and Zara popped up after her like she’d fallen in love. “Bear,

  make sure you order something early. You need to arrive in

  West Somerton way before daybreak.”

  “I might need to go to bed now,” she joked.

  “Really, bear, you know the Church frowns on anyone

  stealing from them. What you’ll be doing won’t exactly be

  stealing, but we need to borrow something they don’t even

  know they have.” Her grandfather shook his head as if what he

  was saying should’ve been apparent.

  “Let’s hope there isn’t a lot of lightning tomorrow, then.

  I’d hate to get struck for theft so early in the morning.”

  ✥ ✥ ✥

  Yasmine stood in her bathroom and laughed at the turn this

  trip had taken. Their parents would blame her for what the

  Breeden couple had offered, but turning the opportunity down

  was something she didn’t want Zara to do. A doctorate from

  Oxford would open so many more doors than if she stayed

  home, and at least one of the Hassani sisters should set out to

  wherever the wind blew them.

  Jane and Percy were wonderful people, and they again

  made her think of the differences in their families. Levi had to

  be the luckiest person in the world when it came to the

  blessings of family. Their bear was a wonderful person, and

  the nickname fit. Levi was big and strong, and when she held

  her, Yasmine felt like nothing bad could touch her.

  She came out and smiled at Zara, who was sitting on her

  bed. “Congratulations,” she said, kissing Zara’s forehead.

  “Would you hate me if I said yes?” Zara brought her knees

  up to her chest and hugged them to her. “What will Mama say?

  Will she be crushed? Will you?”

  “I would have a problem if you said no. Remember that I

  will always help you as long as it’s something you want.” She

  put her arm around Zara. “If anyone deserves this, it’s you.

  Don’t let anything stand in your way.”

  “I didn’t think this would make you cry,” Levi said, joining

  them and sitting on the other side of Zara.

  Yasmine wasn’t surprised when Zara shifted and pressed

  against Levi.

  “I apologize if I overstepped, but I thought you’d

  appreciate having another option. If you’d be more

  comfortable in New Orleans with me, I’ll get you the same

  thing at Tulane. With Granny, though, your education is going

  to be more complete.”

  “Oxford is a dream come true, thank you.” Zara threw her

  arms around Levi and squeezed her. “I’ve been dreaming of

  finishing somewhere else, but it was only that, a dream.”

  “I promise I’ll come and visit if you decide to stay, and

  Granny was serious when she said she has room. You’re

  young and I’m sure you’ll be interested in having a little fun.

  They won’t get in the way of that, but it means you’re not

  alone here either.” Levi dried Zara’s tears and didn’t let her go.

  “I’ll feel better if you stay for your first semester and get a feel

  for the area before you decide on going anywhere else. And

  there’s one more thing, but I don’t want to insult you.”

  “I doubt you could do that,” Zara said.

  “I wanted to give you a stipend to do some work for me.

  It’ll be like a retainer. On-the-job training kind of thing.”

  “Are you trying to make me love you more than I already

  do?” Zara cried some more. “Thank you, Levi. None of this

  would’ve happened if it wasn’t for you, so don’t deny it.”

  “You’re welcome. My grandmother knows how to get in

  touch with us tomorrow if you need us.”

  “I’m going to call my friends and share the good news.”

  Zara kissed them both good night and closed the door behind

  her.

  “Did I overstep?” Levi asked Yasmine when they were

  alone.

  “You are the best thing that’s happened to us. I’m not sure

  if you understand how happy you’ve made her, but you have.”

  She slid closer to Levi and took her hand. “I didn’t know how

  to deal with you when we met, but now I don’t know how to

  let you go.” The admission was more than she wanted to say,

  but there was no denying it.

  “Promise me one thing,” Levi said before kissing her with

  enough passion to make Yasmine want to strip her clothes off.

  “What?”

  “Take it one day at a time. Don’t make any rash decisions.”

  “Levi, I only know what you’ve told me, and we’re so

  different. You’re used to living your life a certain way, and it

  makes me afraid that you’ll get—” She couldn’t be one of

  many and share Levi. No matter what happened, that she

  couldn’t do.

  “Bored? Is that what you were going to say? My track

  record isn’t great, and I can see you might not want to take the

  chance, so I want to take it slow. Neither of us have any

  experience with anything like this.” Levi kissed her again.

  “Am I right?” Yasmine nodded. This conversation wasn’t

  filling her with confidence for the future. “All I’m asking is

  that you talk to me about the things you’re thinking and

  feeling.”

  “Are you sure?” She wanted Levi to be sure because she

  wasn’t sure of anything. “I don’t want you to be unhappy

  because you feel trapped.”

