perhaps she had chosen to present herself to me in this image, knowing that one day I would see this painting and recognise her.
Whatever the reason for the striking coincidence, it was her prediction that influenced me to compile this account of Albray, and the quest to secure the treasures entrusted to our family line. On my honour, every word of this account is true.
Dear daughter, if you are reading this journal and have found the treasure stone of my knight, then perhaps you are the one who will free him? If you do, I assure you that you shall find a friend and guardian beyond reproach, whose wise counsel, bravery and devotion will capture your heart, as surely as it did mine. I am forever in this man’s debt, and if you do manage to succeed where I have failed, dear one, then I am forever in your debt also.
Yours, Ashlee Devere
‘The pleasure was all mine, Ashlee.’ I closed the huge old volume and looked at Albray, who had fallen asleep on my shoulder—an amazing feat since this was his first experience of air travel.
I didn’t want to take my eyes off my lover in case he vanished again and sleep hardly seemed so inviting now that my knight was part of my reality. But my body was begging me to shut down my questioning mind and heightened emotions.
I leant my head upon Albray’s to get comfortable, when I noted a man, seated across the aisle from us, look away quickly when my gaze fell upon him. Under normal circumstances I would not have thought twice about it, but after reading volumes about secret brotherhoods and manipulating bloodlines and romances, I had become overly paranoid. What if the brothers were still trying to create their superbeing? Surely a match like Albray and myself would be of great interest to them.
When I observed him for some time and he didn’t give us a second glance, my guard came down along with my eyelids.
I was thinking of Lillet as I began to doze. I did feel a little guilty for stealing the love of her life, but then again the priestess had urged me not to make the same mistakes as she had regarding Albray and I fully intended to follow that advice.
I recognised the lovely garden I was entering, although I had hardly expected that I would have cause to return here.
When I entered through the gate to find Lillet seated beside the fountain where I had found her before, I was a little disappointed. ‘What are you still doing here?’ I came to stand before her. She rose to greet me, her smile broader than ever I had seen it.
‘I have only delayed that I might bid you farewell.’ She took hold of both my hands. ‘I could not ascend from this place until I thanked you for fulfilling your promise to free Albray and myself.’
‘You must know that I require no gratitude for my actions,’ I stated very definitely. ‘I have been rewarded beyond my wildest expectations, and at your expense, I fear.’
‘No,’ Lillet corrected. ‘The goddess has granted to each of us what we desired the most in life. You have acquired many insights, Albray has found his Grail princess and I shall finally have my union with the creator of all there is. I am to assume my rightful place amongst our foremothers, until such time as I am once again called to take up a physical world incarnation.’
‘I promise I shall do all within my power to ensure that it is a better, more aware world for you to return to.’ I was carried away by the emotion of the moment, but I did mean what I said. Just how I expected to achieve such a promise was quite beyond my comprehension at present. ‘I cannot thank you enough for all your aid.’
Lillet kissed both my cheeks in turn and stepping away she let go of my hands. ‘You take good care of our knight.’
I awoke to turbulence and Albray gripping my arm—the violent, bone-rattling jolts our plane was undergoing understandably made him nervous.
‘Just a few air pockets,’ I explained, which didn’t clarify the problem for him, but my lack of panic set him at ease.
The seatbelt sign was on and I fastened my seatbelt, Albray following suit. ‘A good read?’ He motioned to the large journal that had slid down beside me on the seat.
‘Better than any fantasy fiction novel ever,’ I jested, although I didn’t really read the genre. My eyes drifted across the aisle to find that the man who had been watching us earlier was now absent. Everyone had been instructed to return to their seats for landing, so where was he?
‘Surely you still don’t believe it was a work of fiction?’ Albray challenged lightly. Noting my distraction he touched my cheek and drew my focus back to him.
‘Oh, I believe,’ I admitted freely. ‘But no one else would.’ I removed my seatbelt and rose to look for one of our hostesses.
‘Is something the matter?’ Albray quizzed.
‘I’m not too sure.’ I looked for the hostess who came over when I beckoned to her. ‘There was a gentleman seated here earlier.’ I referred her to the vacant seat across the aisle.
The hostess shook her head. ‘The seat was unoccupied,’ she assured me. ‘Please be seated. We’ll be landing in just a few minutes.’
‘My apologies.’ I sat and fastened my seatbelt.
‘You just said that no one would believe your story, but you suspect we are being spied on?’ My knight cocked an eye, confused. ‘So what do you believe?’
‘People move about in aircraft all the time.’ I waved off the mystery. ‘Or perhaps I was dreaming?’ I considered this likely, as I’d certainly been very tired. ‘I am quite sure there is no one following my family line any more.’
‘You think Molier hiring you was an accident then?’ Albray raised a very good point. If Molier had known I was of the blood, then perhaps other persons knew it too? ‘I can tell you that the brothers kept a close eye on the Deveres and all their descendants,’ Albray said.
