“Where you any good at solving puzzle boxes?” Lord Jaias asked, moving the small cube from one hand to the other while he spoke.
“The pretty one I lost was simple.” Cixi replied with a smile, hands folded in her lap, “The newer puzzle boxes I got never came as easily to me as that one did. Especially as I got older. I always solved them eventually. It was probably the only thing I did better than my brothers.”
“This is going to sound like an odd request," Lord Jaias replied, "but I was wondering if you could do one thing for me.”
Lord Jaias stopped passing the puzzle box between his hands and held it out toward Cixi, the black cat facing her.
“Do you think that you could try solving this one?”
“Oh, Uncle,” Cixi said with a short giggle, “You want to see me sit here and struggle while you know how to solve it.”
“I have a feeling that you will probably have an easy time solving this one,” Lord Jaias replied, still keeping his hand outstretched, “Will you try it?”
Cixi reached her hand out and let Lord Jaias place the small cube in her hand, “Well, I suppose there is no harm in trying. But you are allowed to give me hints if it starts to take too long. Mother is expecting me out at the carriage pretty soon. She will lose her mind if find out I'm in here playing with puzzle boxes.”
"Of that I have no doubt."
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Lady Alarra clutched her skirt in both hands, sprinting as quickly as her heeled shoes would allow. She ignored the sideways glances from those she pushed her way through the corridors. She had this panicked feeling in her chest. Why hadn’t see been told about the extension? Even the servants knew? He wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
Lady Alarra continued running, now catching the attention of the servants that lined the hallways. They tried reaching out and stopping her, asking what it was that she was in such a hurry to get. They would be more than happy to have her wait and they go off and get it for her. But she pushed them aside just as she did everyone else.
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Cixi stared at the shiny moveable pieces, sliding one piece across and then sliding it back.
“You are concentrating too hard,” Lord Jaias said, seeing the furrowed lines of frustration starting to crease Cixi’s face, “Why don’t you try closing your eyes while you move the pieces?”
“You can’t solve a puzzle if you can’t see it,” Cixi said, still sliding the pieces around to no avail.
“Sometimes it’s our eyes that make the puzzle harder than what it is. Come on, Cixithara, close your eyes.”
Cixi twisted her mouth in disbelief but closed her eyes anyway. Lord Jaias looked down and watched as the outline of the black mountain cat emblem began to glow softly. This was quite the unexpected turn. She had done nothing more than close her eyes. The glow became brighter and Cixi slowly pulled her fingers away from the small toy. The sliding pieces started moving themselves as the puzzle box sat nested in Cixi’s hand. After a few moments, with her eyes still closed, Cixi pressed the emblem with her thumb and the box came open.
“You were right,” Cixi replied, opening her eyes again, “That was simple. You didn’t tell me that it was a magic puzzle box. Those are always easy to open. But if yours was anything like mine, it usually does something after you open it.”
“You are correct. This one plays a song. Do you think that you could get it to play?”
Lord Jaias leaned forward, a new intrigue sparking in his powder haired niece.
Story continues: Secrets Revealed (Part 5)
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