Luca sniffled, a single tear tracking down his cheek. I sensed relief, wonder, elation, but no sadness, so I just held him, smoothing my hands over his back to keep him grounded.

“That’s something, I suppose?” he said after a moment, wiping at his face. “But there’s no other information recorded for him except his name and the crossing dates. I have no idea where he could be or if he’s even still alive.”

“Hold on…” Another realization was suddenly rushing at me. Keeping my mate steady in my lap, I reached back to collect the book I’d left open on the table. I’d dismissed the text earlier as it felt insignificant. There was no author attached, only that same seal I hadn’t recognized, but now that I knew it belonged to Zadok…

“These journals contain a mixture of spells and diary entries.” I flipped through several pages until I found the one I needed. “Here. This is dated a few months before Zadok’s disappearance. It’s a little vague, but there are mentions of a farmstead in the Outerlands. Rosewood Creek. It’s worded as nothing more than a fancy, says he’d learned of its existence and dreams of one day taking his mate there and raising a family together, but I wonder if he went by himself?”

“I mean, it’s a longshot, but… Rosewood.” Luca released an incredulous laugh. “It surely can’t be a coincidence that this guy’s fantasy home is named after my mom, can it?”

Rosemary. Of course.

“There has to be a catch,” he carried on, flailing his arms as his agitation rose. “Or it’s all a trick of some sort. How can we have gone from nearly a year without finding a crumb to a secret door appearing that can only be accessed by portal—which we just so happened to find a book about months prior, by the way—then to all of this? It feels too good to be true.”

“I agree.” I kept my tone gentle. “But it’s the only lead we have, pet.”

“I know.” He sagged. “I suppose he organizes shelves the same as me, so it’s pretty much a sure thing, right?”

Humor was a positive sign, but my mate often used it as deflection, so I tipped his chin up with my finger, coaxing him to meet my gaze. “If you do not wish to go any further than this, I understand. You have his name, and a possible location. If that is enough, we don’t have to pursue it.”

Luca snorted, and I already anticipated his response. “You know who you’re talking to, yeah?”

“The boy who would never dream of giving up until his curiosity was sated,” I said, amused. “Yes, I am aware.”