Chapter One Hundred and Twenty

There was a grumbling coming from the hallway she’d just left. “Hello?” A groggy voice called out. “Is there someone here? Is that you again, David? Seriously? Is there not a night you guys aren’t going to keep me awake?” Izabella scootched herself back behind the desk, pressing the face of the phone down into the carpet to keep the light from showing. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes, praying that he wouldn’t notice her as the door opened slowly. The hall light was on now, and the small sliver of light shone into the library gradually getting bigger as Tom opened the door wider. “Hello? Anyone in here?”

He seemed satisfied by looking into the room. Shortly after, the door clicked closed casting the room back into darkness. Waiting there, heart pounding in her chest, she flipped the phone over. It was Tyler. A big red message blinked across her screen. **HE’S TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORST. HURRY** Izabella’s stomach tightened uncomfortably, her body moved in short bursts, and she could barely control her breathing.

Izabella bit the inside of her hand to keep herself from crying. Scampering to her feet, she went to where the case normally sat on the shelf. Her heart sank as she realized it wasn’t there. Where could they have taken it? Flipping her phone up, she used the flashlight on the back to look around the room. Hoping they only moved it and didn’t take it somewhere else. Izabella didn’t find a trace. She was running out of time. She even looked to see if she could find a book that could pass as an old journal, just in case they were able to open the case, she found nothing.

Tip-toeing back into the office, she went back over the books there. Hoping and praying that she would find what she was looking for. Her hands were shaking, and she could feel herself starting to panic. Tyler wouldn’t have sent that message unless something was really going wrong with Bram. He knew where she was and what she was doing. Tears started to crowd her eyes, and she wiped at them angrily. She didn’t have time for this. Nothing in the room made her think it had come out of the case. Though there were a number of new books she didn’t recognize.

Slipping back into the hall, she started to wonder where else it could have been relocated. Glancing at the warning again, the pain in her chest grew worse. Bram really wasn’t doing well. She wondered if Eudom was okay. In a last-ditch effort, she called out. “Pastor Tom. I need to talk to you.” She said it loud enough near the door down the hall. It was the only one he would have been able to come out of quickly enough to nearly catch her earlier. It was an old sitting room the women of the church used to meet to make crafts and have their own little bible studies. She imagined he must be staying in there because there was an old day bed. She heard shuffling behind the door and it opened a crack as his large blue eyes looked out at her.

“Izzy? By God, what are you doing here?” The door opened slowly. His eyes scanning the hall as if he were expecting to see others with her. Disappearing for a moment, he came out with a robe on. “How did you get in here?”

“First off, I still have a key. Second, I don’t have a lot of time. I need to know where the lock-box that was in the library ended up.” She was shaking in the hall and wrapped her arms around her chest.

“I… I don’t have it anymore.” His eyes suddenly narrowed on her. “What do you know about it?” He opened the door, waiving her into the room.

Izabella took a deep breath. Quickly trying to explain what she could in the least amount of time. “Look, I know you’re not just a Pastor. I know dad wasn’t either. You’re looking for a room full of magical items that he was protecting. The reason you can’t find it is because he had help from a friend to protect it. Bram, my fiancé, was accidentally stabbed by one of the weapons in the room and I need to find out how to fix it. It’s killing him right now.”

Tom’s hands wound through his hair as he stared at her. “Have you known this all along? I have so many questions.” He sank into a chair. “Who’s this friend? Is she the reason why your dad lost sight of what’s important? How does that box fit into this whole story?” Izabella reached over, covering his mouth with her hands.

“That book tells me how to use the items in the room. They were kept separate so that if someone found the room, all it’s secrets wouldn’t be found with it. I need that book Tom, where can I find it?” Izabella knelt in front of him.

He looked at her skeptically, “You just told me Matt kept them separate so that others couldn’t use what’s in the room. Now you want me to give you that information so that you can?”

“Tom.” She sighed, “I’m the new protector. My father left it all to me. I didn’t have somewhere to keep it safe. I do now. And, like I said, I need it to save Bram. Please, Tom. I love him. I can’t lose him. Please. Please, help me get it back. I can’t give you access to the room, but I can let you see it. I can bring you there, and I can explain more later. I need that book now though.” She jumped as an emergency text came through again.

**IZ YOU SHOULD COME HOME. THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR ONLY CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE.**

“Tom!” She turned the phone, there was no stopping the tears now. “Please. Where is it. I can’t say good-bye. I need him.” She was clinging to the bottom of his robe, crying uncontrollably.

“Izzy, it was brought to the Vatican. I don’t know what to tell you. The hunters left with it days ago after the fire. They’re moving us completely out of here and will be taking over the church to do a complete scrub of the area so that they can find the room.”

“Tell them it won’t work. They’re not going to find that room. Do you know when they were supposed to be flying, what did their itinerary look like?” Tom ran to his computer and pulled up some information for her. She flew back into the office, pulling Tom and his computer with her. “Hold on.” Grabbing the staff, she held Tom’s arm as she clicked the password onto the shelving.

“What the!!” Tom vomited in the center of the room as they landed. “Is this it?” He asked excitedly, wiping at his mouth. Izabella snagged his arm, grabbing the dagger and tapped the ring. Once again, they were whisked through the shadows, landing in the attic. She could hear everyone panicking downstairs. Eudom’s eyes watched her, they were burgundy, and she could have sworn she heard him sniffling.

“Izzy wasn’t here. Bram…” Eudom said, working to stand. His too pale face was paler. She’d never seen him cry, but what looked like black tears were gathered in the corners of his eyes.

Izabella shook her head. “I’m sorry about this, Eudom.” She heard the door to the attic open. “But I need to get to Amsterdam. That’s where the others are currently laying over. I even have the hotel room and number. I can still—” His arms wrapped around her, holding her close. “I can still save him.”

“Izzy, he’s gone.” Eudom said, pressing his forehead into her shoulder. “Our Bram is gone.”

Gavin walked up to them, pulling both close. “I’m sorry. Before it happened, I told him you were trying to save him. I told him you loved him. He’s gone. Tyler felt his passing. I’m so sorry Izabella.”

“No, I won’t—” Izabella suddenly found it too hard to breath. She could still feel it, that burning sensation in her chest, it couldn’t be over. “He’s not gone!” She pushed away from them, running down the stairs and toward the bedroom. Before she entered, she could hear the grief on the other side of the door. Fear stole over her. He couldn’t be gone. No. Not Bram. Not now. Not really.

As she entered, Tyler looked up from where the children collected around him. “Iz, I…”

“Don’t!” She rounded the bed, going to where she usually sat. Bram’s skin was cold, but that was always true. Well, unless they were together. Curling up next to him, she rubbed his hair back off his face. “Bram, baby?” He didn’t move. “Tyler, I need you to leave. Gavin too. Eudom and Tom can stay. Children, I need you to go downstairs and wait for me.”

“What are you going to do?” Tyler’s and Izabella’s green gazes locked.