Secret spy

"Are you telling me your parents haven't seen or heard about this place?" Jake asked, raising an eyebrow and rubbing his hair, his tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

"Yes! Grandfather kept this a secret from everyone, but he shared a riddle with me, his favorite grandchild. It took me weeks to crack the code, but I'm thrilled to have finally figured it out!" Alice exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement as she paced back and forth.

"Okay, that's good. Let's be off now," he said.

Alice moved closer to the wall and collected one of the torches that was hanging on the wall. "Follow me," she said, turning her gaze towards him.

Jake followed Alice as they climbed the staircase down to the lower floor. Just as Jack was about to move, Alice pulled him down swiftly, and a flying axe came out of nowhere, causing him to gasp in horror. "Be careful, there are traps everywhere," she warned, standing up and pulling him up with her. "You didn't see the rope tied across the floor, did you? It's set to kill anyone who steps on it or falls on it - the axe will do the rest."

"Really? Hmm, we would have been safer passing the gate rather than lingering here where death lurks around every corner," he said, his anger and frustration evident in his tone.

"Oh, I thought someone didn't want me to get in trouble a while ago... umm," she said, gazing at him with a hint of curiosity and confusion.

"Yeah, I said that earlier, thinking this place was better, but I was mistaken. This place is more like a hell where you walk in and die," he said, shaking his head in disbelief at his own decision to follow her into this dangerous territory.

"Don't call it a hell," she corrected him. "I chose to come here because it's close to my room, and it's safer if you follow my every move," she explained, her voice firm but cautious.

"You're right, you know everything about this place, and I can't argue with you," he said, keeping control of himself and allowing Alice to lead the way. "When we head back, I'll use the basket in your room to go home before my parents wonder where I've gone."

"Fine, you can use the basket," Alice said, her eyes gleaming with determination. "I just want to see if what I discovered is real. I've seen the first traps, and there are more ahead," she warned, pointing her finger towards the middle path they would follow, leaving the two other strange passageways behind.

As they walked, Jake's mind wandered, lost in thought. 'Hmm... is she trying to say she's never been here before? And what does she mean about being Grandpa's favorite grandchild? It's said that everyone is scared of that cold King, even his wife and Alice's dad, the new king, fear him. No one can even look him in the eye; the mere thought of playing with him or talking to him is impossible. But how could Alice possibly make that possible on the very first day she saw him? Is this some kind of trick or a test? Or has the old man finally let go of his cold heart, if only for now? I need to push these thoughts aside before my head starts aching even more.'

Whispering, Alice expressed her belief that they had arrived and she hoped for someone to place trust in her and wait for her next move. She paused her steps, watching to see if Jake would wait for her or proceed ahead.

"The only thing I need is your trust, Jake," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jake's gaze held steady, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that made her heart race. He searched for any hint of deception, any sign that she wasn't being entirely truthful. But all he saw was sincerity and determination, a deep resolve that resonated within him. He took a deep breath, his mind made up. "You have it," he said finally, his voice firm and resolute. "I trust you, Alice." The words felt like a promise, a commitment to stand by her no matter what lay ahead. And as he spoke, he could sense a weight settle between them, a bond forming that went beyond mere words.

Alice gazed ahead, her eyes fixed on something in the distance. "This is another trap," she warned, her voice low and cautious. "Just wait a minute, let me show you something." She patted her body until she found a small sachet attached to her waist. Meanwhile, Jake scanned the ground, noting that it was clear of traps unlike earlier. Yet, he remained still, waiting to see what Alice had planned.

"I've found it!" Alice exclaimed, her face lighting up with excitement as she held up the small sachet. Jake's curiosity was piqued, and he gazed at the sachet with wonder, his mind racing with questions. What could be inside? A magical potion? A powerful elixir? A mysterious powder? His eyes met Alice's, seeking answers, but she just smiled mischievously, her eyes sparkling with secrets.

"This here is a magic dust - or rather, a powder - that can reveal the hidden truths around us," she said, her eyes gleaming with a knowing intensity. "It will allow you to see the unseen, Jake. The things that are present, yet invisible to our naked eyes." Jake's curiosity was piqued, his mind racing with questions. "What kind of things?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Alice walked forward, she opened the sachet and poured the powder into her hand. With a swift motion, she blew the powder across the room, creating a dense cloud of sparkling dust. The air was filled with a shimmering mist, making it difficult for Jake to see Alice clearly. The powder seemed to dance in the air, illuminating hidden corners and casting an ethereal glow over everything. Jake's eyes widened as he tried to peer through the mist, his vision blurry and uncertain. "Alice?" he called out, his voice hesitant. "Where are you?"

The mist dissipated quickly, as if it were being sucked into an unknown portal or dimension that was invisible to the naked eye. As the fog cleared, Jake's vision returned, and he saw Alice standing in the same spot where she had been before, but he realized that he was now far away from her. The distance between them seemed to have grown, as if the powder had not only revealed hidden truths but also created a gap between them that wasn't there before. Jake's mind raced to understand what had just happened, his eyes fixed on Alice's figure in the distance.

"It's working, it's actually working!" Alice exclaimed, jumping up and down with unbridled enthusiasm. Her eyes shone with triumph as Jake walked closer, his expression still a mix of amazement and confusion. "What's going on, Alice? How did we...shift like that?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder. Alice's grin grew even wider, her excitement barely containable. "The powder revealed the hidden trap, Jake. Look!" She pointed to the floor, where dark symbols appeared, pulsing with an otherworldly glow.

Alice's words hung in the air like a dark cloud, her voice low and serious. "These symbols are treacherous, Jake. One misstep, and we'll face unimaginable dangers. We could be killed, burned, or even consumed by creatures that lurk in the shadows. We must tread carefully, or risk falling prey to the unknown."

Alice's words sent a chill down Jake's spine, and his face turned a pale shade of white, as if all the blood had drained from his body. His eyes widened in horror as he gazed at the symbols on the floor, now seeming like a deadly trap waiting to be sprung. "What...what do you mean?" he stuttered, his voice barely audible. "We could die, or...or be food for creatures?" He took a step back, his eyes fixed on Alice with a pleading look, as if hoping she would reassure him that this was all some kind of sick joke. But Alice's expression remained grave, her eyes serious with warning. "We need to be careful, Jake. One wrong step, and..." She paused, leaving the dire consequences unspoken, the silence hanging heavy between them.