Revealed (Unbound, Book 5)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, feeling sad because my grandfather's hopes were never realized. His words were so optimistic. It made knowing he was murdered so shortly after writing this unbearable to comprehend. It was unfair. They were obviously good people and didn't deserve to die.

For what?

Power?

Angry, I slammed the journal shut and got up. My hand slipped on the top of the bench and hit the side. The panel wiggled like whoever built it had forgotten to secure it with enough screws. I pressed against the bottom and it didn't move.

Shifting, I sat on my knees and leaned forward, and pushed on the side panel at the top. I squinted, seeing a gap between where the seat of the bench overlapped the side. There's no way that was a maintenance problem. Was there some sort of latch so the bench could lift?

I felt around the top, trying to fit my fingers into the gap.

Finally, on the right, I found what felt like a button. I tried to push it up but it wouldn't budge, so I tried depressing it with my palm squeezed in sideways. Sighing, I drew back. My fingertip brushed the surface of the button.

I squealed as the bench clicked.

The front panel of the bench folded down. Then the panel beside it did the same. One by one, the panels opened around the gazebo like dominoes falling.

I scooted backwards until I sat in the center. My mouth hung open. I looked around in awe. Treasure. I thought my dream had been a hallucination to make me feel better, but no. The gazebo wasn't just a place for me to feel safe or be able to relax.

My mom said she'd make sure I would have what I need, and I couldn't believe I could have lost this if Astrid had gotten the land the gazebo was on.

Onyx barked, and I heard her nails on the wood as she jumped to the floor, but I couldn't look away from my discovery. If Onyx wanted me to be alert, I knew she'd growl.

My phone began ringing.

Absently, I pressed the off button to send it to voice mail, but it began again.

Without looking at the screen—thinking it was Islene checking in—I pulled it out of my pocket and answered. "Hello?"

"Nora?"

"Who is this?"

"This is Noreena, right?" a girl asked, and my stomach dropped.

"Duvessa?" I shook my head and looked at the screen to confirm it. "I—You know, right now isn't a great time. Can I call you back?"

"I just have a question."

"Is this about Trevor?" I asked, looking at the benches filled with my mother's books. What happened with him was important, but... I really didn't want to deal with her right now.

"No."

"Then I don't know what you want." I sat back and stared at the books, placing the phone in my lap and placing it on speakerphone.

"I'm just... I'm confused," she said. "I helped them find you, and I... I could use my abilities again. You reversed my punishment, right?"

"You mean you earned the right to access your abilities again by doing a good deed?" I sighed. "That was on you, not me. I built it into the spell at the beginning. It wasn't my place to keep you from magic forever, Duvessa."

"Then did I do something wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, they're gone again."