Princess Mind-Reader: Part Two

      I am somebody, living in your mind, listening to every thought. I am a powerful being who is determined to help you. I will help you. As helpless as you are, you are more powerful than some. My name is Deliluk. We are connected somehow, yet I’m in your thoughts and you’re in mine. I am a living being, but I am on the other side of Neopia. I am a shadow Usul.

      Victoria inhaled sharply. You’re the assassin, aren’t you? Aren’t you?

      Deliluk’s reply was unlike Victoria had ever heard. ...No. Not completely. I am the brother of the assassin. My brother wanted power. His name is Savuk.

      Savuk? Victoria questioned Deliluk. Is it supposed to rhyme with your name?

      Yes. We’re twins.

      Twins. It was close enough. How would Victoria tell Deliluk and Savuk apart, if they ever met?

      I have a scar on my eye. A white one.

      Victoria looked down at her paws. White lines were drawn, embedded in her skin. They were scars, like Deliluk’s, yet they were probably shorter. They were from those years ago when the assassin had tried to do his job, to kill Victoria. It hadn’t worked.

      Now, Deliluk said, Tell me a little about yourself. What type of Neopet are you?

      A Faerie Wocky, and I have scars on my paws from escaping your brother long ago. Victoria found her thoughts full of disgust.

      Tell me about your “royal life,” as everybody’s calling it now. Deliluk’s voice was soft, comforting, and convincing. I told a lot about me. Now it’s your turn.

      Everything was coming out of Victoria in an instant. I used to be a Princess. My father is King Hagan, and my mother disappeared a long time ago. When I fled from the assassin, I went to Kauvara’s Magic Shop in Neopia Central and stayed there for three years. I was thirteen when I left. Kauvara takes care of me, and everybody thinks I’m dead. That’s because they thought the assassin succeeded. I love working with Kauvara, and don’t want to leave the Magic Shop. Ever. It’s my home and my life. I’d give up royalty for the normal life in an instant, I don’t care what anybody else thinks.

      “Victoria?” Kauvara’s voice rang out. Bewildered, Victoria thought, Gotta go, and then answered:

      “Yes?”

      Kauvara went into the living room. “Seven neopets have just arrived. I need your help.” Nodding toward Victoria’s book, she said, “Put that away before you join me. I think we have a few more coming in fast, so don’t hesitate.” The shopkeeper was away when Victoria blinked.

      As Victoria put up her book, she was still thinking about the conversation with Deliluk. Perhaps Deliluk wasn’t in her thoughts all the time. If that was the case, that would explain why he hadn’t said anything to her in three years. Three years she had waited. Finally Deliluk returned.

      She realized she was slowing. Victoria sped herself up and recognized a baby Lupe. “Denny!” she cried.

      “Vicky!” Denny said in his baby-ish voice. He was only two years old. “Mahik poshun heper?”

      That was the same question Denny had asked ever since he had first walked into the shop. Smiling, Victoria said, “Yes, I’m still a helper. I hope I always will be.” Still smiling, Victoria asked, “Do you have enough money to buy a Nova now?”

      Denny tugged on his mom, a Faerie Lupe. “Nowa mowey?” he asked her with his big, baby eyes popping out of his head, giving his mom an extreme baby Lupe look. “Pwease?”

      A couple of coins was dropped into Denny’s hand. Denny’s mom looked at Victoria. “He isn’t causing you any trouble, is he?”

      Victoria laughed and shook her head.

      Denny pouted. “I newer cawse twouble.”

      As Denny put the coins in Victoria’s money pouch, the Faerie Wocky fetched a ladder. Helping Denny up, she followed him up the ladder, making sure he wouldn’t fall. Grabbing the Nova, Victoria gave the star-like thing to Denny. Squealing with happiness, he crawled beside Victoria and slipped.

      “Den!” Denny’s mother shouted.

      Acting fast, Victoria jumped and grabbed Denny and used herself as a shield just before he hit the ground. It wasn’t Denny that got hurt; it was really Victoria.

      Kauvara rushed to Victoria’s side. “Can you hear me, Vicky?”

