(Book 3) Hayden Mackay and The Shaatrumani Stone

14. When Lion turns Storyteller (Part1)

I was standing in the middle of the great hall, at the only dump-free area I could spot. Gold and pale sunlight now filled in the silent hall with a sensation of warmth. My mouth was slightly open and I was breathing heavily. I looked down at both of my hands. They were shivering profoundly. The thought of losing my friend was creeping me out. It wasn't my fault that he made himself disappear or may be he blindly followed the path that map had shown him and got himself stuck. Either way, I lost him and I had no idea when I was going to see him again.

Suddenly there was a shrill loud sound, a whistle.

I snapped out of my thoughts and turned my head towards the peculiar sound. It was coming from the direction of the passageway. My heart began to beat frantically. Hoping to find Pruthvi, that seemed the only possibility right now, I ran with all the pace I could pick up, keeping myself from slipping and tumbling over the debris.

I dashed inside the passageway looking everywhere for my friend. Then I was forced to stop when a womanly but child-like scream surfaced from the hall, tearing through me like a shards of glass. I tried to ignore it but my conscience didn't accept. I had to make a decision between the womanly scream that could be from troubled Nazira Khan and my friend who was somewhere within these passageways.

The scream came again, desperate and terrified of something...or someone. I pressed my eyes shut and made my mind up. Pruthvi was strong enough to keep himself safe. He might not be needing me but Nazira Khan who was seemingly close to me, did. Trusting on my decision, I ran back to the great hall in attempt to save my friend's sister.

I reached the hall, looking here and there for a trace of a girl. But it was same as I had seen a few minutes ago. Dead silent, not even the screams were penetrating that lured me out of the passageways. I waited for few more minutes, not even trying to hear my own breathe for I didn't want to lose any possible audible hints.

My heart dropped to my knee when a giggling sound reverberated passing from corner to corner of the great hall. I turned back and looked up to follow the voice. I found myself gaping at the upper story of the hall, at the banisters that were supported by few large pillars. I was still staring up quite keenly when a long and sharp nailed fingers of an old wrinkled hand appeared, firmly resting on a wooden banister. I shrunk my eyes. My mind raced to think if there was someone else living in the palace. And then face of the person appeared gazing down at me. Her long silvery white flowing down from either side of her crooked face, a malicious smile broadening from ear to ear and cold, emotionless eyes that paralyzed me instantly.

"Fire of Vengeance!" Zarina Khan said menacingly. "I so await your death."

"Hayden! Hayden! Can you hear me?"

Waking up was no longer a pleasure, especially now that I was having the nightmares of that woman whose wrong prediction made me parentless. I was scared out of my wits and looked around for something to recognize. My palms were sweaty and I rubbed them trying to calm my hammering heart as I slowly tried to divert my mind to present.

First it was Pruthvi that I thought of. I still didn't know where he was. I had tried to contact him many times but in vain. I had then decided to wait  hoping for him to find me here at the entrance door for I didn't want myself to get lost in this humongous palace. As the time had passed and feeling a little tired, unknowingly, I went on to take a long nap.

"Hayden!"

Now was the voice that thankfully woke me up. I did recognize the voice ringing in mind but because of this disorientation I was having, I needed to take a minute to clear my mind and find my own voice.

"Leena?" I answered finally, "Yes, I can hear you."

"Thank goodness," she said, "Where the hell is Pruthvi? He isn't answering me."