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Stefan leaned closer. His hand began a comforting path up and down my back. "Open it. What if this is the answer? Our search is over, yes?"
I managed a weak nod. Did I want it to be over? Was it easier to look for something or have to confront it? "Yes."
I hated that I was this frightened of a book. We'd searched for it, and now that it was within reach, I was gun shy.
A surge of confidence surged through the bond. My hands were still shaking, but I slid the key into the lock, turning it clockwise until I heard it release. My eyes shot up to his and he gestured with a roll of his wrist to open it.
The lid creaked open and a thin, leather bound journal was nestled inside the red velvet interior. I sat the box on the floor and pulled the book out gently.
Tucked underneath was a folded letter with my name written on it.
I passed the book to Stefan and reached for the letter next, opening up the yellowed paper.
Josephine,
If you have found the journal, you are with your mate by now. Armes was never wrong.
You are so much like her, headstrong and difficult. She made many wrong decisions in her life, yet she convinced me her destiny was complete. You are her legacy, Josephine. Take comfort in knowing that we are both watching over you now, guiding you on your journey.
You will be unable to translate the journal. It is yet another safeguard in case you are not the one to stumble upon this.
Contact my trusted colleague at the university to assist you in the translation. Liev is trustworthy.
There are things we didn't get the chance to discuss in this life. You were as dear to me as if you were my own. I love you and wish you only happiness in your long life.
All my love,
Garrett
I held the letter to my chest and willed myself to stay strong. We’d searched, found the journal and we still had no idea what secrets it held. Stefan was paging through the book, his brow wrinkled in confusion. "This was written in some sort of runes. My people used something similar, yet I cannot decipher this."
"You won't be able to. Garrett said it would need to be translated." I replied. Folding the letter, I placed it back inside and closed the lid with a soft click.
"By whom?" Stefan asked suspiciously. His blue eyes narrowed above the arch of his cheekbones.
"A colleague of his at the University. Liev Banin." I trudged through the fuzzy memories to see if I could remember the man behind the name. I remembered a shock of black hair and pale skin...the rest was blurry. "Garrett said we could trust him."
Stefan squeezed his lower lip between his thumb and index finger. He seemed skeptical. "And how do you feel? Can we trust him?"
Standing up, I brushed the back of my jeans off. I rocked back on my heels and shrugged. "I don't think we have a choice, do we?"
Stefan rose up, his tall frame towering over me. He held on tightly to the journal, staring at it with a look of distrust. "There is always a choice. I trust few for a reason."
Reaching up, I smoothed his blond hair back from his face. "I feel like this is part of a bigger plan. There's more to this, Stefan. I know you trust your visions. You need to let me trust my gut."
"I cannot trust my visions. They shift as decisions are made. I cannot see what is not concrete." He reminded me. He purred like a contented cat as my nails massaged his scalp.
"Then we see Liev. What's the worst that can happen?" I asked, placing a kiss on the cleft of his chin.
His free hand wrapped around my waist. "Mrs. Lifsten, you know the possibilities. We could be walking into a trap."
He was right of course. We could be strolling into a clever ploy, shrewdly devised. Or it could be just as innocent as it sounded. "I'm glad you're on my side," I retorted with a grin. "We'll go tomorrow."
He sighed reluctantly, his expressive face resolute. "There will be no convincing you otherwise. It is a date."
“I know you don’t want to do this, Stefan. I understand why,” I murmured. My head found a place in the crook of his neck. Silence filled the air and I sensed Stefan’s turmoil. It was more than just meeting Liev. “Stefan, what did Anna want? Lukas is the one that always calls.”
It was then I heard his broken sigh, felt his worry flood the bond. “Lukas is missing. He did not come home last night.”
