Page 30 of Embraced

When he so easily agreed to spend time together and have dinner last night, I was surprised. I guess he knew we needed that too, especially him.

I glance at the items but don’t recognize anything. I know nothing beyond what these guys have told me so I’m not surprised.

Everyone shakes their heads as they look and my last hope rests with Rion. Everyone stares at him as he examines them.

“These are old, older than me but I recognize them. There isn’t much information here but the photo is all I needed. These items were powerful in my time. I can’t imagine what kind of damage they could do now. I never saw them in person,” Rion reveals.

“Do you have any idea what they’re used for?” I ask.

Rion looks grim. “I know them from a spell book but I can’t remember the specific spell that used them. I think our answer will be there.”

“Do you remember the book?” Aksel asks, excited.

“The title was in Latin. Magus Liber Carminum. I know there was a copy in the house Killian is using but I don’t know where else to find it.” Rion closes his eyes in thought.

“I’ll look into the magical library and see if there is a chance it’s there,” Felix says.

“Knowing our luck, it won’t be,” I say.

Felix wraps his arms around me and pulls me tight to his body, providing comfort.

“Let’s have hope,” Griffyn suggests.

“Great. Felix you work on that and I have an appointment tomorrow to see the Garmentas. Now that I finally found this information, I can take tonight off. Anna, I have our date planned for tonight. Does that work for you?” Aksel asks.

That changed direction quickly. I stand up and move closer to him with butterflies in my stomach.

“Of course, what do you have in mind?” I ask.

“It’s a surprise. I left something in your room, go get dressed and we will leave when you’re ready.”

“Can we come?” Griffyn asks.

Aksel glares at him. “No.”

I step around him and go upstairs to get ready. Hanging on my closet door is a beautiful purple dress with intricate, swirling beading. That’s what Aksel left in my room, an outfit for tonight.

On the floor is a pair of nude heels that look perfect for me.

It looks like we are doing something fancy.

I quickly get dressed and then do my hair and makeup. I spend extra time making it elegant and classy.

Aksel is waiting for me when I get downstairs in a modern suit with no tie. His top two buttons are undone and he looks like he could be a model.

We take his car and the drive there is spent in comfortable silence until I break it.

“How do you balance the mission and needing time to yourself?” I ask.

He explained his thinking when it came to taking tonight off but I’m still interested to hear more.

“There are always going to be times where there’s nothing you can do. Whether you don’t have a lead, there’s some time delay or someone else is handling it, you have to take advantage of those times.”

We pull up to an art gallery and he surprises me by skipping the valet.

I must make a face because he teases me. “You can’t think I would let someone else drive my car, do you, beautiful?”

I laugh. “You’re right. I should have known better.”

---