Chapter 2: The Hidden Message

Finally, it was Monday—a regular day at university, meeting friends, taking the last few classes before the semester ended, and hopefully spending some time in the library. Aria had been restless all weekend, unable to understand why her thoughts kept returning to King Henry Valemont, Queen Erieana, and their son, Prince Adrian. Something about them wouldn't let her leave.

As the final lecture concluded, Rogers and his group of friends huddled together, already planning a pizza treat. Kendall, Rogers' younger sister, was celebrating her 20th birthday. Aria hesitated at first, but the allure of cheesy goodness and laughter with friends was too strong to resist.

At the pizzeria, the crowd was boisterous and energetic.

"This is the best pizza in town," Rogers declared, stuffing another slice in his mouth.

Kendall rolled her eyes. "You say that about every place that serves food."

"Because it's always true," he responded, making everyone laugh.

Aria smiled, enjoying the warmth of the moment, but a nagging feeling persisted in the back of her mind. As she looked around the restaurant, her gaze fell on an elderly man sitting at the counter, engrossed in a book. He seemed unconcerned about the noise they were making, flipping through its fragile, nearly torn pages with great care.

Aria excused herself and approached him, feeling a strange attraction. "I hope we're not bothering you," she said, with an apology smile.

The elderly man chuckled. "Ah, young people should be louder. "Life is too short to be silent."

She looked at the book in his hands. The pages were yellowed, and the edges frayed. "What are you reading?" she enquired curiously.

"A tale of a lost prince," the man said, his eyes twinkling. "Based on a true story."

Aria felt her heart skip a beat. "What's his name?"

"Prince Adrian."

She froze. Her breath caught in her throat. It had to be a coincidence. Nobody had heard of Prince Adrian until a few days ago, and now this stranger was reading about him as if he were well-known.

"Did he—" She paused. "Did he ever find his way back home?"

The man smiled knowingly. "He found what he was looking for."

Aria shivered slightly, unable to shake the eerie sense of fate that enveloped her. Before she could ask any further questions, Rogers exclaimed, "Aria!" Come on, we're going out.

She turned back to face the man. "Thank you," she said softly, but she wasn't sure why.

He simply nodded and returned to his book.

Even as she walked out with her friends, her mind refused to rest. She needed answers. As soon as they parted ways, she dashed towards the library, alone for the first time. She could not wait. She had to see the book again.

When she arrived at the library, she went straight to the history section, pulled out Prince Adrian Valemont - The Caged Ruler, and began flipping through the pages. She read furiously until something near the bottom of the page caught her attention.

Each page contained a hidden inscription in the footer:

When you find it, you will find him.

A shiver went down her spine. What does this mean? What can you find?

Before she could think about it further, there was a sudden commotion outside. Then—gunshots.

Aria gasped and dropped the book as fear gripped her. What was going on?