  “Honey, to be honest I’m not sure what the hell I feel right

  now, but I’m not unhappy with what’s happening.” Levi held

  her like she had Zara, but her touch was hot. “Are you ready

  for bed?”

  “I need to change,” she said, not wanting to move away

  from Levi.

  “Go ahead, I’ll wait.” Levi sat until Yasmine came out in

  her robe. She put up no resistance when Levi led her across the

  hall and pulled the covers back on her bed. “Let me hold you,

  if only for tonight.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because I want every moment I can get with you, and I’m

  willing to take it slow. I’ll keep saying it until you believe

  me.” Levi put her hands under the robe but kept them still on

  her hips. “Will sleeping beside me bother you?”

  “No.” She lay down and pressed herself to Levi’s side. “If I

  didn’t say it, thank you for Zara. She’s been trying to escape

  from the time she started university, and you’ve given her a

  ticket out.”

  “What about you, honey? What do you want?” Levi started

  caressing her back.

  “I don’t know how to answer that.” No one had ever asked

  her. From the moment she was born she’d been pulled and

  pushed in the directions everyone else had chosen for her. Her

  one rebellion had been Nabil, but even he’d had his own

  agenda.

  “I’m asking you,” Levi said, moving until she was leaning

  over her. “What do you want? What will make you happy?”

  “I can’t answer that now, but let’s try what you said.”

  Yasmine reached up and touched Levi’s face. It had started to

  invade her dreams, and if she wanted not to suffer for the rest

  of her days, it was time to get Levi out of her head and, more

  importantly, her heart. “Let’s take it one day at a time.”

  ✥ ✥ ✥

  “Yes, sir,” Graham said in the back of the car one of

  Digby’s men was driving. The exhaustion of the flight

  combined with sleeping in the back of this small hellhole was

  giving him a headache. They’d had no choice but to move

  when the Land Rover pulled out of the drive at a little after

  three in the morning. “Levi is driving, and the woman is next

  to her. Dr. Breeden is in the back and they’re heading east.”

  Cristian flipped through some paper on his end and made a

  grunting noise. “Were you able to find out anything about

  what prompted her to travel?”

  “They’re traveling with what appears to be files, but the

  scrolls and everything else must be locked up in New Orleans,

  since I haven’t seen any special crates. I’ll call you when we

  see where she’s going and what she’s doing.” The driver hung

  back but kept Levi in sight. It was too early for traffic, and

  they didn’t want to get spotted.

  “Hopefully you’ve watched Levi long enough to know

  how she works. There are never any unnecessary steps when

  she’s looking for something. Moving this early means she’s

  probably going somewhere close and doesn’t want an

  audience.” Cristian flipped through more papers.

  “Has Digby heard anything about Baggio or Chadwick?”

  Europe was stricter about guns than the US, but Digby had

  taken care of that as well. None of them trusted the cardinal

  and what he was capable of doing to get what he wanted.

  “Someone flagged Levi and the Hassani sisters’ passports

  when they entered the country. They weren’t stopped, but

  someone was alerted that they entered the country. It’s not a

  stretch to figure out who wanted that information.”

  The man in the passenger seat had been focused on the side

  mirror for too long. “What’s wrong?”

  “Two cars back. It’s been with us since we left the house.

  Stupid to try to follow us at this time of morning in no traffic.”

  “Cristian, let me go and I’ll report as soon as we’re done.”

  The knowledge they were being followed fired his

  adrenaline, and he turned and peered back. It was another large

  SUV with tinted windows. This was so much more than a

  treasure hunt, and they needed to find more information before

  they disappeared beneath the church’s underbelly.

  “Do you have any backup?”

  “There’s another team. I called when we started driving.

  It’s going to take time for them to catch up.”

  Graham shook his head and turned to see Levi’s vehicle.

  “We might not have a lot of time.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “Turn left at the end of this lane.”

  Nearly four hours after they’d set off from London, Levi

  did as her grandfather said and saw the church in the distance.

  She’d never been here, but her grandfather was good at finding

  needles in a field of haystacks.

  It was still early and there was no way the church would be

  open, so Levi pulled over and parked across the street. “Looks

  old,” she said.

  “St. Mary’s is one of the oldest churches in England,” her

  grandfather said, pointing between the seats. “The only viable

  option for Andraste’s warrior queen was Queen Boudica. She

  was way too early to have anything to do with the Templars,

  but her courage against the Romans is legendary. The Norfolk

  area is her land and takes care of that part of the clue.”

  “What about the serpent’s bite? And how does this church

  relate to Boudica?” Yasmine asked.

  “Is it inside or out?” Levi asked.

  “Inside.” Her grandfather had a big smile on his face, and

  he wiggled his eyebrows.

