Chapter 256

As panic threatened to overwhelm me, Lucas stepped forward, his expression determined. "What are you thinking?"

"I didn't think they'd want me back at the palace so soon... I mean I just got back. How am I going to be able to keep up with everything?"

"Shana, you'll be just fine. Traveling through the portal will save you a lot of time, and if you need anything I'm here," he assured me. His support grounded me, reminding me that I wasn't alone in this

"But what about school?" I fretted, the weight of my responsibilities pressing down on me.

Lucas squeezed my hand reassuringly. "You'll be fine, your training will probably only last an hour or two. And I doubt it'll be during school hours." Seeing the uncertainty on my face, Lucas continued, "School's almost over anyway, and then you won't have to worry about it anymore."

I nodded, grateful for Lucas's level-headedness in the midst of my turmoil.

With a deep breath, I tried to focus on the task at hand. "You're right. I'm freaking out over nothing. I'll get all the details from Liam tomorrow."

"You're not freaking out over nothing, this is a big change in your life," Lucas replied, wrapping an arm around me to comfort me. "It's going to take some getting used to."

Lucas's words were a soothing balm to my frayed nerves. His unwavering support grounded me, reminding me that even in the face of uncertainty, I wasn't alone.

"Thanks, Lucas," I murmured, leaning into his comforting embrace. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, his touch sending warmth coursing through me. "You don't have to worry about that, Shana. I'll always be here for you."

"We need a plan," I said, pulling away from Lucas and addressing both Lucas and Grandma Jo. "I want to be prepared when I leave tomorrow."

Grandma Jo nodded in agreement. "You're right, dear. We'll make whatever arrangements are necessary. Do you need anything for your training?"

"I think I have everything," I replied. "I'm not exactly sure what they'll want me to wear or bring..."

"I'll start making dinner then," Grandma Jo answered, getting up from the couch. "You're going to need a hefty and hearty meal to prepare you for tomorrow."

I thanked her as she left to go to the kitchen and my eyes settled on Lucas who stood in front of me.

Lucas nodded, his mind already churning with ideas. "We should talk to Professor Black and explain everything we can."

"The locked book?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Yes," Lucas said, turning behind him to make sure that Grandma Jo didn't overhear. "The book and about what happened in the palace. He should know everything."

I agreed, and grabbed Lucas's hand to drag him upstairs to my bedroom so we could talk privately.

Once we were sat on my bed, I took out my phone.

I quickly dialed Professor Black's number, my heart pounding with anticipation. After a few rings, his familiar voice echoed through the line.

"Hello?"

"Professor Black, it's Shana," I began, trying to keep my voice steady despite the nerves gnawing at my stomach.

"And Lucas Busch," Lucas chimed in, looking down at my phone. "You're on the speaker."

"Oh, hey there." There was some rustling on Professor Black's end and the sound of a door closing. "What's going on? How are the both of you after visiting the palace?"

"That's actually what we wanted to talk to you about. It's pretty important." I looked over at Lucas who nodded at me.

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Professor Black responded, his tone alert. "Of course, Shana. What's on your mind?"

"We found a book," I explained, exchanging a glance with Lucas. "It's... special. And we think it might have some connection to the Ethereal Palace."

A hint of surprise colored Professor Black's voice. "A book?"

"It's a locked book that is all about the White Wolf," Lucas continued. "It was hidden in a secret room in the palace. We wanted to open it to see if it could give us any clues."

"I'm sorry, did you say a locked book about the White Wolf?" Professor Black sounded shocked.

"Yes..." I said, waiting for his answer.

It felt like minutes before he said, "And this book left the palace?"

"Yeah," Lucas chimed in, his brow furrowed with concern. "I took the book from the secret room before we left and now it's in our possession."

There was a heavy silence as Professor Black processed our words, his tone serious when he finally spoke. "This is troubling. The palace's defenses are designed to prevent such objects from leaving its confines."

"What? Is it dangerous?" I asked, feeling a chill run down my spine at the thought.

"It's hard to say," Professor Black admitted, his voice tinged with worry. "But given the palace's history and the nature of its contents, there's a possibility that the book may be imbued with dark magic."

"But the book belongs to the White Wolf, not the palace," Lucas reasoned. "Surely it can't have the same bad effects."

"It doesn't matter. That book is probably more powerful than anything that exists in our world. It passed through the portal? Oh... wow... I'm surprised that the two of you haven't had any bad experiences yet."

My heart sank at his words, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon me. "What do you mean by bad experience?"

"That book could potentially be harmful to you," Professor Black explained. "It contains secrets within that we might never understand. The book is probably centuries old... imagine what kind of forces could be tied to it."

"What should we do?" I asked, suddenly panicked that we had made a grave mistake.

"I advise you to return the book to the palace as soon as possible if you can," Professor Black said firmly. "It doesn't belong in the 'normal' world. It belongs within the protective confines of the Ethereal Palace. I fear that if it remains here, something bad could happen, especially if it were to fall into the wrong hands."

Lucas and I exchanged a solemn glance, silently acknowledging the gravity of Professor Black's words.

Returning the book to the palace was the right thing to do, even if it meant facing the unknown dangers that awaited us there.

"Okay. We'll do it," I said, my voice steady with determination. "We'll take the book back to the palace. I begin my training tomorrow... I suppose I can try to sneak it in somehow and return it where we found it."

"Good," Professor Black replied, his tone relieved. "Be cautious, Shana. And remember, if you ever need guidance or assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to me."

"Thank you, Professor," Lucas said gratefully, his voice echoing my sentiments. "We'll keep you updated with anything else that happens."

"Yes, please do. I'm curious to learn how your training goes, Shana. Good luck," Professor Black said over the speaker.

"Thank you," I muttered and with a sense of purpose and resolve, I ended the call.

I looked up at Lucas, my eyes searching his. "Where is the locked book?"