Silver at Midnight: A Paranormal Romance Urban Fantasy (The Keepers of Knowledge Series Book 5) by Bridgette O'Hare (best large ereader .TXT) 📕

If a military tank had been sitting on my chest, I would have been able to breathe easier. “I have so many questions right now.” I closed my eyes and focused on the air entering my lungs. Then I pushed it out in a slow, controlled sequence. I couldn’t get wrapped up in the noise. “Okay . . . I need t’ focus. I might get pulled out of here without notice. So, let me take a minute and prioritize my questions. Because let’s not forget, I’m probably bound and gagged in some wacko’s trunk right now. So, I’m going t’ need some information that helps with that first.”

“Fair point. Ask away. I’ll give you what I can.”

“Is there a way I can plug int’ this untapped power ya say I have?”

“I believe you experienced some of it already. You mentioned you received visions when Cian shared his memories with you. His energy supercharges yours, for lack of a better term. It happens with sou— . . . with certain people. It’s like he’s a conduit, but you are the same for him. It’s a mutually beneficial connection.”

“So, just being near him causes it?”

“Once you fully open yourself to accept the connection, you won’t even need to be in close proximity. It will manifest itself. Until then, yes, you need to be near him.”

“You said there was more I should know about Davar Magén in relation t’ me. What is that more?”

“They are of a parallel bloodline to that of your father. Equal, but not the same. I realize it doesn’t explain it fully, but that is all I can say for the time. I do hope you are able to understand what I’m telling you.” He raised both eyebrows and twisted his mouth to one side.

I nodded in response. I understood he was trying to tell me things without actually telling me things. I just needed to figure out how those things fit together. Essentially, what I got out of that was I don’t need to be weirded out over kissing Cian. He is not related to me. I’m sure there’s more; I’ll get back to it.

“Next question . . . and the most important. How do I save Cian? If the Tartaros Blade comes in t’ play, how do I stop that?” I flinched as the scene flashed in my head again.

He exhaled and leaned on the table with his elbows. “I do not know. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing?” I pressed. “You’re telling me this evil blade was forged in hellfire and there is no yin t’ the yang? No way t’ fight it?”

“This blade has existed since the beginning of humanity. The legend surrounding it has never proven to be true.”

“Well, I’ll take what I can get. What is the legend?”

“There is said to be a stone, the Hébel Stone, that fits into the hilt of the blade. Only, no one knows what the Hébel Stone is, only that it bears the Mark of Cain. No one has ever seen it. It is purely a legend.”

After Ruman finished sharing what little he knew of the Hébel Stone, I took in everything he could tell me about the Tartaros Blade. Then he moved on to the Kanna Stone and also gave me some history about the Lunar Ruins and how they were connected to my pendant. Turns out, the Lunar Ruins were once the home to several silver mines. Silver mined from the ruins held certain magical properties. It was referred to as Moon Silver, and two other such mines existed in the world, though Ruman did not disclose those locations. According to him, Moon Silver was the main ingredient in the ink used in not only the journals I had come across but also many other writings and artifacts. The more Moon Silver used, the more transparent the ink would appear . . . or not appear. My pendant had been forged with pure Moon Silver—and another ingredient Ruman would not name—and for this reason the two interacted when they came together resulting in my ability to read the hidden text.

As I listened, my mind boggled at how so many separate occurrences, that didn’t appear to be related, all seemed to be coming together and intertwining. I heard Cian in my head telling me there were no such things as coincidences, and one corner of my mouth lifted.

“What’s that smile about?” Ruman asked.

“Just thinking about how everything is connected.”

“That it is. More than most will every realize . . . You know, Aisling . . . if there were something I could do to help you out there,” he tossed his head slightly to indicate beyond the dream realm, “I would.”

“And I appreciate that, Ruman.”

“Just remember this . . . everything you need to overcome any obstacle, any situation, any threat of harm . . . you have more than enough power flowing through you.”

“Heavenly bloodline? Was that translation accurate?”

A slow nod was all he offered, as if he would be crossing a line to say it aloud.

“I think I understand,” I informed him.

“Does that mean Cian is—”

I didn’t get to finish my question. I was jarred awake by the vehement bouncing of tires over rough terrain.

Twenty-Five

One hard jolt lurched my head back, slamming my skull against the surface behind me. After several rapid blinks, light seeped in, and my surroundings blurred into motion. Rather than coming into focus, everything remained blurred. Instinctively, I tried to flick my wrist and do something about my current situation. No dice. My hands were bound behind me and tingled from the lack of blood.

When the blurs around me began to take shape, I realized I was tied up in the back seat of an SUV. Presumably the one I had seen in my driveway the night before. The one I had thought belonged to Cian. With the driver’s seat in front of me, my focus went straight to the man in the front passenger’s seat—Doppelgänger Cian.