Page 69 of Seducing Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“Who’s there?” I demand the darkness. Betty is nowhere to be seen.

Light seeps into the void as the dark curtain is lifted. Standing, I walk through the opening, seeking a reprieve from the consuming darkness. My feet lift off the floor. I’m floating. Comfort wraps around me like a soft blanket. Worries, fears, battles—old and new—disappear, and my entire body sighs, releasing a weariness I wasn’t aware I was carrying. The weight of the world lifts, and a sense of peace overcomes me. If I had to guess, I would say this is what heaven feels like. “Am I dead?” I whisper. A spike of fear fleetingly jolts my nerves.

A rumble of laughter echoes from the swirling lights and colors surrounding me.

“No, Natia, you are very much alive. Relax. You are safe here,” a deep, masculine voice reassures me. I believe him.

“Who are you? Where am I?” I ask him.

“Both questions take more time to answer than we have. Pick one.”

“Who are you?”

“Your guardian. You are being tested to ensure you are worthy of the power within you. You are brave, strong, and pure of heart. You will not fail. The choice of how you use that power is yours. Choose wisely. Each path requires sacrifices and will achieve very different results. Beware of false prophecies. In all things, follow your heart, Natia.”

I reach toward the entity that appears beside me. Ancient eyes stare into my own, their multicolored depths holding knowledge beyond our current world.

“That was a good deflection,” I mutter.

Beautiful chiseled features come into view as he chuckles, the sound like haunting music. “Did you give me this power?” I wonder aloud.

“Originally, yes, Natia. Accept it, learn it, don’t fight it—if you do, it will consume you.”

“It’s too much,” I whisper, my fear of hurting those I love seeping into my thoughts.

He sighs. “Sometimes I worry I’ve given you too much, but for what you must protect, you will need it. You have good people around you—accept their offers of help. You can’t do this alone.” He kisses my forehead. “Stay safe, child. Next time, the better question would be for you to ask whoyouare.”

“Wait…”

As I blink rapidly, Betty’s smiling face comes into focus. She’s still holding my palms firm to the dirt floor. My body is heavy, confused, and resentful of gravity. Betty steps back, releasing my hands. Pushing to my feet, I rise to stand next to her and follow her gaze to the floor at the center. With a deafeningcrack,the earth shifts, splitting open. A white marble pillar twists up from the ground, stopping when it reaches my height. A small object rests on top—the Jar.

When I say small, I mean jam jar size. I admit, I’m a little disappointed. Betty places it in my hands, pats my pocket where I put the star-shaped object, and taps the base of the Jar. I turn it over, finding an indent the exact shape of the star. Studying the rest of the Jar, my pinky fingers barely fitting through the twin curved handles, I squint at the tiny markings surrounding the rim. I’m not positive, but they look similar to everything we’ve seen so far—Mary’s body, her heart, and these cave walls.

Betty shoves me back to the entrance of the cave. Outside, Jed shifts restlessly from foot to foot, his eyes pleading with desperate hope. I wiggle the Jar in front of me, but leave the star key in my pocket. I promised I’d hand over the Jar—nothing else. The tribe has shifted position to face the cave, but they’re still kneeling.

I look over my shoulder at Betty. She smiles, with a secret that seems meant for me. “Thank you.”

She tilts her head. “For this,” I jiggle the Jar, “and for this.” I squeeze the end of my hair and deposit some salty water on the ground. She grins. I wonder if she’d be up for magical training? I glance at her necklace and suppress a shiver. Maybe not.

Duncan looks me up and down as he wraps an arm around my waist. “Why are you soaking wet?”

“Later,” I mutter.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Natia

A Taurus will care for you more than any other sign, but you have to earn it.

My ass hits the floor of the apartment. I glare at Duncan.

“Sorry, Locks.”

Jed holds his hand out for the Jar as I flip to my feet. Duncan gazes at it with longing.

“Wait. I agreed we’d hand it over after we had a look. Duncan, will pictures be okay?”

“If wemusthand it over, then yes,” Duncan grumbles.

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