      Victoria giggled. “I’m perfectly fine. Just a bruise; it won’t hurt. Much. Anyway, is Denny okay?”

      “Not a scratch, thanks to you,” Kauvara said. “Now, are you fit enough to help with the job some more or are you going to stay lying down giggling your head off before you finally realize it’s two o’clock and you missed lunchtime? Gosh, you better get a move on, girl.”

      The day went on, and the rest of it went without a hitch.

      ***

      Groaning, Victoria rolled over and felt her bruise. Yelping softly, she realized her bruise was hurting a lot. Gasping out in pain, she closed her eyes and hoped the pain would disappear.

      It did not go away.

      Are you hurt? Deliluk suddenly asked in Victoria’s mind. I just got into your thoughts like, two minutes ago. Give it a break.

      Victoria sighed. Can you leave? You’re not exactly helping.

      Well, I’m coming to come see you. Hey, I’ll probably reach the Magic Shop by the time you wake up.

      Sighing, Victoria replied, Well, good. I’ll probably be sitting all day because of my bruise. Now please leave, because I don’t want to be thinking and talking at the same time when I go tell Kauvara what’s going on.

      Deliluk was teasingly saying, Ah, come on! Aren’t you going to be happy to see me?

      Shadow Usuls are not exactly my best friends, and neither are you. Victoria was a little annoyed that Deliluk was sticking in her thoughts sixty percent of her life. You’re too annoying already, and I don’t like you intruding. The moment you come into my brain, can you please warn me?

      I’m in your mind, stupid, not your brain.

      Yes, but my mind is in my brain. Victoria was getting more annoyed by the second. Can you please leave?

      Silence. He had left. Victoria stretched, but only hurt her back. Now that the annoying Shadow Usul was gone, she’d need to speak with Kauvara. Deliluk was not exactly the most appealing person Victoria would like to meet, but she could say that he was better than others. Hey, he seemed funny, but not the annoying type that makes you want to scream, the annoying type that keeps talking and you want the guy to shut the heck up.

      In darkness, Victoria felt her way around. Surrounded by darkness was not exactly the best feeling ever. She walked into the hallway and felt a doorknob. Kauvara’s room, the top of the Magic Shop. At least Victoria could have her room in the Magic Shop. She knocked.

      There was complete silence, and then a light flickered. Heart pounding, she slid to the side and could see a candle flickering and it was moving closer. What was it? Praying it was Kauvara, she crawled forward. Victoria, however, could hear no light thumps of Kauvara’s hooves. This was not Kauvara. There was a stranger in the Magic Shop.

      Tensing, Victoria got ready to leap on the intruder. But if he dropped the candle, the Magic Shop would be ablaze in a moment. Victoria stumbled and there was a thump. She held her breath, and then heard a mutter, “Oh great, someone’s probably awake. Did Victoria fall?”

      Then, a ring was hanging in midair. It was a furry, fluffy ring on a Usul’s neck. However, where the head should have been, there was blackness. Nothing but blackness. Quickly, Victoria crawled into her room and lit another candle.

      “Who’s there?” Victoria called, giving the intruder such a fright he dropped the candle. Victoria ran forward to catch it, but the intruder caught it.

      Trying to concentrate, the intruder stepped closer to Victoria. In answer she snarled, “I said, who’s there?” Victoria was tempted to attack the intruder. Because, what Victoria learned, you should always attack an intruder. Before the intruder attacks you.

      “I will attack if you don’t tell me who you are!” Victoria said. Then the door opened and a third candle flickered in the darkness, showing the Starry Kau.

      Kauvara stepped closer to the intruder. “Victoria, I don’t think this intruder means any harm.”

      “Victoria?” the stranger suddenly asked. He turned to Kauvara. “Is that the one over there, with that candle?” He did a gesture that Victoria couldn’t make out. Kauvara nodded. The stranger turned back to Victoria’s direction. “Well, then, I guess I was a little early! Sorry about that; I could hardly see anything in the dark, until – poof! I see the sign of the Magic Shop and I was like, ‘Whoa, I told Victoria I’d be there when she woke up’ and then I went inside so – yes, er, sorry.”

      Victoria figured it out already.

      “Deliluk?”

To be continued...