The Diary Keeper ["The Dark Legacies" Series]

Chapter 36: Awakening

I slowly opened my eyes, the remnants of sleep clinging to my consciousness. As the haze cleared, I realized that the graveyard was bathed in the soft glow of the early morning sun.

Confusion washed over me as I sat up, a sense of unease settling in the pit of my stomach. Something didn't feel right. I scanned place, my eyes widening in disbelief.

The ring, the necklace, and Mia's diary were... gone, vanished without a trace. Panic gripped me, squeezing my heart in its icy grasp.

"How... How could this happen?" I whispered to myself, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and frustration. It felt like a violation, a betrayal of the trust I had placed in the security of my own hands.

A sinking realization washed over me. The stolen items were crucial for summoning Mia's spirit, for connecting with the ethereal world that held the answers I so desperately sought. Without them, my quest for understanding was thwarted, leaving me stranded in a state of confusion and uncertainty.

I tried to retrace my steps, to piece together the events that had unfolded. How had I ended up in the graveyard? And more importantly, how had I fallen asleep, leaving myself vulnerable to such a brazen theft? The memories were hazy, fragments of a puzzle that refused to fit together.

It felt like a cruel twist of fate, mocking my efforts and leaving me adrift in a sea of unanswered questions. As I stood up, my legs shaky and weak, the reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. Mia's belongings were irreplaceable, carrying not just sentimental value, but a deep connection to the supernatural world. Without them, I was left in the dark, severed from the guidance and wisdom they held.

And then I remembered everything that had happened - photos, summoning, Mia Lancaster... and...

Undoubtedly, I was hypnotized. It was as if a mystical spell had been cast upon me, weaving its invisible threads through the very fabric of my being. And that was frightening, really frightening.

***
Fortunately, I managed to return to my house until my family got up. As a result, I have one less problem.

I looked at my phone and it was flooded with numerous messages - Martin and his friends invited me to go skiing with them this evening. Well, in my opinion, it's necessarily to find some time for your close people even when you are exhausted as hell after night adventures in the graveyard. Actually, there is no way to explain my tiredness except lying about insomnia.

Despite all odds, I'm still planning to join them and have some fun. Besides all the strange things happening in my life, I also need normal holidays and ordinary impressions.

But it will be in the evening. Now I have some other stuff to do so I just took my smartphone and sent a voicemail to the so-called "partner in crime":

"Kaira, I am visiting you in a few hours. We have some important things to discuss."

***
"So, you just felt dizziness and fell down onto the ground?"

"Yeah."

"And fell asleep?"

"Exactly."

"And Mia's possessions were stolen?"

"God damn, yes!"

Her brows furrowed, forming a deep crease on her forehead, as she struggled to process the sequence of events I had just described. Her lips curled into a slight frown, and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Who it was?"

"I don't know."

"Did you see her face clearly?"

"I haven't seen her face at all."

"And you didn't recognize the voice?"

"No idea whose it was."

"Well, it's worse than I thought..." Kaira sighed.

She seemed unable to fathom the audacity of the situation, the fact that Mia's cherished belongings had been snatched away so brazenly. To be honest, I was shocked as well.

"Did you think about contacting the police?"

"Are you crazy, Kaira? What's it got to do with the police? I was hypnotized by somebody or something unknown."

I couldn't help but respond with an impulsive and somewhat dismissive tone, my words laced with a touch of recklessness. We're dealing with some mysterious, supernatural force here. The idea of involving the authorities seemed futile to me. How could they possibly comprehend the inexplicable nature of what had transpired? It wasn't a matter of theft or a simple crime; it was an encounter with something far beyond our understanding.

"I have to ask you one question," my tone was absolutely serious.

"Go ahead."

"How did you get acquainted with Grace Coleman?"

Kaira's face expression turned shocked. Her widened eyes spoke volumes. Obviously, she didn't expect for such kind of questions.

"I am not allowed to tell you this but... OK. It will be our secret," she told, "Since my parents divorced and my mother moved to Europe to start new life there, my father struggles a lot of difficulties with his business. He owes a lot of money and Grace agreed to help him. They studied together in university," Kaira smiled and continued, "She knew that I'm actually a sorceress and offered me this so-called "part-time job" which is quite rewarding... Don't worry, you will also get a piece of it."

"Who else in your family has or had this gift of magic?"

"Lia, I don't know this."

A seed of doubt took root in my mind. Does Kaira hide anything? The thought gnawed at the edges of my consciousness, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her than met the eye. The uncertainty lingered, casting a shadow of suspicion over our friendship.

"So, you don't trust Mrs. Coleman?" Kaira was curious.

I sighed. In that moment, I acknowledged the weight of the burdens I carried.

"I don't know whom to trust."