Wide-eyed, Alicia looked at him in surprise.
"Yes. I decided to take you with me to look for that place. I meant to go alone and then bring you there once I found it. But after receiving news on how you're locking yourself up in here, I believe it's better if you were to come along with me."
The doubts and suspicions in Alicia's eyes didn't subside as she kept her eyes on him.
"This has happened before, Alicia. So even if you find my explanation illogical, you don't have a choice but to believe it. Your powers didn't disappear, they were just drawn out of you and stored somewhere else…" Zeres sighed when Alicia's eyes narrowed even more. "Fine, I'm not going to say any more about it. You'll see it all for yourself soon anyway. Now please get ready so we can leave as soon as possible. I'll wait for you outside."
With that, Zeres walked away, leaving Alicia standing there, frowning hard as she stared at Zeres' back.
Once the secret entrance closed, Zeres looked around and when he saw that now witches were around the area, his shoulders drooped as he leaned weakly against the tree. He sighed several times as if he had just come out from under water.
However, too soon, he straightened again when he felt someone coming. "What is it?" he asked to the witch who had just appeared.
"There's trouble. I need to speak with the Queen."
"Trouble?" Zeres' eyes became alert.
"Yes. A powerful vampire prince had just arrived. He's –"
"Ezekiel?"
"Yes."
A long sigh escaped Zeres lips and he lifted his hand. "It's alright. No need to bother the queen. I'll deal with him."
"But Queen Alicia –"
"She will come out soon, don't worry." He smiled at the witch before he disappeared and materialized near the forest's entrance.
Zeke and Lucas were standing in the middle of countless witches who were prepared to attack them if they take even a step closer.
"It's alright. They're not here to fight." Zeres' voice echoed as he appeared in the middle of the circle and the tension was immediately broken. The witches looked at Zeres with questioning eyes and when they saw him approach the vampires, they could only relax.
"Kiel, I need to speak with you," Zeres said in haste. "Come with me. You stay here, ginger head."
Lucas simply blinked and the two disappeared from the scene, leaving the witches confused as to what they should do now.
As soon as Zeres and Ezekiel arrived in a certain place inside the Black Forest, Zeres didn't waste a moment and scanned the surrounding. He knew that Alicia was still inside the cavern, so he had to speak with Zeke now while she was not around.
"Let's take Alicia with us." He told Zeke in a grave tone.
"Why?"
"I lied to her. I told her that were looking for a crystal cavern that's akin to the cavern here. I told her that bringing her in that particular cavern will bring back all her powers. I believe this is better than having her lock herself up inside the cavern, causing more worries and troubles to the others outside. Having her along might also trigger some clues if she were to come with us."
Zeke was silent but he was not objecting. His gaze simply settled on the worry in Zeres' eyes.
"Are you certain that it's best for us to bring her?" Zeke asked and when Zeres didn't even hesitate to nod, he asked again. "Why? Is she already –"
"She's already weakening, Kiel. Someone must watch over her, so it's better if we take her with us."
There was a short silence. "I see…"
"So never tell her the real reason behind this journey Zeke. I'm sure you'll think of a more reasonable reason why Lucas and you are joining in the journey as well." His face became severe. "She must not know the real reason why we're looking for a crystal cavern."
When Zeke remained silent, Zeres grabbed Zeke's collar out of desperation. "Please. Don't tell her. I'm begging you. If she knew, she would definitely be against it… she will… she must not know no matter what…"
Zeke could only close his eyes. "Fine. I won't tell her."
As if a huge thorn was pulled from Zeres' chest, he let go of Zeke's collar and weakly stumbled back.
"Thanks." He muttered as he struggled to settle himself, knowing that he should act as normal as he could once Alicia comes out. He knew she was exceptionally perceptive but if Kiel supported him well, Alicia would most likely believe and fall for his lie. She wouldn't suspect anything. She wouldn't know that the cavern they were looking for was actually the very first thing that the prophetess had seen that would lead to Zeres' death.
"Let's go back to Lucas. I'm afraid that ginger head will start a fight. We'll wait for Alicia there." Zeres said and in few moment, they were back in the entrance.
Lucas was still standing at the same spot. He didn't even move an inch.
"Are we leaving now?" the red-haired man asked Zeke. "How about the young prince and the little witch girl?"
"He's not here." Zeke answered.
"Young prince? Who? Kyle? Wait… Lilith is with him, right?" Zeres finally remembered the girl he had left behind. He saw how Lilith clung to Kyle so he assumed that the two were really close friends.
When Zeke nodded, Zeres breathed in relief. He was about to ask more about the girl's whereabouts when a commotion attracted his attention.
The witches surrounding them had opened a path for someone approaching. Zeke and Zeres' gaze fell on the approaching someone in shimmery black cloak. Everyone knew it was Alicia despite not seeing her face because of the hood that fully concealed her face. This would be the first time the witches saw their queen clad with nothing but black colored garments from head to toe.
