Layla

Their steps echoed in the empty cave. Layla felt the nostalgia engulfing her in memories she tried to escape.

"Um, are you sure she lives here?" She questioned and eyed rock walls verily. Layla wanted to runaway but she knew this wasn't the time to give into her fears. Instead it was the time to face them.

Layla stepped forward, her cautious steps echoed in the empty corners. She gripped the knot of her hood and fell in with Marwan's steps.

"I have visited her more than you. Ofcourse I know." Marwan sighed and tugged her closer.

Her heart thudded aloud. She felt as if Alzali will attack them. Layla's thought were over flowing with with paranoia when she felt the cold swirl around her fingers. She sucked in a sharp breath and tightened her slender fingers around Marwan's fingers.

Her shoulders tensed and she whispered, "she is here."

Marwan stopped midtracks, but didn't turn around.

"What? No, there's one more barrier we need to cross before we meet her."  Marwan said and tried to made her walk.

But Layla didn't budge, other than cold she also felt it. The burn, the spicy woods scent. It was a scent Layla could never forger. Her heart started beating like a drum and her eyes widened. For a secondher eyes flashed with a memory of golden hunter eyes.

It was Him.

It has to be Him.

And then everything stopped before Layla pulled herself into action. She went feral with the illusion and hope of Barw beign there.

"Layla!" Marwan's voice boomed behind her but Layla didn't stop. She was running as if her life depended on it.

Layla didn't cried. She didn't call out to hope. But there was something, a tiny but a very fierce drop of hope. It lingered in the middle of her chest.

"Please just be here." She whispered to herself and ran across the gravel ground. Marwan ran behind her, calling her name.

She didn't until she could see the bright light from deep corner. Her swisher around with wind as she ran faster and faster.

And them before she could steps into the light a tight arm crossed her middle and stopped her from jumping down the well.

"Stop!" Marwan yelled, his brows pulled together, as if asking her is she crazy.

Layla shit her eyes tightly and then looked at her brother. Her shoulders dropped as she looked at the well in front of her. If Marwan hadn't jumped into action, she would have stepped into death.

Without asking anything or commenting on her crazy act he quietly guided her towards the dark steepwell. He gently showed her the way down to Alzali's room.

The room smelled like dust, and ancient spirits. Layla's body heated up with embarrassment. She turned around and shook her head.

"I, I just I found someone." She confessed and Marwan nodded like a sage. Calm and understanding, and it creeped Layla out because Marwan was anything but calm.

"Won't you ask me about it?" She questioned as she stepped down.

"You are a person of your own, Layla. You have your own reasons to hide or to tell me. And trust a or any brother, but especially me, is very not so much interested in knowing my sister's love life." He teased her or more like stated the obvious and removed his hood.

"It was hardly a love life, more of a hate life or hate story. Truthfully, I don't know what it was." She said and stepped on the muddy ground.

There was nothing around them except a small wooden table as a old as a century and a carpet beneath it.

Before Marwan could say anything else, Alzali appeared out of nowhere scaring Layla in the process.

"Oh, look who graced with their presence." She chirped and gestured them to sit on the carpet.

"Uhm, thanks but no and first of all," Layla denied the idea of sitting on the carpet with a Djinn she was not fond of.

"Um hmm, I am all ears." Alzali bound her hands behind her back and waited for Layla to continue.

Layla squinted at her, irritated by her nerves to stand there as if everything was fine.
"Why are you making me hear those whispers?" Layla questioned and tilted her head.

"What whispers?" Alzali question with a serious concern and it only made Layla scoffed at her.

"Oh please, don't act naive. I know you are the one who is making me here all those blurred whispers." Layla's voice rose with agitation and she leaned forward. A silent threat lingered in her eyes.

"No, I am not making you hear any whisper." Alzali stood her ground but Layla noticed the slight fear in her eyes.

A pure satisfaction bloomed in her guts and her lips almost stretched into a smile.

"And a human can not hear other's whispers. It can only happen if another person is trying to connect to you," Alzali stopped a frown pulled over her face.

"But what?"

"It can not happen with out the Gem. The Gems. The Magical Gems. They carry powers and my father is after it. If he gets his hand on it he can control the world and rule over it however he want." Her words were laced with worry.

Right then something clicked in Layla's mind.

"Then that means your father doesn't have the Gem. Someone else has it." Cold realization creeped on to her as she exchanged glancez with Marwan and Alzali.

"It means that someone who knows you have that gem. But who knows you?" Alzali questioned Layla.

A beat of silence passed between them before Layla said—
"I might know who has one of the Gem."