CHAPTER 631: THE PAGE WITHIN

Jasmine’s POV

The sun was already crashing behind the palace walls when I finally left Otto’s chaotic study.

My head throbbed with too many thoughts dream walking, Drasil trees, prophecies, danger I didn’t understand.

All I wanted was air.

Fresh air.

I stepped into the courtyard, letting the cool evening breeze brush my face. The roses swayed gently, their scent calming my racing heart.

Then I saw her.

Queen Rose.

She stood near the fountain, sunlight touching her vibrant red hair and making her look almost ethereal. Her gown shimmered like water. She looked peaceful.

But my heartbeat spiked.

Auburn.

Yesterday.

Burned by the fire.

And I had laughed.

For a split second, panic held me.

She’s going to punish me.

My feet stalled.

The Queen looked up and smiled.

"Jasmine, my love," Queen Rose called warmly. "Come here, child."

Relief washed over me so fast my knees nearly buckled.

I walked forward slowly, uncertain, but she opened her arms and wrapped me in a soft hug.

Her scent was warm, like lavender and something faintly magical.

My chest loosened.

"Your Majesty..." I whispered, unable to hide the happiness rising inside me.

"How do you find the royal pack?" she asked, brushing my cheek gently as she pulled back.

"It’s... beautiful," I answered truthfully. "And warm. I’m learning a lot every day."

She nodded approvingly. "And your search for your mother’s family? Any progress, dear?"

I swallowed, thinking of Otto’s frustrated curse filled tantrum and the leaf that proved I might not even know what species of wolf I was.

"Yes," I lied softly. "A little each day."

Rose studied me with kind eyes. Eyes that saw more than most but never judged.

"Good," she said. "And Jasmine..."

Her voice lowered, softer, almost conspiratorial.

"Don’t worry about what people say regarding Otto. He is a strange one, yes — but he has a good heart."

I smiled faintly. "I’ll remember that."

She gave a pleased hum.

Her gaze drifted toward the distant mountains before returning to me.

"Do you... miss the Crescent pack?"

The question hit deeper than I expected.

My throat tightened.

I didn’t say a word.

But Queen Rose nodded as if I had.

"It’s alright if you do," she said gently. "It was your home. And I know leaving it couldn’t have been easy."

My eyes stung unexpectedly.

I looked down.

Rose placed a warm hand on mine.

"I’m glad you’re here, Jasmine," she whispered. "Your extended family... they were unfortunate. To abandon your mother? Cruel. Foolish. They didn’t deserve either of you."

Heat flushed up my neck.

"I... I don’t know what to say."

She cupped my face, smiling softly.

"It would be a privilege to have you as a daughter."

I froze, heart thudding painfully, beautifully.

But before I could respond, two guards hurried over and bowed.

"Your Majesty, your presence is required."

She sighed softly. "Duty never sleeps."

She leaned in and kissed my forehead.

"I must go, but I’ll see you later, little one. I have a gift for you."

A gift?

My heart warmed.

"Thank you," I whispered finally finding words to put two and two together.

She squeezed my hand one last time before floating away like a queen carved from moonlight.

The courtyard felt emptier without her.

How I wished she were my own family!

~~~~~~~~~

I wandered toward the lake.

The siren didn’t appear.

Not today.

Not even a ripple.

"Where are you?" I whispered into the still water.

No answer.

Only silence.

I waited a long time.

"Please come out!" I begged. "We need to talk."

Silence.

"I won’t be going anywhere until you come out okay?" I said as I found my way to a rock and took my seat.

There was utter silence.

I sat and held my body as the cold wind blew.

I stayed there for long.

Until the sky turned deep purple.

I knew she wasn’t coming out.

For a split second I started to wonder if pearl has ever been a figment of my imagine.

I wondered if everything that had happened to me was a mere figment of my imagination.

Sad, I returned to my room.

The walls felt close, but comforting.

Safe.

Hildegard hadn’t joined me in the bed yet so I busied myself before she returned.

I carefully set the potion Otto had given me.

I was scared to even go to bed but I didn’t want to sleep without taking it.

I sat on my bed and pulled out Xaden’s mother’s journal again.

The pages were so delicate I barely dared touch them.

I lit my candle and flipped to the last entry I had read, the one where she spoke about my uncle.

I brought the candle closer.

The light flickered.

And something strange happened.

A shape, no, a shadow appeared inside the paper.

Not on top.

Inside.

I frowned, lowering the candle, then raising it again.

The shadow returned.

What...?

I turned the page over.

Nothing.

Turned it back.

There it was again.

A faint, blurred reflection like something trapped between two layers.

My heart thudded.

I tilted the page, watching as the candlelight made the inside shimmer faintly.

"What is this...?" I whispered.

I hesitated only one heartbeat before grabbing the butter knife from my plate.

My hands trembled as I slid the tip along the edge of the page.

The edge shifted.

My breath caught.

It wasn’t one page.

It was two.

Glued together.

My pulse roared in my ears.

Carefully, slowly, terrified of tearing something sacred, I wedged the knife between the layers.

A soft rip.

A whisper of old glue giving way.

And then...

The hidden page separated.

Revealing ink.

Words.

Bright intact words.

Two full pages filled with words that went concurrently.

I couldn’t believe it.

I quickly delved into it and began to read the new source of information.

The page ended with His mother’s words.

"I’m worried about Aiden, worried about what he desires to use it for when he finally finds it."

Aiden was my Uncle’s name.