Page 19 of A City of Hearts and Feathers

"You guys didn't investigate that?" Zoe asked, taking the thick leather journal from him. It was so stuffed that it barely shut. How many times had she watched her father jotting down notes into it? It had been his bible.

"We were thrown out of the shop as soon as the wards activated, Zoe. We did look into who could have killed him, but your mother wouldn't let us back inside. She said there was no point because Oman was already dead and it didn't change anything," Kahil replied. He dragged the top part of his hair back and tied it into a knot. "It doesn't matter. We can investigate it now while we hunt for the codex because I can guarantee whoever killed him would've been someone trying to force him to sell it. Let's look upstairs. Maybe the fairytales book is in your bedroom?"

Zoe clutched the organizer to her chest and followed him up the stairs to the apartment.

"You want me to look? Or will you be okay?" Kahil asked, pausing by her bedroom door.

"I will come with you. It hurts, but I need… I need to face this," she replied, straightening her shoulders.

Kahil nodded, wise enough to not argue with her about it. "Let me know if it becomes too much."

Zoe softened a little at that. Unlike her ex, he wasn't telling her to suck it up or act like it didn't still hurt. It made her like Kahil that little bit more.

"Okay, no making fun of ten-year-old Zoe's bedroom," she said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm not going to promise that," he replied and opened the door.

Zoe's eyes burned, but she forced herself to walk into the bedroom. "As you can tell, I had a thing for moon and stars." Not only was the bedspread covered in dark blue and yellow constellations, but Oman had painted them on the roof for her as well.

"I don't know why I expected rainbows and dollies," Kahil said, looking about.

Zoe laughed. "I was more of a books kid than a dolls one." She went over to the bookshelf and looked at the titles. Memories were bombarding her as she ran her fingers over the pictures on the book spines.

"I've been trying to remember the story about the prince and the princess. I'm positive there were djinn in it too," she said, staring up at the higher volumes. They were the ones that only her parents would get down for her. A thick brown spine caught her attention. It was a children's copy ofA Thousand and One Nights.

"I think that's it! I remember now. There's a story in there about a Chinese princess and an Arabian prince, and there are djinn that are obsessed with them. They get into a competition about which ones are more beautiful," Zoe said and went up on tiptoes to try and pull it out.

"Let me get it. I don't need you braining yourself with a book this heavy falling on your head." Kahil came up behind her and got it down for her. Her pulse jumped as he brushed against her before handing the volume over.

"Thanks," she said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. She opened the book and let out a small squeak of surprise. The middle of the pages had been cut out, and inside the hole was something wrapped in silk.

"Oman, you sneaky bastard," Kahil whistled and sat down beside her.

Zoe unwrapped the silk to reveal part of a burgundy leather cover. She stared at the papyrus pages inside of it.

Dazed, she said to Kahil, "I'm going to need to wash my hands."

CHAPTER TEN

Kahil tried not to hover over Zoe like a worried vulture. She wasn't so upset now that she had something to focus on. She placed the book on the table and went into another room to fetch some things. From what he could tell from his brief glimpse, it was only part of the missing codex.

Why did you split it up, Oman?The man was smart and loved books, so he must have been scared and desperate to vandalize the codex in such a manner.

Oman should've gone to the Order. Was it pride that stopped him? He clearly didn't think he was impervious to being harmed if he went to such measures.

Now, it was all on Zoe to find the pieces and fix Oman's mistakes.

Fresh guilt surged through Kahil like bitter poison. If he had been quicker to reach Oman that night, none of this would have happened. Zoe would have grown up with her father, wrapped in his love and the magic of their world.

Instead, she was dealing with three overbearing protectors and barely had any clue as to the danger she was in. That was probably a good thing. Kahil didn't want to induce any more of the panic attacks like the one that had struck Zoe downstairs.Not that a small part of him hadn't enjoyed having her pressed up against him, but her fear had been so visceral, he could taste it in the air. There was something about her that had parts of him waking up for the first time in decades, and it was sending his overprotective side in overdrive.

Kahil had grown sullen in the past years, and it was like Zoe had brought out his playful side again. And hedidwant to play with her.

Zoe throwing the rolling pin at him had ensured his affection forever. She didn't know how much he was feared in the city, and to meet someone who challenged him like that was a breath of fresh air.

Zoe came back in and set a leather kit on the table. She was wearing a pair of black, square framed glasses that looked ridiculously cute on her. She rolled out the kit of small tools and put on a pair of white cotton gloves.

"You brought all of that to Istanbul just because?" he asked, raising a brow.

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