The Secrets of the Elements

Zarna sat down on the floor as Advika emptied her bag. Maya locked the bedroom and sat next to them.

"So many books," said Zarna as she picked one of them. It had a thick deep blue cover and was locked with a few threads attached with what looked like white pearls.

"I knew you would pick that one," said Advika dusting the treasure box. "It kind of reminds me of the ocean."

"By the way," said Maya as she scanned all the books and artefacts lying on the floor. "How is aunt doing now?"

"She's recovering," said Zarna untying the threads. "Queen Bhilangana," she read on the first page of the book. Advika peeped in. "See this," she said, lifting a thick black book. "Even this has her name."

"King Agneya," said Maya as she picked a book with an orange and yellow cover. "Queen Amber," she said, opening another book; it had a sky blue colour cover.

"King Bhaumik," said Advika lifting a book with a brown mud colour. "King Samir," read Zarna from another book covered in a transparent sheet-like thing. "And finally," said Maya picking up the last unread book. "Queen Agrata." It had several colours on its cover, which made it look vibrant out of all.

"Let's read them all and find out what secrets they hold," said Advika. Her eyes gleaming with excitement. She smiled and opened the book she had previously read.

"So you got that spell from this book?" asked Maya and examined the treasure book. "Yes," replied Advika. "Don't tell me you haven't read it already," she said. "Yes, we know the thing with you and books," added Zarna.

"Yes, well, only half of it," confessed Advika and dug her head in the book.

"What did it say?" asked Maya and kept the treasure box on the floor. "Queen Bhilangana," began Advika, "had this power of the element water," she looked at Zarna, "just like you."

"And?" asked Zarna. "How did she get it? Was she born with it? Are these books true? Or just any other storybooks?"

"Well, firstly," said Advika. "She was not born with it. It is said that she earned these powers through practice. Well, yes, she was born with some powers of course, but then she developed it with some teacher of her."

"So you're saying these books are true? I mean-"

her head to the right looking doubtful. "The spell, it

walked towards the door as Advika pushed everything, including the books, treasure box, other artefacts, under the bed at

at her blankly. "We can't disclose it, can we?"

left after serving them some snacks and hot cups

the book she was reading. "So what I was saying is that this Queen Bhilangana held the powers of

asked Maya and offered

I used," said Advika and sipped

mini

"So Queen Bhilangana could harness the power of other elements as well,"

just about her journey from

and scanned through the pages of the blue book. "Has some spells," she said. "Might

the nimki. "And when exactly do you plan to go to the sea?" asked Maya reaching for the book covered in a

said Zarna, turning the pages, "whenever the book wants us to

sipped the coffee. "It

Maya, reading the first few pages. "This King Samir,

Grantha, but then, she never revealed

have a teacher as

then," said Zarna and got to her feet. She walked towards the balcony

Advika and picked up a small telescope from the junk. She tried to zoom in and out, fiddling with

and turned to look at Advika, who had now kept the

sat cross-legged

first talked to Grantha," began Zarna. "You are the only one who has ever talked to her." She leaned on the balcony grill and