ARIA'S POV:I woke up to pains all over my body and what looked like a cold. Getting out of bed, I stretched myself, walked to the window by the study desk in my room, and opened it. The warmth of the sun hitting my face was as sweet as the sensation of the hot bath I soaked in yesterday night.Malcolm Wilson. Just thinking about yesterday brought him back to mind. He was really who he said he was—my grandfather.I never for once thought that my monster grandfather, as Dane had called him, was actually living in Zilam and had actually been living in Zilam all this time. Then how come no one knew, or did they know? This question came back to me.No, they couldn't know. He had kept a profile, which made it difficult for him to be noticed.Having had enough of the sun's warmth on my face, I moved away from the window. I picked up the reply I had written to Anthony, which I had forgotten to give to Auntie Lillian, thanks to the revelation my uncle gave me.Sitting down on my bed with the

ARIA'S POV:I had come back from the journey of no return with nothing but the meeting of my grandfather which yielded no fruit save that he knew about the curse. How he knew he wouldn't spill. Claire, Anthony and even Elijah were all glad to see me back. And deep down, it felt good to be back to a place of kindness, warmth and relaxationClaire helped me carry my bag to my room as she chatted happily about how she felt now that I was back."It's hard been boring without you my lady." She said. Her face full of the radiation of happiness she was feeling."I hope you know that she needs rest Claire." Anthony said. "It has been a long journey for her."I'm sorry my Lord." She said bowing to him then keeping youth for what seem like 10 seconds before she took off again."What was it like over there?" Clairebasked."Claire!" Anthony called flashing her his eyes of warning."I'm sorry my lord." She said meaning it this time."I never knew that you were such a talker Claire." I said to eas

ARIA'S POV:"What do you mean by Malcolm is alive?" Anthony asked still holding into me as we were on the floor."I met him." I replied cooking at his face through tear filled eyes. "In Zilam." I said. "He is in Zilam.""Malcolm is alive?" He couldn't believe his ears. "But all the history books say otherwise.""He lives there... In Zilam." I said to Anthony. "He's keeping a low profile and no one knows that he lives there.""No one?" He asked. "Wait. You told no one when you met him?""I couldn't..." I said looking away from his face, the tears running down my cheeks all over again. " I first, needed to get answers from him before I would then let my uncle in on it." I said sniffing Anthony didn't understand what I was saying at all. The look on his face said it all."I don't understand you Aria." He sad. "Let's get up from the floor, sit down and discuss this." He said trying to pull me up from the floor."No." I whispered. "You don't understand. You have to listen to me... Please.

ARIA'S POV:"It's a dead end." I said to Anthony as he took a hold of me. "That's it for me." I said to him. "All is just repeating itself as it did during the course of the poisoning.""No Aria." He responded. "There are still other healers out there that we can reach out to." He tried to assure me. "I will make sure that they come see you before making any conclusions." He said taking me to sit on the bench in the garden."And what if the answers still remain the same?" I asked him. My voice filled with hopelessness."We will find a way to lift it." Was his response. "I will." He said."I need to return to my room."I said rising from the seat."Leet me escort you." Anthony said joining me on my feet still holding my hand.I slowly pulled my hands from his. "That rest you spoke about," I spoke not looking at him."I really need it now." I said heading for my room, walking away from Anthony and Elijah. Behind me, I could hear Anthony giving orders to Elijah telling home to search farth

ARIA'S POVWe took off by five a.m. so as to get to the moon goddess's temple."Do we have all that we need?" Anthony asked Elijah."Water, food—that's pretty much all that's there." Elijah said.The strange mage just sat in the back of the carriage, sitting like she was hearing and seeing things. Claire gave me a flask with chamomile tea for the ride."Thank you." I said to her. She gave me her usual smile. This was a few minutes to five a.m.."We need to head out." The mage said: "The earlier, the better.""We will be leaving now." Anthony said to Elijah, and Elijah nodded."Let me help you." Anthony said as I tried to climb the carriage."I'm fine." I said to him, rejecting his help. "I can get on on my own." I knew what I was doing was hurting him, but this had to be done for the greater good. At least, that was what I thought.We climbed into the carriage, and off we went to the temple of the moon goddess."You didn't tell us your name " Anthony said to the mage."How important i