Page 91 of An Enigma for the Lycan Crown Prince

“I hate to be annoying,” I say, while leaning forward toward Vincent. “But Vince, please make a short stop for me.”

“Sure, where?”

“The next gas station,” I say.

“Well, we need to refuel anyway.”

When Vincent halts the car at my desired destination, I make my way straight to the pay phone, dialing the number there. I let it ring three times, before hanging up and head into the gas station, to buy a signal firework. Then I return to my friends.

“What was that?” Flora asks curiously.

Instead of an answer I show her Mom’s second letter. This one is much less personal than the first, and instead carries a few instructions. The instructions lead us further to a small hill close to Silverlake, where I light the signal firework.

“Let’s hope it still works that way,” I say. “When Mom wrote the letter, it was years ago, and things were different back then. Very different.”

“I am sure it’ll still work,” Flora mutters. “He clearly was in on it. He must be expecting you to have received your mom’s belongings now that you are eighteen. I bet he is expecting it.”

Jace looks at us curiously. “Who is in on what? What are we even doing?”

“We are alerting someone,” I explain. “The way Mom instructed me to do it.”

“And who are we alerting?” Vincent asks.

I exchange a look with Flora. “Gamma Tobias.”

twenty-nine

Gamma Tobias

*ELDEN*

My heart is beating so fast, I am scared it might actually jump out of my chest. I thought I had my emotions under control. It’s something Dad beat into me early on, but I can’t help it this time. I feel my hands getting sweaty, and my anxiety rising through the roof. Flora and I are waiting in a small café that I didn’t even know exists. It’s tiny, and almost an hour away from town.

“He is going to come,” Flora says quietly.

“What if he doesn’t?” I say. “What if he didn’t see the signal?”

“He will come. You called the number too,” she says.

I followed everything Mom instructed me to do in her second letter – a detailed instruction about how to get into contact withTobias. The way she used to do it, and the way he will always know it’s either her or me. Mom’s not with us anymore, so he must know it’s been me who contacted him. Maybe I am not worth it for him to seek me out. It’s true that he sent me a birthday present every year, he even did so this time; a beautiful, handcrafted journal with a leather cover, but it doesn’t mean he values me enough to show up.

“There are still so many things I don’t understand,” I admit. “If he doesn’t come today, I don’t know what else to do. He has to have answers or Mom wouldn’t have instructed me to contact him.”

“If he truly doesn’t come,” Flora says. “We will find a way. I am sure Oliver has an idea of where he is. We can start from there and then-”

“Hello, young prince, young luna,” I hear a voice I haven’t heard in many years. I raise my gaze, meeting Tobias’ eyes. He looks tired, and skinnier than I remember him.

“Gamma Tobias,” I say quietly. “You came.”

“I am not gamma anymore,” he says as he sits down.

“To me you still are,” I say.

“To me, too,” Flora agrees.

“You have both matured so much,” he mutters, gazing at us. “Look at you, you are almost adults. Goddess, the time did pass.” He rubs over his face. “Time passed without her.”

“I finally received all the things Mom left behind for me,” I admit quietly. “I am sorry for disturbing you now. I know you probably don’t want to see me or-”