Princess of the Silver Ocean - Chapter 89

“To Bookends Bookstore, please,” Laurelai told the driver, “And make it snappy.”

The cab driver nodded and handed the swiping machine to Astoria, who swiped the transport card. She gave back the swiping machine to the driver, who put it away. The driver turned the radio on and began to drive to the said location.

“The brochure does not talk about any famous spot or spots at the bookstore, so I am guessing we will have to find our riddler ourselves,” Laurelai told them as she stared at the rearview mirror so that she could look at their faces.

“Does that mean the Bookends Bookstore is not as big?” Laojin asked, turning his face to the driver, “Sir, is the bookstore not as big as a library?”

The can driver looked at the rearview mirror and nodded.

“Yes,” he told them, “It is a relatively small bookstore, but what makes it special is that it is the longest standing bookstore in all of Ashen. It has been there in the same place for more than two hundred years.”

“Two hundred!?” Laojin exclaimed, blinking his eyes rapidly as he could not fathom what he had just been told.

“Yes,” the cab driver smirked, “Pretty amazing, huh?”

Astoria nodded.

‘That is more than amazing,’ she thought, looking at the buildings she passed by as the car drove past.

When they arrived at their location, they stepped out of the cab and thanked the driver. As the cab drove away, they turned around and faced the bookstore. It was a small bookstore and, from the outside, looked more like an antique shop than a bookstore.

“Bookends Bookstore,” Laurelai read the plaque, “Looks more like an antique shop to me.”

Astoria nodded in agreement.

“Let’s go,” Davitt said, and they walked to the bookstore and stepped inside.

The inside of the bookstore was both neat and tidy. Books were piled up on ebony wooden shelves. Tags were located on the top of the shelves to indicate what type of books one was looking for.

There were a variety of book genres ranging from nonfiction to fiction, romance to drama, humour to horror, etc. Astoria looked around the bookstore, staring at the variety of books.

“There she is,” Laojin looked at the owner.

The owner of Bookends Bookstore was wearing the white t-shirt they were looking for.

“Well, that was fast,” Astoria said, and they walked to the owner.

Astoria passed a group of young adults she only recognized as Nexi’s classmates because she remembered their faces.

“Looks like another team just finished,” Davitt said as he nodded at one of the other team’s teammates with whom he was acquainted.

“Good luck to you, ladies and gents,” the other team’s teammate said to Astoria as the teams passed each other.

They carried on walking to the owner, and the owner smiled upon seeing them.

“Hello,” the owner greeted them with a wave.

“Whoah,” Laurelai heard Laojin breathe out.

And ‘whoah’ indeed. The owner was none other than a young female human who was probably in her twenties. She had large light blue eyes and short black hair.

“Hi,” Astoria greeted back, “We are here for the Riddle Race.”

The owner nodded and opened her mouth to speak.

“Ah, I see. Well, before I give you your riddle, you have to pass the challenge first,” the owner said, holding her index finger in the air.

“What is our challenge?” the fairy asked her.

The owner fisted her hand in front of her body and looked at them.

“A simple game of Rock paper scissors,” the owner stated.

Astoria and Laurelai exchanged glances.

“Well, that should not be too hard,” Laojin said, “I am great at the game.”

“Good to hear,” the owner nodded, “It will be a one-on-one type of game, so I will go against each of you.”

Davitt and the rest nodded.

“If just one of you manages to win, then the game is over,” the owner said.

“What?” Laurelai’s eyes widened, “So let’s say you played against me first, and if I win, then that’s it? The game is over? You will not go against my teammates?”

The owner nodded, and Astoria pressed her lips together.

‘Is that not too easy?’ she thought, staring at the owner with a skeptical expression.

“If that is the case,” Laojin said, stepping in front of the owner who had them move somewhere else.

Another employee was currently taking over her post while she gave the challenges and riddles for the Riddle Race.

“Then I will go first,” the troll pointed to himself.

There were a fair number of people within the bookstore. Some were reading, others were looking for books. It was a rather pleasant bookstore with a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

“Okay,” the owner smiled, “Are you ready, young man?”

Laojin nodded, and the owner fisted her hand in front of her.

“Rock,” the owner began, staring at their fisted hands, “paper… scissors.”

With that, Laojin had pulled out rock while the owner chose paper.

“I win,” the owner said with a smile.

“Oh man,” Laojin groaned as he stepped back for the next team member’s turn.

He slumped his shoulders, angry and sad that he lost the game after discussing how great he was at playing rock, paper, scissors.

Laurelai was next, and she stood in front of the owner.

‘I have to win this,’ the fairy thought, ‘for my teammates and because that darn Davitt keeps staring at the owner with subtle heart eyes. I mean, I get that she is beautiful, but it makes me jealous- argh!’

“Are you ready?” the owner asked her, causing her to snap out of her rant.

The fairy nodded and fisted her hand, ready to win this.

‘I will pull out scissors,’ the fairy thought, her green eyes showing a glint of determination to win the game.

She saw the owner suddenly smirk.

“Rock, paper, scissors,” the owner said as she pulled out rock while the fairy pulled out scissors.

“Damn it,” the fairy mumbled.

Laurelai stood next to Astoria and crossed her arms. Astoria smirked upon seeing the fairy suddenly pout.

“Why are you pouting?” Astoria asked, letting out a short chuckle as she stared at the fairy, “Is it because you lost?”

“I am not pouting,” Laurelai said, staring back at her, and sighed.

“If you say so, Miss I-am-not-pouting,” Astoria teased, causing the fairy to give her a ‘hmph.’

Astoria smiled and looked back at the game that was happening in front of her. It was now Davitt’s turn.

“Rock, paper, scissors,” the owner said.

“Ah,” the fairy breathed out as her body drooped from sadness, “We lost again.”

Davitt sighed and walked away from the owner. He had pulled out paper while the owner decided to go with scissors. The gargoyle class president stood next to Laojin.

“It was as if she could read my mind,” Davitt said, earning a nod from the troll, Laojin.

“You felt that too?” the fairy asked, quickly turning her head to face the class president.

“You too?” Laojin pointed at Laurelai, who nodded.

Astoria and Laurelai stood in front of Laojin and Davitt, their backs turned to the owner, who tilted her head in confusion at the sudden team meeting the students were having.

“When I thought of what I was going to put out,” Laojin whispered, “It was as if she was reading my mind.”

“Yeah, me too,” the fairy added, nodding vigorously, “I felt this sudden magical energy as if someone was going into my mind.”

“If that is the case,” Davitt said, tilting his head to the side to look at Astoria, “then Nexi, you need to clear your mind. You could play a truck on her and fool her.”

“Wait, but if you are telling me this, then will she just not read all of your minds to find out what we discussed?” Astoria asked, raising her eyebrows, “If that is the case, then even our discussion is leaked.”

Astoria sighed, but she knew what she had to do.

“Clearing my mind is possible,” she told them.

They nodded, and she turned back I face the owner. She walked to the owner and stood in front of her.

“That was a quick discuss you guys had back there,” the owner grinned from ear to ear, “Anyway, shall we start?”

Astoria nodded and let out a deep breath as she tried to calm her heart, soul, and mind.

‘Okay, you can do this,’ Astoria closed her eyes, ‘You. Can. Do. This.’

This was their final game and chance to win the challenge. If they lose now, they may have to play a different game which may be too time-consuming or even difficult.

‘No, we cannot afford to try and new game,’ she thought, shaking her head as she fisted her hand in front of her.

“Are you ready?” the owner asked her, and she nodded, her cobalt eyes blazing with determination.

“Yes, I am ready,” she told the wonderful who also fisted her hand and placed it in front of her body.