Pain in time

Chapter 18

"We're close to solving the strange text in the books, and that's important." He took a deep breath to hide his shaking voice as his gaze shifted to me. "But I forgot to mention what the queen had told me when she gave me my book. Something that I can't ignore any longer. You must know." The weight of his confession hung in the air, and I waited, my heart pounding with tension and dread. I had no idea what he would say, which scared me the most.

He hesitated to continue explaining. His gaze wandered as if gathering his thoughts. 'What could be so crucial that the queen's words had slipped his mind until now?' Every second stretched, intensifying the suspense. The room seemed to hold its breath alongside me, the silence echoing the weight of his unspoken revelation. Finally, he drew a deep breath and came clean.

"The queen said that you and I bond in a way, as soulmates, entwined by fate." My heart skipped a beat, and the room spun around me when his words sank in. "And I can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, you're the one I have been looking for this long. You appeared out of nowhere on that street back then, and then I saw the book you had with you. A faint voice in my heart told me that it was you."

My heart raced, and I couldn't believe what I heard. His words caught me off guard, yet they resonated in both disorienting and strangely comforting ways. Levi's thumb gently brushed against my cheek as he held my gaze. "Violet, I'm trying to say that you're more than merely an occasional damsel in distress I must save or my dear friend. You're my soulmate—the person who understands me like no one else. And I want to explore that connection if you're willing."

As Levi's words hung in the air, silence enveloped us, punctuated only by the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze outside. My heart, previously racing, seemed to pause, caught in a suspended moment of uncertainty and anticipation. His confession felt unexpected yet deeply sincere and had painted a new meaning onto our relationship.

His thumb, warm and gentle, traced an achingly tender path along my cheek, leaving behind a trail of tingling sensations. Our eyes remained locked, an unspoken understanding passing between us. In that fleeting instant, his touch spoke volumes, conveying a vulnerability and yearning that words couldn't capture.

As if guided by an invisible force, our faces drew closer, the gravitational pull of shared emotions irresistible. Our breaths mingled, the air charged with an electric energy that seemed to bridge the gap between our souls. And then, finally, our lips met—a delicate collision of emotions, a symphony of hopes and dreams.

The kiss was a delicate dance, a meeting of two worlds that had long been orbiting each other. At first soft and hesitant, it gained momentum, a gradual exploration of emotions too long held back. The warmth of lips against mine felt like everything set into place. In that stolen moment, time lost its grip, and the boundaries between us blurred into nothingness. When I think about it again, I perceive that the kiss spoke of unspoken promises, a future yet to happen, and an unordinary connection. With every brush of our lips, a symphony of emotions played out—the unspoken words, the shared dreams, the fragile hopes.

And as the kiss lingered, suspended in the tapestry of time, I felt the undeniable truth of Levi's words seep into me, filling every corner of my being. In that kiss, I discovered a language more profound than words—a language of touch, our heartbeats, and whispered promises. It was a kiss that told a story of two souls finding solace, a connection that defied the odds, and a love that was as boundless as the universe.

As we pulled away, with a heavy sigh, I saw his gaze wandering in the distance again. I wanted to get his attention back, so I gently stroked his hair, and he smiled as he watched me again. I looked at the books and suggested reading the translation of the first page. Levi agreed. "You hold the number one book on soul mates. For the ultimate love spell to work, we recommend lighting some candles, closing the curtains, and keeping a clear mind while you have the second book handy. The following chapters contain different spells to find, attract, and keep your soulmate forever." Levi chuckled and stroked my cheek. "I don't need any magic anymore when I am with you now." I smiled as I kissed him again.

A loud knock on the door made us pull away from each other. I cleared my throat and opened the door. "I made dinner if you're hungry." I nodded as my mom left. In the days that followed our enlightening evening session, our determination burned brighter than ever. We decided to discuss our next steps since we had discovered the critical insights from the book. The intricacies of the Greek alphabet and its historical context had shed new light on the cryptic books, and we were eager to apply this newfound knowledge.

Levi analyzed the spells and various texts in the book. Charlotte's sharp analytical skills came into play as she cross-referenced historical events with the book's content, hoping to find out who is the author of the narrative in several passages. Emily's artistic eye proved invaluable as she examined the book's illustrations, seeking visual cues that could offer additional layers of understanding. Her unique perspective revealed hidden symbolism that had previously eluded us. As for me, I delved into the linguistics of the time, studying the evolution of the Greek language and its syntax. The provided context for the arrangement of words and phrases in the book, gradually allowing us to decipher sentences and paragraphs that had deterred us before.

Late-night discussions in the university's standard room became our norm. Armed with stacks of notebooks, the pages filled with notes, sketches, and musings, we collaborated in weaving together the tapestry of knowledge we had gathered. Our collective excitement was infectious, propelling us through frustration and confusion.

And then, a breakthrough. One evening, as our discussions delved deeper into the symbolism behind a particularly intricate illustration, Emily noticed a subtle pattern in the positioning of figures. This discovery acted as a keystone, unlocking a series of revelations that culminated in the realization that the book was not just a narrative but a guide to a hidden location, a place of great significance.

With our hearts racing and adrenaline coursing through our veins, we set about deciphering the coordinates concealed within the text. Hours of meticulous work led us to a set of geographic coordinates that pointed to a remote land, shrouded in mystery and allure. It seemed odd that the land was located in a different kingdom. 'Why would we have to go there? Are there some answers to our questions? What would I say to my friends who wanted to tag along?' I thought.

When we arrived home from school that afternoon, we finished our homework. As I occasionally glanced at him, I noticed he kept flipping the pages of his book as if he was intensively looking for something. I couldn't help but wonder what had slipped my mind, and he kept thinking about it. After a while, he looked at me with a determined gaze. "I know where we must go to find the needed answers."

"Where will we must go?" I asked, my voice tinted with curiosity. He drew a deep breath as he unfolded a large map of Jantis and the neighboring kingdoms that he found at the very back of our books. "We must visit my homeland," he said as he pointed to a small flag upon the land of Welles. I noticed a white flag with a bright green cross and a red line inside. I looked at him in shock. "What do you mean? It's not even a week that we're together, and I will have to go and meet your parents?" He sighed. "And my sister, too."