“Another riddle?” Kat asks, sounding exasperated.
Declan unfolds the paper carefully, the aged parchment crinkling under his fingers. His eyes scan the contents, and his expression shifts from anticipation to confusion.
“Its coordinates,” he says. “And another message.”
“What does it say?” Kane demands, crowding closer.
Declan reads aloud. “‘The dragon waits where the earth meets the sky, where the old blood still flowsand secrets still lie. What was taken is hidden in plain sight, guarded by those who walk in twilight.’”
“More cryptic bullshit,” Kane mutters.
“And these coordinates,” Declan continues, “they’re for somewhere in Northern Ireland.”
“The border region?” Rory asks sharply.
Declan nods, his expression grim. “Near Armagh.”
The sudden tension in our little group is palpable. Even I, with my limited knowledge of Irish geography, know that the border regions have a complicated history.
“What’s in Armagh?” I ask, my voice barely audible over the sudden pounding of my heart. The gravity in everyone’s expressions makes my skin prickle.
“Nothing good,” Kane mutters, exchanging a loaded glance with Declan.
Chapter 18
Kane
“We need to get moving,” Declan says, pocketing the key and coordinates. “If these lead where I think they do—”
“Hold up,” I interrupt, placing a hand on his arm. “Before we go charging off to the border, can we take a minute to think this through? We’re following breadcrumbs left by a man who faked his own death and lied to his entire family for decades.”
Declan’s jaw tightens. “What’s your point?”
“My point is, maybe we should be more cautious about walking into whatever he’s set up. For all we know, this could be a trap.”
“For whom?” Rory asks. “His own children?”
“I don’t know,” I admit, running a hand through my hair. “But nothing about this feels right.”
Declan studies me for a moment, then nods. “Fine. We’ll take a few hours to regroup. But we need to move quickly. If the Russians are tracking these same clues...”
“They’ve had thirty-three years,” I point out. “A few more hours won’t matter.”
We make our way back down the hill toward the parking lot, the weight of what we’ve found hanging over us. The metal case feels heavy in Declan’s pocket, a physical reminder of how our lives have changed in the span of two days.
“I need food,” Kat announces as we reach the cars. “My brain doesn’t work on an empty stomach.”
“There’s a pub about fifteen minutes from here,” Rory says, looking at his phone. “Good food, quiet atmosphere, according to the reviews on Google.”
“Perfect,” Wren agrees. “We could all use a moment to process.”
I glance at Kori, who’s been unusually quiet since we found the hidden compartment. “You okay with that?”
She nods, though she seems distracted. “Yeah, food sounds good.”
We split into our respective cars, with Kori joining me again. As we pull away from Tara, following Declan’s rental, I notice her fidgeting with her phone.
“Everything alright?” I ask, keeping my eyes on the road.
