7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Lexia

The weather is getting colder, meaning summer is almost over. I have no idea what day it is. Not sure I even know the month we're in or how long we've been at this house. I can only assume we're getting closer to September, though, if we aren't already in it.

I've never had such a boring summer in all my life. Typically summer would include beach trips with my mom. Walks. Sun tanning. Swimming. All I did here is hide away in a house on top of a mountain while my three monster boyfriends work tirelessly to figure out a code for a journal that may or may not help us. Yeah, it sounds crazy to even me.

I'm doing what I do best nowadays—lying on the couch, half asleep. I'm just about there, the fresh breeze blowing through the open window lulling me into sleep, when there's a loud crash upstairs and then shouting.

I'm on my feet and dashing up the stairs before I'm fully awake.

"What is going on?" I shout, running into the room that looks like a post-it monster threw up in. I expect to see them fighting. But they're not. They're hugging each other. All three of them. Smiling wide, jumping up and down, and hugging . "What is going on?" I repeat, this time louder.

"He figured it out!" Lumen shouts, keeping his arm around Slate and shaking him. "He figured out the code."

"He figured out the code?" I ask, my gaze darting to Slate, who is grinning from ear to ear, his cheeks slightly pink.

"He did," Vesperon says with a proud smile. "We have decoded the entire first page of the journal."

"You did?" I say breathlessly, my gaze going to the book. "How?"

"After recounting what Jhaixl said to me, Slate had an idea," Vesperon explains. "There is a type of code we had not tried before because I did not mention the last part of what my friend had said."

"Which was?" I ask, excitement coursing through my veins.

"To memorize it like the handbook. A guardian handbook," Ves says.

"The code goes with the handbook. The numbers and instructions lead to letters and words from the handbook," Slate says proudly.

"We have one of those?" I ask, looking around.

"No, but Vesperon here was a wonderful guardian and had certain pages memorized, as they are supposed to!" Lumen says, patting Vesperon on the back. I've never seen him look so proud.

"Of course we will need a book to finish, as I do not recall every page—"

"But now we know!" Lumen shouts, grinning.

"That means…" I begin.

"That means we'll have more information!" Lumen says, shaking Slate again. My smile is so big it splits my face. Lumen reaches for me, tugging me between the three of them, and I'm squished. I can hardly breathe, but I'm too excited to care. They've been working on this for weeks, and they finally figured it out! This is exactly what we needed. The thing we've been waiting for. This will get us moving to the next step. This is how we will know what needs to be done; where to go from here.

The excitement is soon snuffed out, though, when shattering glass cuts through our laughing. The three of them instantly go into protective mode, Vesperon running into the hall to see what is going on.

"Shadows! Get her out of here," he bellows, that otherworldly voice coming out. It makes him sound just like the monster he is.

Lumen grabs me, holding me tightly to him.

"The journ—" My words are cut off when a bright light blinds me and then my world is spinning. Seconds later, I'm being placed on my feet in an unfamiliar house. My stomach sours and I bend over to breathe so I don't get sick.

"I'm sorry," Lumen says. "I had to move quickly."

"It's… okay." I take slow, deep breaths.

"I will be right back. You'll be safe here."

Before I can argue, he pops out. After a few seconds, my stomach settles, and I stand up straight to look around. This house looks much different from the one on the mountain. This one is fully furnished, warm, and a little messy, like someone has been living in it. The pillows on the couch aren't straight, and there is a throw blanket tossed on it like someone was sleeping there. A couple dishes sit in the sink, and the chair at the table isn't pushed all the way in.

I move to the window and look outside, but don't see anything familiar. Not wanting to disturb someone, in case someone is still here, I stay where I am and take sit on the couch. Minutes pass and my worry begins to grow.

"Come on, Lumen," I whisper. "Come on."

Is he fighting? Did they get caught? What the hell am I supposed to do if they get caught? I have no one to go to. No one who can help. The only other person I know who knows about this is my father, and I have no idea how to get in touch with him. Slate can't even find him. How will I?

Thankfully, it doesn't seem it'll come to that because Lumen pops back in, the bright light blinding me again. Vesperon is with him.

"Are you okay, my love?" Ves rushes to me, dropping to his knees and running his hands all over me to check.

"I'm fine, Ves," I say, getting up to look at Lumen. His hands are empty. "Where is the journal?"

"It and Slate were gone when I got back."

My stomach drops to the floor. "What?"

"He left me to fight the shadows, took the journal, and left,' Vesperon clarifies.

"He wouldn't… He didn't."

"He did," Lumen says, walking toward me. "But this doesn't mean anything. He's probably just protecting it. He doesn't know where we are to meet us so quickly."

"But why wouldn't he stay to fight? Why wouldn't he help Vesperon?"

"Because he cannot be trusted," Ves spits out, as if this is the point he has been trying to prove the entire time.

"We don't know that," Lumen argues.

"We do not know that he can, either," Ves responds.

"Okay, let's not argue," I say, raising a hand. "He found us once, I'm sure he will again. We have to give him the benefit of the doubt before assuming he's betraying us, okay?"

"For how long?" Ves asks. "He is the one who has the code and the journal. There are ways for him to find a handbook. He will decode all of it. Read it. He will know what comes next, while we do not."

"I understand that, Ves, but it doesn't mean he will do that. He could be looking for us right now."

He says nothing back, and neither does Lumen. I don't want this situation with Slate to get between us, and I'm fresh out of ideas on how to keep Ves calm when it comes to the grey.

"Where are we?" I ask, hoping the change of subject will help.

"Another safe house, but this one is occupied right now, so we cannot stay. I will have to go back to my realm to get approval for one that is free."

"I will keep our mate safe," Vesperon says, putting his hand on my shoulder.

Lumen nods, flicking his gaze to me as if to make sure I am fine with that.

"I'll be fine. Just go so we can get settled wherever we go next."

He gives me a sad smile and nods. "I will get all our belongings when it is safe. Especially your blanket."

"Thank you, Lumen."

"There is a bedroom down the hall if you'd like to rest." He looks at Ves when he says it, but I'm reading between the lines. He's telling Ves to get me in there to relax, but I'm not sure Ves gets that.

"I am not tired," Ves answers. Lumen holds his gaze and I want to laugh, but I can't. So I take Ves's hand and head down the hallway to the bedroom, hoping it'll make Lumen feel better. Ves may not be tired, but if I am and I want him to lay with me, he will.

I swipe at the wall for the light switch and am grateful when the room looks untouched. Everything is neat and in a proper place, the bed is made. Tugging Ves after me, I go to the bed and lie down on top of the blankets.

"What happened after Lumen left with me?"

"Shadows swarmed in from the downstairs. I fought as many as I could, but there were a lot. I called to Slate for assistance, but he did not come. I thought they got to him. When I looked, he was not there. Lumen returned and helped me fight, but too many came. We dashed into the spare room to get the journal, but it was gone."

"Is it possible one of the shadows got to it and Slate?"

"No," he says with a firm shake of his head.

"Are you sure, Vesperon?"

"I am certain," he answers, keeping his patience. "The grey never stepped out of that room. None of the shadows got beyond me to go that way."

I believe what Vesperon says. He does not lie, but he could be mistaken. If he was busy fighting off shadows, maybe something else happened? But if what he says is true, and Slate took the journal and left, what are his intentions? Has he run off with the book for nefarious reasons, or did he take it to protect it? Does Lumen really trust Slate, or is he just doing it to be on my side? After all, I am the one who said we should trust him from the beginning. I am the one who gave him a chance. I am the one who gave him every bit of information we have. Was I wrong in doing that? Did I make a mistake? Is this my fault?