Not exactly what I had in mind (MEDIA), but yeah... now, this will do. :) Ignore the bolt in the image. 

Hello, and welcome; enjoy this update. Next chapter... I promise is going to get you off your seat ;)

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I really believe this was a fuc*ing mistake.

Yes! It was a terrible mistake... that my mom should have solved everything before putting them, no, shoving them over my head.

This box gives me the bad vibes.

Seb was standing close to the window looking out as if reliving some memories and I am sitting here staring at the box. I might have done that for the past fifteen minutes. For what lay inside scares me.

Will it be another clue? Will be something else? Will I end up dead? 

I slowly rip open the brown paper and stare once again at the wooden box with carvings on top- My name; it was carved so beautifully and delicately that I ended up admiring the carving with blurry vision for few minutes.

A petite woman with shrewd eyes and crooked smile got in with a tray full of cakes, cookies, and pot of boiling tea. She just walked away without even saying a word. I just found it odd that she stood near to me, clearing the table by stretching herself in a very uncomfortable fashion and then went away hastily.

Once again, I looked at the box. 

It then struck me. This wasn't an ordinary box. There was something wrong. There was no lid. Oh brother! Another dead-end! 

As I heard water splashing into delicate china, I looked up at Seb and stared. He wordlessly, took the box and admired it. Indeed, he was puzzled. But being the brilliant knight in plain clothes; he smiled and showed me the L for my name was carved little thicker and had some sort of filling in the carved space. 

With a pocket knife, he put the sharp end to the hole and like expected, wood wax came out as he pierced the knife into it. Afterward, we both looked at each other wondering what the plain line, little bit thicker, indicates.

Luckily there was a magnifier glass on the table. With a mental note of asking permission to that uncle, I took them and inspected the box once again.

Pure genius!

In between the carvings and painting, lay a faint line that shows, indeed the box has a lid. But it was brilliantly concealed in between the painting and carving; that anyone could be fooled that it was just a square block of wood.

However, now as I found that there was a lid, my next question was; how will I open this? The vertical line for the L was indeed a keyhole, I had my instincts; but, I have no clue what will get into it.

Frustration, anger, and bile, rose from the pit of my gut upward and I am sure I am looking like a steam engine with the fume about to burst from my ears. This was getting awkward and tough by the passage of time. What did she expect? That I am the next SherlockHolmes? What was she hiding? Blueprint for creating some powerful exploitive; is that it? Why did I have to be the bait in it?

I think Seb said relax but I didn't hear anything clearly.

With rage, I threw the box at the stone wall and puffed out a huge breath. With a sleazy smile, and shaking his head, he bends down to pick the box and frowned to see a chipped edge. The box was as strong as an ox. I snorted.

I saw Seb admiring the box and then turned to me, "Don't do that. This might be antique." He then once again, looked at the box more clearly and I saw something light up in his eyes. "Hey..." he said very excitedly. "This, I know this... this design..." he said very enthusiastically. "These carvings... this sign in the end here... I know this..."

"What do you mean?"

"My great- great grandfathers were artisans. I used to hear from my grandpa that his father and grandfather was in fact the best of their time and their handcrafted wood and bamboo works were the main source of trade for them. They were very rich." He said and ended with a sad chuckle. I wanted to ask more. I wanted him to talk more about his world but he stopped short and since I was in my own world, with my own damn thoughts, I didn't press further however I did make a mental note to ask him more of it.

"You should safeguard this." he said finally, after looking at me and then picked the chipped wooden piece. It was just a small part of the corner; very minuscule detail; but, he glued it back together.

I just stared at it and wondered how I can open this.

"Maybe something intimate to you fits in there. Like... I don't know."

"You mean a locket or something? But I don't wear a chain. I don't wear any jewelry."

I had that idea but it sparked out once I remembered I don't use any ornaments. I wondered for a long time and gradually a memory sneaked in to my mind where Evelyn once gave me a chain with a single silver cross. I never wore it. I believe I put it away safely somewhere in my home. Heck, now how can I go in search of it?

"Once Evelyn gave me a small chain with a cross pendant saying it belonged to her mother. I never wore it. But I must have kept that away somewhere in my home. I don't..."

"What was the pendant like?"

"It was a silver cross."

He regarded the vertical line of the L carefully.

"I think it may match. Because you see, there is a small dot here which I think will fit the cross but... something doesn't match up. Wait..." he said suddenly and pulled out a chain from an inner pocket of his shirt. "It's my mother's. She gave it to me."

His explanation was clipped and short. Again, my curiosity sparked.

But I was more interested in his looking at the length and thickness of the cross. Indeed, the cross was the same as mine, but his was a copper color. However, his angle was right but it didn't make a change to the box. His shoulders fell dejectedly.

