Page 6 of A City of Hearts and Feathers

"You're right. Belkis will know how to handle it, and Zoe needs her family." Kerem hesitated once more. "You will tell me if anything happens."

It wasn't a question. Kerem might be younger than Kahil, but he was certainly bossier.

"Of course, brother." Kahil waved him on, and Kerem finally got in the car. Kahil didn't have long to wait before Belkis messaged him back.

We will be there soon. Make sure she doesn't go anywhere.

Kahil finished his tea, his mismatched eyes focusing back on the bookstore. His supernatural abilities filtered out all the other sounds until he could hear the soft sobs from the woman inside. Guilt crashed over him in waves. He had been too late to save Oman; he wouldn't make the same mistake with his daughter.

There was only one person who could find the missing codex and retrieve it from wherever Oman had hidden it, and that person was Zoe.

No one had been able to get past the magical wards that had kept the shop locked down tight for the last two decades either. They had to believe that the magic had also kept the store and apartment in order. It had been sealed like a time capsule waiting for Zoe Kartal to return and claim it. Kahil hoped her father's wards and the Order were enough to keep her safe.

There were dangers in the city of Istanbul that Zoe had no idea were coming for her. Kahil grinned. Luckily, none of those dangers were worse than he was.

CHAPTER FOUR

Tears were running down Zoe's cheeks, and she couldn't make them stop. The bookstore was exactly as she had remembered it, down to the most minute details. The air smelled of sandalwood incense and books. Bright red and blue carpets covered the wood floors, and the shelves were stacked with leatherbound tomes in no clear order.

Behind the polished counter and antique cash register was the door that led to her father's study. Zoe quickly looked away from it, a sob breaking free from her. She couldn't go through that door. Not yet. She shouldn't have come and ripped herself open to the past that never stayed dead.

Zoe scrubbed the tears from her cheeks. She needed to get herself together. She carried her suitcase up the stairs to the three-bedroom apartment she had grown up in. Like the bookstore, nothing had changed. A faded pink and yellow banner hanging up over the kitchen archway exclaimed,Happy 10thBirthday!

It was like Zoe had stepped into a film of her memories, and the bizarre horror of it was overwhelming her. She openedthe door to her old room, took one look at the moon and stars bedspread, and quickly shut it again.

Zoe hurried into the bathroom and splashed water on her face, smearing away what remained of the makeup she had put on.

"You're okay," she whispered, rubbing her biceps to self soothe. "You're okay. You're okay. It's going to be fine. It's only a few days."

A knock at the shop's door downstairs made her jump, and she swore. Maybe Kerem had forgotten to give her something.

Like a return ticket back to London, she thought glumly.

Zoe hurried down the stairs to answer the door and hoped she didn't look too deranged. Three people she vaguely recognized were waiting for her outside and arguing in Turkish.

"Zoe! She is here at last!" a soft, short woman said. She had gray through her hair, but she was still the same when she smiled.

"Aunt Belkis?" Zoe asked and was instantly pulled into a rose water scented embrace.

"My girl, my girl, you grew up so beautiful!" Belkis crowed and held her out at arm's length. "Oh, my, you look like Oman though. Your eyes are exactly the same as his."

"Out of the way,anne. We want to hug our cousin too," the other woman said. She was a few years younger than Zoe and was stunning in a bright red dress.

"Azize? Oh, my god," Zoe replied, hugging her. She hadn't seen or talked to her cousins since she left. Guilt suddenly clawed in her stomach.

"And me, Emre, the one that missed you the most," Emre said, putting his arms around both of them and squeezing. "It's your birthday, cousin, so we are here to take you out."

"How did you know I was even here? I've just arrived! Did Kerem tell you?" Zoe said, sandwiched between them all. It was overwhelming in the nicest way.

"We knew you were meant to inherit the shop today, so we hoped he would bring you back. Are you okay, love?" Belkis asked, holding Zoe's face in her soft hands. She studied her so intently, Zoe couldn't lie to her.

"Not really, but it's good to be back. Come in, please. I don't know if there is tea upstairs. Kerem said the place had been cleaned, but I don't know what else is up there," Zoe said.

"We have it covered. Emre, Azi, go get the bags from the car," Belkis said, waving her children out and stepping inside the store. Her dark eyes scanned the shelves. "This is spooky. I knew the place got locked up, but nothing has changed."

"I know. It's so strange. My birthday sign is still hanging up," Zoe replied, and Belkis's patted her arm.

"We can take it down if it upsets you. This is your home now. Let's see about that tea, hmm?" she said, and they headed back up the stairs.

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