Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 137871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 689(@200wpm)___ 551(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137871 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 689(@200wpm)___ 551(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
“Juniper, look at me.” Lilias held her by the shoulders, her green eyes creased with worry. She looked so much like Adriel. “You will get through this. She will get through this.”
Light swept across the room as the door opened again and Lazarus stepped in. “We need to get moving. Is she—”
“She’s fine. We’re just having a moment, but it’s nothing we can’t manage on our own, dear. Juniper’s tough. Isn’t that right?”
Juniper nodded.
Lilias released her so she could say goodbye to Lazarus. Dane came to Juniper’s side and frowned. “We won’t be long.” When he placed a hand on her shoulder, she flinched but then closed her hand over his.
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
It helped knowing Lazarus was going with him.
She closed her eyes and faced the panic welling inside of her. Calming her breathing, she pictured Adriel. Air reached her lungs as a placid vision filled her mind. She recalled the sweet scent of her skin and the gentle way she laughed. How warm and safe she felt when she was wrapped in her arms. The whole world quieted and all the ugly parts faded away.
Juniper’s eyes opened and Lilias smiled. “Were you thinking of my daughter?”
“How did you know?”
She tapped her nose. “Your love has a scent, soft, like the inside of a rosebud. It’s very young and pure.”
Juniper pressed her lips tight and tipped her face down to hide her smile and blush. “Yeah, I was thinking of her.”
Lilias brushed a hand down her arm. “We should try that locator spell now.”
CHAPTER 33
Dane should have anticipated someone stopping them before they even set foot on the farm. Immortals had noses for scenting other immortals, and the males were extremely predatory when it came to protecting their females.
“Who’s your friend, Dane?” Cain stepped out of the woods and eyed Lazarus with territorial challenge.
“Easy, son,” Lazarus said, not at all threatened.
Cain raised a brow. “I’m not your son. And you’re on my land.”
“Cain, this is Lazarus Schrock. Lazarus, this is Cain Hartzler.”
“Schrock?”
“He’s Adriel’s father. We came to speak to Christian.”
“First, you’ll need to ask the Bishop for permission.”
“Seriously?”
Cain shrugged. “I’m not worried about you. But your friend here… I don’t know him.”
“Fine.”
They walked to the safe house where the Bishop lived. Though only a few months had passed since he left, everything wore the foreign unfamiliarity of a dream. It was then he realized, the farm hadn’t changed, but Dane had.
Lazarus was quiet along the journey, his sharp eyes taking in every detail as if mentally recording the property and noting any security pitfalls. Dane only wanted to get Christian and go. He hoped his half-brother could put their differences aside for once. This was about Adriel. If he couldn’t see that, he truly was the bastard the rumors claimed him to be.
As they crested the knoll, the safe house came into view. Cain led them away from the houses and took a detour, eventually leading them to the steps of their destination.
“Stay here. I’ll get Eleazar.” He left them in the public lobby of Council Hall.
Dane wondered if there had been any sightings of Isaiah or his sister, but he didn’t feel welcome to ask especially since Cain wasn’t being his usual chatty self in front of outsiders.
Lazarus scanned the farm from a window, his eyes narrowing at the sight of three females walking in the distance. He was no doubt drawing comparisons about their Amish lifestyle.
“He won’t be long.”
Lazarus nodded, taking in the sign over the entrance to the main chamber where meetings were held. He frowned.
“Can you read Swiss German?”
“I cannot, but the message is implied.”
Dane didn’t know what the sign said, but he imagined it had to do with religion or submission.
Lazarus crossed the corridor, stopping just in front of the double doors. His stare dropped to the bench and his hand trembled as he reached out to touch the wood, exactly where Adriel used to sit.
“My daughter has been here in this exact place.”
“Many times.” It was her bench. The Bishop had put it there upon her insistence. “She liked to listen to the meetings. Females weren’t allowed inside unless summoned by the elders.”
Lazarus appeared confused by such a rule. “Why?”
Dane shrugged. “They have primitive beliefs.”
His frown deepened. “And my daughter accepted this?”
“Not really.” He chuckled. “She challenged them every chance she got.” He looked at the bench. “She was also good at psychometry.”
Adriel had a gift for tracing the ephemeral passing of living things, which was likely how Lazarus knew she’d been there.
He smiled. “She did?”
“Yeah. Guess she inherited that from you.”
A wave of pride radiated from him just as the doors to the private offices opened. “Dane,” the Bishop greeted with guarded curiosity. Cain followed silently. The Bishop extended a hand to Lazarus. “Good afternoon. I’m Eleazar King.”
“Lazarus Schrock.”
“So it’s true. You’re Adriel’s father?”