"Maybe, it needs your chain." He said.

"What doesn't add up is that my mom shouldn't be too old to be in the time of your ancestors. And if she was around the time of your grandfather, you must know her. So... how does this..." I stopped, unable to put my doubt into words.

"Don't forget that my father, uncles, and grandfathers were all artisans. I am too. I mean, I was. I ditched the tools a long time ago."

"This reminds me, I know so little of you," I said suddenly which made his head snap at mine.

"I know." he simply said and remained silent.

I slumped into the mammoth of a cushioned chair behind the table. Just then the door was opened and in came my Santa.

"I see you haven't opened the box nor had the tea."

"I am sorry. I didn't... see the tea. I... I couldn't open the box." I stammered.

"Your mother was always the cunning one. She must have seen something. Always the one to put her head into troubles."

"You know my mother well?" I asked curiously.

"I know. You too, Seb," Uncle said and Seb stiffened.

"I don't think so," Seb said, but somehow I couldn't trust his words. I looked at him.

"Oh, perhaps you have forgotten all about our history as you decided to join the rival clan for more money and prosperity; that I am sure they gave you ten times what we did with a package of constant fear." uncle said with so much acid that suddenly his words and voice scared me.

"Uncle Bethlam, you know why I walked away. You know what made me do it. I regret joining them. I was stupid, I agree."

"You should have manned up to face it like the fighter you are. You proved me you are a coward and still do by bringing her here, showing me how much you can actually save her."

"Uncle, please..." Seb wasn't arguing, he was tired, I could feel it and I don't know why I felt sad for him.

"I still tell you, my boy, come back and you will be safe. They won't dare touch town hill beach people."

"I can't do that. I can't do that by showing my worth being a coward and doing the worst in putting everyone in danger. They are ruthless, we are not." Seb finally said and what surprised me next was, uncle came and hugged Seb tightly.

"You have always been the soft and cute boy and I couldn't be prouder than this. They may beat you but won't kill you. They know your blood is too valuable for their clan. I will always welcome you back unlike some."

"I assure you I will bring them down," Seb said, suddenly being a cub in front of a lion.

"Dare not; they have taken more precious things in the past and I have not stricken back and nor will you."

"Yes, uncle," Seb said, feeling at ease. As if he was standing in front of someone whom he actually can borrow a shoulder to cry.

"The girl is confused, take her home. And Lillian, you are presented a chain years back to have safeguarded and it opens with the cross only. Eva did many mistakes but this one was the worst one of all and she regrets it with every breath of her lifespan."

"Can you tell me about her?" I was afraid to talk this man who seems like have grown a pair of horns because suddenly this man seemed more important and powerful than I believed him to be. Something about him said to me, he was indeed most powerful. Whatever it maybe, my mind was slapping me right and left for ditching the chain in my home.

"Perhaps later but now, you need to open the box and find what's in It." he said and I knew the conversation was over there.

Seb slowly walked me back home. Surprisingly, it was twilight.

"Why didn't you say something?" I asked looking at the setting sun.

"You was so much engrossed in your world, I daren't disturb."

"You must be starving." I couldn't help but feel guilty for keeping him back.

"No, you must. You didn't have the tea, and the lunch brought to us."

"What?"

"And I am sorry; I ate your sandwich too. You didn't seem interested and the turkey bacon sandwich was damn delicious."

"You bastard... I was starving in there. Just because I was lost in thought doesn't mean I asked you to eat my food. Dammit. Buy me a large luncner."

"What?" Seb amusedly asked with a half laugh.

"Lunch plus dinner; luncner... don't look so constipated."

"I sure don't know your quirkier side. In fact, I don't know you at all."

"Beware; you are crossing a deadlier line."

"I wish to be scorched by your sun than die in vain, my lily flower."

"Yuck, cheesy..."

"Touché..."

"Huh?" I voiced with a super scorch of brows that made Seb laugh out loud.

"Walking a deadlier line... you?" he laughed once again and I hit him hard on his hands.

"Ouch woman, what do you have your hands made of?"

"Muscles." I deadpanned.

He wolf whistled and I didn't realize we reached our cabin all the way up from the lighthouse.

He smiled at me and me at him, as I got into the step and pulled out my key. Somehow, I felt something was wrong. Something wasn't right. I simply pushed opened the door and it pushed in. I swear I had locked the door.

Getting in; there wasn't much luggage of mine to search for; thus whatever I had with me was strewn across the floor and with a bright red lipstick which wasn't mine was a note on the wall saying:

"Time's ticking; clock's licking... sooner the find, no one will be hurt." It signed, to my pumpkin.

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