They descended into the depths of the castle, the princes leading the way. Despite the dust and grime that coated every surface, there was an odd sense of lightness to the air, as if the very stone itself was infused with a faint, otherworldly glow.

As they reached the grand dining hall, the princes raised their hands, their fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air. A shimmering light erupted from their bodies, racing outward to envelop the room. In the blink of an eye, the dust and grime vanished, the stone walls gleaming with a newly polished sheen. The long wooden table that dominated the center of the room was suddenly laden with a feast fit for kings, the scent of roasting meats and fresh bread wafting up to tease at Iris' senses.

Iris exchanged a wide-eyed glance with her friends, her mind reeling with the implications. They had known that the members of the five royal families possessed magical abilities, passed down through their bloodlines. But to see it in action was a different matter entirely.

The princes gestured for them to take seats, their movements graceful and practiced. Iris sank into the chair beside Elina, her gaze flicking toward the princes. There was something strange about them, something that didn't add up.

"What's the deal with these princes?" Iris whispered, leaning in close to Elina. "Do you think they're the reason our parents didn't want us coming here?"

Elina shrugged, her eyes never leaving the princes. "Maybe. But why would that be?"

Iris opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Eren's voice cut across the table. "Did you ladies come here alone? Without any guards, I mean? It's not safe for members of the royal family to travel unprotected."

Elina rolled her eyes, shooting Iris a look. "Oh, great. Now he's suspicious."

Iris shot her a quelling glance, turning a bland smile on Eren. "Of course not. Our parents told us to bring guards, but I...overruled them. They don't know we're here."

Elina snorted, shaking her head. "See? Isn't that weird?"

Iris shot her a cold look, her eyes pleading with her to drop it. Beside her, Aylin cleared her throat, drawing attention back to herself. "So, what do you mean by guards?"

The princesses lifted the pendants that hung around their necks, the delicate silver glinting in the light. "We meant these. They've been with us since birth, protecting us."

The princes' eyes widened, their faces paling. They fell into a hushed conversation, their gazes flicking back to the princesses. Elina and Iris exchanged a look, a spark of understanding passing between them. The princes were hiding something, and they were determined to find out what.

Finally, Eren turned back to them, a forced smile on his face. "Well, shall we dig in?"

Despite the feast laid out before them, Iris found she had little appetite. She picked at her food, her mind racing with questions and suspicions. Beside her, Elina was doing the same, her gaze never leaving the princes.

As the meal drew to a close, Erwin spoke up, his voice courteous. "Let us escort you to your rooms. You must be tired."

Iris felt a flicker of irritation. Did they really think they were here on some kind of vacation? "We didn't come here to sightsee," she said, pushing her chair back. "We came to get answers. And our parents don't know we're here, so you don't have to bother with all this."

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Harlin looked like she'd been slapped from her seat, a look of disappointment washing over her face. Iris felt a pang of guilt, but she pushed it aside. They couldn't afford to get distracted, not now.

"And what is it you want, then?" Eren asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Let us investigate the castle," Iris said, meeting his gaze squarely.

Zen shrugged, his eyes glinting with amusement. "We're not your jailers. Investigate all you like."

Erwin nodded, a smile spreading across his face. "Yes, by all means. Let's get to the bottom of this."

Iris felt a spark of triumph ignite in her chest. They were one step closer to the truth.

"Then let's get started," Harlin said, her voice trembling with excitement.

The others echoed her agreement, pushing back from the table. As they made their way to the stairs, Iris couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. They were on the cusp of something, she could feel it.

The second floor was just as abandoned as the first, the air thick with the scent of dust and age. They came to a stop in front of the first door, a shiver running down Iris' spine.

"What do you think is waiting for us in there?" Harlin breathed, her eyes wide with fear.

Iris shrugged, reaching for the doorknob. "Only one way to find out."

But to her surprise, the door wouldn't budge. She pushed harder, grunting with effort. But it remained stubbornly shut.

"What's wrong?" Aylin asked, coming to peer over her shoulder.

Iris stepped back, gesturing to the door. "It won't open. And there's no keyhole, so it's not locked."

Elina frowned, tapping a finger against her lips. "Maybe it's stuck from disuse?"

Iris nodded, gesturing to the others. "Let's all try, then."

Together, the four of them pushed against the door. But no matter how much effort they put in, it refused to budge.

Iris stepped back, wiping the sweat from her brow. "I don't think we're going to get it open like this. We need to find another way."

Aylin frowned, scanning the door. "But how? There's no handle, no keyhole...nothing."

Elina's eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on a small piece of wood set into the door. It was a rectangular shape, and in the center of it was a hole...a hole that looked suspiciously like the shape of their pendants.

As if drawn by a string, the others' gazes followed hers, their eyes widening in understanding.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Elina asked, already reaching for her pendant.

Iris nodded, already doing the same. "Yeah..."

With shaking hands, Iris lifted her pendant, aligning it with the hole. There was a soft click, and then the door was swinging open, a cloud of bats erupting from the darkness beyond. Iris shrieked, throwing up her hands. But to her surprise, the bats seemed to hit an invisible wall, falling to the floor with tiny squeaks of confusion.

As the last of the bats fell, the princesses exchanged a look, then stepped across the threshold. The room beyond was dim and dusty, the windows choked with grime. But it was what sat in the corner of the room that caught Iris' attention - a massive wooden cabinet, its surface hidden beneath a thick layer of dust.

Iris strode toward it, her heart pounding in her chest. There was something about this cabinet, something that drew her in. She reached out, wrapping her hand around the rusty doorknob. But to her surprise, it refused to budge.

She fell into a hunched position, scanning the cabinet. There had to be a trick to it, a hidden catch or mechanism. But no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find anything.

A growl of frustration rose up in her throat. Why was nothing ever easy?

"Hey, look at this," Iris called out, not turning from the cabinet. "There might be something in here. But I can't get it open."

Aylin and Harlin came to join her, peering at the cabinet. "Just look for another one of those wood things," Elina suggested, tapping her foot impatiently.

Iris shot her a withering look. "Do you think I'm an idiot? I already looked."

Elina shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, we can't force it open with magic. Maybe we should get the princes."

Harlin's face lit up at that, a dreamy look washing over her features. "Yeah, maybe Erwin can...unlock it for us."

Iris rolled her eyes, pushing to her feet. "Fine. Let's go ask prince charming for help."

Aylin and Harlin trailed after her, the three of them making their way back downstairs. The princes looked up as they entered, their faces a picture of innocence.

"Ah, princesses," Eren said, pushing to his feet. "Can we be of service?"

"Maybe," Aylin said, gesturing for them to follow. "We need some help on the second floor."

The five of them trooped back upstairs, Iris leading the way. As they reached the room, she gestured to the cabinet. "We can't get this open. Can you...help us out?"

Eren's gaze narrowed, his eyes flicking to the cabinet. "You want us to unlock it for you?"

Iris nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yeah, that's the idea."

The princes fell into a hushed conversation, their gazes flicking back to the cabinet. Finally, Eren nodded, a determined look on his face. "We'll try."

The three of them raised their hands, their fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air. A shimmering light erupted from their bodies, racing toward the cabinet. Iris felt a strange tingling sensation in the air, as if the very magic itself was alive.

Finally, Eren dropped his hand, gesturing to the cabinet. "Now try."

Aylin stepped forward, reaching for the doorknob. And to their surprise, it turned easily in her hand, the cabinet creaking open.

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