Louisa's POV
When we arrived at the crossroad in front of Skagen City, I saw Alex sitting on a small carriage, waiting for me.
"That's a very strange carriage. It looks like a ship." Akela said when she saw Alex's carriage in a distance from the window.
As always, I didn't pay attention to her nonsense. I was so happy that Alex showed up on time.
Mana and Mata stopped the cart, jumped out of the carriage, and ran towards Alex.
"Hey, why did this carriage stop?" Akela asked.
"Sorry, Akela. I can't go to the tailor's with you today. I have to see my friends. You can go ahead and go to Skagen City by yourself." I jumped out of the carriage and said.
"Where are you going? Don't leave me alone here. I don't know how to drive a carriage. It's a servant's job," Akela said.
I put the reins and whip into her hands and said, "It's really not that difficult. All you have to do is to pull this when you want to stop and wave this when you want the horse to move."
Akela looked very surprised.
"I don't understand..." she said. "If it's that easy, what do we need the servants for?"
I rubbed my forehead and said, "Go ahead Akela. You'll be fine. There are a lot of soldiers in Skagen City. They will help you to go back to the camp. If Lucas asks you where I am, tell him that you don't know. If he wants to look for me, tell him that I'll be back before midnight."
"OK. But what about my wedding dress? You promised that you would help me to pick up one," she said. She looked completely hopeless while holding the reins and whip in her tiny hands.
I jumped onto Colt's carriage and raised my voice, "Forget about the lace! Always pick the most comfortable one!"
Then, the carriage started to move and we were on our way.
"You look very nervous, Miss Louisa. Do you want to stay inside and get some sleep?" Alex looked at me and said. "It takes about an hour to get to the Cliff of Fear."
"I can't sleep, Alex. I can't wait to see Darren and Colt," I said.
Mana and Mata sat next to me with crossed legs.
Will got out of my hair and said next to my ear.
"Louisa, I have a really bad feeling!" he claimed. "My father must be in danger and I have to be there as soon as possible. I can fly to the castle faster than the carriage does."
I frowned and said, "OK... But... Will, please take care. When you see something that you don't like, just stay put and don't do anything. I'll be there as soon as possible. We can deal with it together..."
"OK!" Will didn't hear the end of my sentence and stretched out his wings and flew into the sky. Then, with a sudden shift, he changed into a mist of blood and evaporated in the air.
Mana and Mata looked amazed.
"Vampires are so cool!" Mana said.
"They can fly," Mata said. "I wish I could fly like that."
I looked at both of them and asked, "Mana, Mata. Both of you are my friends. Friends aren't supposed to try to hide some secrets from one another."
Mana and Mata looked at me and then lowered their heads.
Mana slapped Mata's head and said, "It's all your fault! I told you that we should tell her!"
Mata covered their heads and exclaimed, "Ouch! Don't do that again, dickhead! It really hurts! The Dark Prince warned us not to tell anyone!"
Mana slapped Mata again and shook his shoulders, "Now she knows and she doesn't want to be our friend anymore! We'll never find someone who makes cloaks for us!"
Then, both of them started to cry.
Alex looked confused and said, "Miss Louisa, are they OK? Do you need me to stop the cart?"
I shook my head and said, "Keep driving, Alex. They're just having a small argument. I'll deal with it."
"You've heard her! She's going to deal with us! She's going to mince both of us or put us into pickle jars!" Mana cried out loud.
Alex handed him a handkerchief and Mana blew his nose.
He didn't come across as a guy who keeps a handkerchief with him all the time.
Just as I took a glance at the handkerchief, I immediately found it very familiar.
The texture. The color. And...
The corner of it was missing!
It was the same handkerchief I had found in Akela's tent!
It wasn't Alex who had put the handkerchief in the window of Akela's tent!
Is he working for Josephine? I thought to myself. I lowered my head to hide my facial expression from him. I didn't want him to realize that I was suspicious.
Mata was hiding behind my back.
When I turned back and looked at him, he immediately got on his knees with crossed fingers.
"I'm sorry, Miss! I should have already told you the truth! Please don't kill us! I will you everything," he said in a trembling voice.
Mana kneeled next to him and said, "Lucas is the Dark Prince, Miss! He's the Dark Prince from the Underground City!"
I pulled them up and said, "Guys, you don't have to panic. I'm not going to hurt you. The sun is too strong and it's getting hot outside. Let's go into the cart and you can tell me everything."
Mana and Mata nodded.
I looked at Alex. He was staring at us. I could tell that he had already got suspicious.
I said to him, "I'm going to talk to them."
Alex nodded and didn't say anything.
As soon as I got into the cart, I closed the door behind me.
"Guys," I said in a low voice. "Listen to me. Alex works for Josephine and I don't know where he's going to take us. We have to find a way to get out of this cart."
Mana and Mata looked at each other and said to me, "Don't worry, Miss. We can hypnotize him and he'll do everything we tell him to do."
"OK, but you can't make him talk like a chicken or duck. I need him to tell me what Josephine's plan was," I said.
"Alright," Mana said.
He tried to push the door open and get out, but he couldn't.
He pushed the door again. Still, it didn't move.
"The door was locked from outside, Miss!" Mana said.
Mata joined him and tried to push the door open, but they still didn't manage to do it.
We were locked inside the carriage!
Then, I heard Mata's voice.
"Miss, look outside! We're flying..."