."

"No, we never had a choice. Our ancestors already made that choice for us. You think you'reaa the first one who tried to escape this cursed destiny. You think we didnt try to find a way to wake your sister up. You think this is all about the money? I'll burn the money in the world just to bring her back. To wake her up."

"Then why didn't you?" she asked.

"I already lost a daughter I dont want to lose you too."