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“Sometimes it’s hard to believe in Fate. Right now, I’m pretty glad I was the one that found you though.” He smiled. His eyes gleamed bright emerald green again.
“Me too.” For more reasons than you’ll ever know.
Logan took the shades from the top of the console and put them over his eyes, taking away my perfect view.
How am I going to protect you?
If I told Logan the gorge was dangerous, he wouldn’t listen. This trip might be voluntary for me, but it seemed like a big deal for his job.
“Do you have a lot of spur-of-the-moment requests from your boss?” I asked.
If he could skip this trip, then that was option number one. I’d never talked someone into playing hooky before, but a girl could try.
“Uh, sometimes. My job is a lot of striking while the iron’s hot.” He laughed. “That’s a little mineral pun for you.”
“I thought geoscientists just kinda studied rocks. That doesn’t seem very time-sensitive.” I could delay him for a week, or forever.
“It depends who you work for. My boss is very into ensuring everything is done before the deadline.” He sighed. “And sometimes we get projects we didn’t see coming. What about you? You can just leave for a week?”
No hooky for you then.
“Oh, yeah. I really don’t have classes anymore. Most of my days are just research for my dissertation and check-ins with my main professor and my committee. But I brought the encyclopedia because I do need to get through some more chapters before next week. Preferably finish it again.”
“Again? Jesus, you’re such a nerd.” It was the truth. He might’ve been playing, but this was only a mere glimmer at my obsession. Three full boxes of books, archives, and various articles lined my closet floor.
“Do you like your job?” I asked.
If my therapist saw this, she would be so proud. Engaging with other humans, asking friendly questions, attempting a connection—this was new territory for me.
“Yeah, some days,” he said.
“Some days doesn’t seem like enough days.”
Logan tilted his head and shrugged. For the first time since meeting Logan, he appeared uncomfortable. Slightly out of his element.
Oops. I messed up. I just told him he seems to not like his job. People don’t like to hear that.
“It’s okay. Not everyone loves their job every day. I’m sure there are aspects of it you enjoy more than others. Maybe it’s just about focusing on those, and not the rest of it.”
Not that I was the best person to be offering anyone life advice, or even career advice. I still couldn’t tell anyone truthfully why I had chosen anthropology. Definitely not for the career opportunities, but for more odd and eccentric reasons—finding the truth behind Gray Eyes.
I had started down this path three years ago, and I was still tirelessly searching through every piece of information I could get my hands on. So far, the texts had given me more obscure glimmers of hope than answers. The marking on Gray Eyes’ palm didn’t match a language or symbols used in any ancient culture that I could find. However, the brand on his chest had led to a partial match from various runestones found in Northern Europe. I’d latched onto those stones and soon they were the heart of my dissertation.
“How many questions do I get to ask about your life on this little trip?” he said, nudging his giant elbow into my shoulder.
“A few, if they’re easy ones. I guess I did barge in on your work trip. Maybe you get more than a few. But could I read first since I won’t be taking it with us?” I said.
Logan leaned forward and tapped on the radio, turning the volume on low.
“You get to read until we get there, but then the book stays in the car.”
“Agreed.” I opened to the thirtieth chapter with a slight thud. If there were answers to my dreams, then they might be in these pages. The markings had to represent something, but what did they mean? Gray Eyes’ markings were different from the blood-red tattoos on the creature’s face. The markings were something important. I felt it in my gut. I just didn’t know how yet. Or what the difference in the brand on his chest meant from the dark mark on his palm.
Logan drove silently, changing the radio station when it became too weak and fuzzy to be entertaining.
I crossed my legs, uncrossed them, rolled my shoulders, took sips of water, and then fidgeted more with every passing mile. It was difficult to concentrate with Logan sitting so close to me.
Focus on the book.
