The Year of the Tiger (Book 3 of The Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 62

I stopped crying after a couple of minutes but kept my face where it was. My head pounded as if someone decided to take a hammer and beat it against it with a steady thunk, thunk, thunk. My eyelids felt droopy and heavy, and all I wanted to do was fall asleep.

Marcus sighed and pressed a kiss on my forehead before he cleared his throat and pulled away. He studied me and offered me a grim smile. "Sit," he said and gestured toward the table. "We have things to discuss."

I hesitated but nodded and walked over to the table with Marcus following me. I sat down at one of the chairs, and he walked to the other side and sat down, too. "Well?" I asked and cocked my head while I studied the male in front of me. "What can you tell me?"

"Not much," he admitted. He moved a hand through his hair and sighed. "What I can tell you is that this is a trap. He knows that you don't have time to complete your tiger training before you face him."

I stayed silent because I already knew that it was both a trap and that I wouldn't be able to complete the last bit of training.

Marcus studied me and sighed before he nodded. "Of course," he said softly. "You already knew that you wouldn't be able to finish; didn't you?"

I shrugged and nodded. "I did," I admitted. "And the fact that this might be a trap."

Marcus nodded and moved a hand through his beard. There was a thoughtful look in his eyes while he studied me, and I had a feeling that he was relieved that I knew. "Do you know about the dirt and leaves I had given you?"

"A bit," I admitted. "I know the general part as to where you had gotten them, but..." I shrugged and trailed off.

Hermes hadn't given me the exact location they came from, but he did tell me that it was near where we had lived. He said that I knew the place, but I had no idea what he meant by that.

Marcus nodded and stood, and I stayed seated and watched him. He walked over to the bookcase in the room and pushed away some glasses on one of the shelves. He pushed the bottom of the bookcase shelf and took out a leatherbound book when it opened.

I leaned a bit forward and looked at the book with interest. "What is that?" I asked and looked at the older male.

"Something for you," Marcus replied. He walked over to the table again and sat down before he pushed the book toward me. "It has some notes and other stuff that you'll find helpful." He leaned back and sighed. "A friend of ours helped me make it."

I raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't know about it while you were being controlled?"

He shook his head, no. "I had someone else help me make it so that I wouldn't remember it," he replied. He furrowed his brows and looked down with a thoughtful look on his face. "To be honest, I do not know how I do not remember this, but I do not."

I hesitantly nodded and took the book from him. When I opened to the front page, I saw the words, 'read when you are alone. Close it now. H & K,' so I quickly closed the book and looked at Marcus.

Marcus furrowed his brows and cocked his head. "What?" he asked. "Are you going to read it?"

"Not right now," I replied. "I think I'll read it later."

He frowned and nodded, and a look of disappointment appeared on his face. "You don't trust me," he said, and I snorted and rolled my eyes. "If you did, you would read some of it."

I shrugged, having a feeling that I couldn't tell him the truth as to why I couldn't read it in front of him. "I trust you," I replied. "However, I do not think that it would be in our best interest if I did read this in front of you." I gave him a pointed look, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Do you not trust the person that gave you this thing that I am under?" he asked.

"I do trust him," I replied. I moved a hand through my hair and shook my head. "Can we not talk about why I won't read the book in front of you, please?" I asked, changing the subject. "I don't know what the magical Dark Forces can do, and I don't want to find out, especially if they try something on you."

Understanding chased away the pain in his eyes, and he nodded. "Were you told to read it alone?" he asked, and I nodded in confirmation. He sighed and nodded again before he moved a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. "I think you have been to the area that they are hiding at," he said, changing the subject.

I nodded and furrowed my brows. "What do you mean?" I asked, and he shrugged. I pursed my lips and looked at the book. I had the urge to open the book and read it in front of him, but I felt that it would change the path that we were now on.

Marcus shrugged. "I remember that it was an area where you had visited before. I think we went on a field trip there slightly." He moved a hand through his hair and sighed. "It's blurry, even though I am not under their spell."

I hesitated but nodded. "Do you think that you are under a different spell?" I asked softly and almost hesitantly because I had no idea if what I had said was true. "I mean, that might be the reason why that part is blurry."

Marcus cocked his head and studied me. "I think so," he said. "However, I am not sure who would have done it or why."

I looked at the book he had given me and blinked, staying silent.

'Read it when you are alone. Close it now. H & K,' I remembered reading in the book.

Was it Hermes and Kalron that had written the message in the book? That was the only H and K I knew that seemed to have a hand in what I was doing in life. But why would they not want him to know?

"What is it?" Marcus asked. He studied me, and concern filled his eyes. "What are you thinking?"

I shrugged and wrinkled my nose. "I think that you know someone that I know," I said and moved a hand across my face. "To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised."

Marcus leaned back a bit and bit back a chuckle. "I mean, I know Kalron," he said, the chuckle in his voice. A small smirk appeared on his face, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "But, I don't think you are talking about him."

"Considering that I know that you know him, then yes, I am not talking about him."

Marcus nodded his head slowly. "And, I have a feeling you aren't going to tell me who you're talking about?" Marcus asked and raised an eyebrow.

I shook my head, no. "I don't think that it'd be the best idea," I replied, and Marcus nodded.

"No," he said after a moment's pause. "I don't think that it would be a good idea if I knew either." He paused and cocked his head. "At least for right now, but I hope one day that I will be able to know."

I hesitated and nodded because one day, I hoped that I would be able to tell him, especially since I think I would need Hermes help to bring him back to himself after this Master is gone.