The Dreamwalker [ON HOLD]

Chapter Three

The diary sat heavy in the palm of Adela's hand. It wasn't a large diary or particularly thick, but it felt like it had been around for thousands of years, loaded with secrets that weren't meant to be known. It was bound with leather which had been dyed the colour of turquoise. There was also beautiful raised embroidery on it—of leaves and feathers—with gold-foil highlights bordering the edges. What caught her attention, just as it did online, was the symbol of a royal crown that sat at its centre. Now that she had it in her hand, she noticed that the crown was embellished with a beautiful gem; a stone of the same turquoise colour that enveloped the diary.

What could this mean? Adela wondered, tracing her fingers along the crown. She couldn't deny it: the diary was beautiful. And real. There was no doubt about that. The diary was as tangible as the breath she took... yet the mysterious man hadn't been. But how? It didn't make sense to her. How could he have left something behind if he wasn't real? Worse still, what if this didn't belong to him at all? What if the diary had been there all along and her mind had conjured up an image of a random person without her realising it, making him read something that already existed?

Her body trembled at the thought. Nope. She refused to believe that it had all been in her head. She didn't want to have another reason to go see her therapist. Her sessions were already taking a toll on her and she was still in the same position as she had been since her dreams began.

Since coming across it yesterday, Adela had no idea what to do with the diary. She considered prying it open, but she didn't want to damage the brass clasp that bound the diary shut if she fiddled with it. It didn't help that the clasp had some sort of lock on it, too. She had seen the way Mystery Man turned over its pages ever so delicately, as if he was worried about it falling apart with a single touch. Then again: If he could open it, why shouldn't I? She examined the clasp for what felt like the hundredth time and ever so gently, began to pick at the lock. But as suspected, it wouldn't budge. She tried again, and again, and again. When it still wouldn't open, she gave up and placed the diary onto her desk.

I wonder how he opened it? She thought as she began nervously biting at her nails. While she knew the possibility was very, very thin, she couldn't help but wonder if the diary belonged to her mother. She didn't know anyone else, personally, who held the same initials. She also couldn't imagine the diary belonging to someone well-known, like Ilya Tolstoy – ha! She then began to wonder if Mystery Man had deliberately left the diary behind for her to find. Could he have? Did he? Or was it all a coincidence? Maybe.

But Adela had a feeling that it could be something more...

Did Mystery Man know her mother?

He couldn't possibly...

No.

No way.

Adela shuddered at the prospect, then let out a sigh. She knew she was being absurd. But the truth was, the diary was her first real clue since her mother's disappearance—in her mind, at least. The initials had to mean something; Mystery Man had to be real. Adela was desperate for answers. She was tired of waiting for the police; tired still of wondering when—no, if—her mother would ever make it back home...

Her mother was Adela's only family...

In that moment, a thought struck her.

The website! The website with the diary.

Adela opened her laptop and typed in her mother's maiden name again: Irina Taali. Like earlier, the website titled Zmeyan Histories came up. She clicked on the link and scrolled down to the image of the diary. Sure enough, it was the same diary—the same colour, with the same patterns, and the initials i.t. printed on the back with something incoherently scrawled beside it. Adela grabbed the diary from her desk and turned it over. She frowned. Unlike the unclear image on the website, nothing else followed the initials at the back of the diary itself. It simply read: i.t.

There had to be more, surely! Adela furrowed her brows in concentration as she scrolled through the website. After a few breath-hitched minutes, she slumped back into her chair. There wasn't much about the diary on the website itself. All she found was a very brief sentence about 'souls' and 'dragon blood' that made absolutely no sense to her whatsoever. It didn't help that the website itself looked as if it was put together by someone so obsessed with conspiracy theories and ancient myths and legends that they felt the need to persuade others of their insanity.

Still... what was an image of the diary doing on a website like this?

Scrolling back down to the image, Adela noticed a caption, in the smallest font—so small that she was surprised she managed to read it—that read:

"Yep, it's official: I've gone mad!" Adela said as she let out an incredulous laugh. She slumped into her chair, but not before grabbing the diary off her desk once more to trace her fingers along the breathtaking gemstone that sat at the centre of the crown. There was something so precious about it, she wondered if it held any value.

Of course! How could I forget?

Adela opened up a new tab on her browser and typed in 'antique specialist'. A whole bunch of different antique stores popped up, some nearby in her town and others in surrounding areas. None of the options interested her. She was looking for a specific antique specialist, one that her mother often visited. If she could only remember the name...

"Hazelbrook Cottage Antiques, nope. The Old Bank Bazaar, nope... Ugh, what was his name? Something Zane..." Adela mumbled to herself as she scrolled through the different options. And then she found it.

She grabbed the diary and headed for the door.

What do you think is inside the diary?

Do the initials belong to her mother?

Also! Thank you so much for reading Chapter Three! I really hoped you enjoyed it. Please show your support by voting, commenting, and adding the story to your reading list!

I appreciate all feedback, so, leave your thoughts in a comment below or as comment throughout. All feedback will help me improve my story!

Enjoy Chapter Four! xx