  “I guess I should be happy you and Granny taught me how

  to pick a lock.” She laughed and slapped hands with him.

  “We’re breaking into a church?” Yasmine sounded

  outraged. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? If this were a

  mosque we’d be jailed. Why don’t we wait until they open?”

  “If we ask permission to take whatever is hidden in there,

  we’ll never get to see it. If we go in there and borrow it, we’ll

  get our next clue and eventually turn everything over to the

  proper authorities.” This wasn’t the best way to convince

  someone who obviously believed in following the rules, but it

  was true.

  “Then let’s go before you both have to talk our way out of

  jail.” Yasmine winked at her, and it made her laugh. “If I go to

  jail, it will be a blow to our friendship.” Yasmine was joking,

  but Levi figured there was truth buried in there.

  They stood across the street and studied the church. It was

  a beautiful old building with a cemetery next to it. The best

  way in was through the gate to the graveyard, and once

  through, they headed to the side door. Levi made quick work

  of the old lock, and they followed her grandfather and the light

  of his flashlight.

  The church was simply decorated and without a lot of

  embellishments. Percy pointed to the back corner. “The statue

  was a gift when the church was consecrated,” he explained.

  “The records don’t indicate who gave the gift, but the senior

  vicar told me it was from an old family in the area. They claim

  to have ties to Boudica.”

  “Makes sense. There are a lot of old families still in the

  area. Churches have always been good places to hide things.”

  She walked around the statue of St. Michael, amazed at how

  realistic it was. It was like he’d come to life at any moment,

  and the serpent under his foot looked like it could kill you if

  you put your hand anywhere near its mouth. “Whoever

  donated this may have known of the clue and what’s hidden

  here.”

  “I wait for my love in time in the land of Andraste’s

  warrior queen. To find me, you must face the serpent and defy

  the poisonous bite like my love defied the paradise of eternity

  for me.” Yasmine recited the clue they’d found, and the words

  echoed against the old stone walls. “I didn’t think it would be

  this easy.”

  “Once you find the bread crumbs, it is pretty easy. I’ve

  always been struck by the beauty and mystery of this statue,

  and when Levi read me the clue, it felt right. If Levi hadn’t

  found the scrolls and also found you to translate them, it

  would stay buried,” Percy said.

  Levi aimed the flashlight in the mouth of the snake but

  didn’t see anything that would unlock anything. “If it’s a trap,

  let’s hope time has sapped the strength of whatever poison

  they put in here.”

  The inside of the mouth was smooth except for the outline

  of the forked tongue. She pressed on every surface, but

  nothing happened. They had to hurry, since it would be hard to

  explain what they were doing or how they got in if the vicar

  was an early riser or if the people in the housing estate nearby

  were out early. She dropped to her knees and moved closer.

  This view made her notice something she’d missed.

  “Look at the eyes.” She got even lower, and they pressed

  in around her. “They’re Templar crosses.”

  “It has to be something, then,” Yasmine said. “Otherwise

  they’d just use plain stones, right?”

  “You have to defy the serpent’s bite,” Levi repeated. She

  moved her fingers from inside the mouth to the fangs and

  pressed hard on both. They moved a smidge. In the quiet of

  the church, the click was almost loud.

  “You heard that, right?” her grandfather asked.

  “We need to find what it opened.” She handed Yasmine the

  flashlight and used the one on her phone to study the front of

  the statue.

  The base was no different, but she glanced up when

  Yasmine gripped her shoulder. The sword St. Michael held had

  a hinged piece hanging open from the bottom. Something had

  come partially out of the hollow of the hilt. Levi reached up

  and pulled until a key emerged that was about four inches long

  and heavy. Once it was in her hand, the hinge popped closed.

  “Great, what does this go to?” she said, holding it up.

  “It looks like there’s faint writing on the side,” her

  grandfather said, looking at it closely.

  “De Tourville.” The name was familiar, but she had to

  think to place it. “Guillaume de Tourville was an English

  Master of the Templars in 1292, I believe.”

  “I think you’re right, but what does it open?” Her

  grandfather studied the key more closely, running his fingers

  over it gently.

  “If this place is nine hundred years old, then he could’ve

  had some history here.” She stood and surveyed the inside of

  the church as a whole. “There.” She pointed to a set of stairs in

  a shadowed, overgrown corner that led down. “Think in the

  land of Andraste’s warrior queen and eternity. It’s a tomb.”

  The key slid into the rusted lock and protested as it turned,

  the click audible as the thick ancient wood door slowly swung

  open. They went down into the total darkness, and from the

  beam of the flashlight saw about thirty sarcophagi covering the

  floor of an enormous room. It smelled of mold, damp, and

  dust. Green streaks on the external wall started at the slits in