Chapter 21

The letter from Evelyn sat on the motel table, its edges frayed and its words burning in my mind. The ruby, now locked in a safe at the police station, felt like it was calling to me, its hum faint but insistent.

"You're not seriously considering this, are you?" Jesse asked, his voice tight with concern.

I looked up from the letter, my fingers tracing the postmark. "I have to, Jesse. Evelyn's out there, and she's not wrong. The Circle's roots run deeper than we thought. If there are more rubies, more keys… we can't just ignore it."

Mara, sitting cross-legged on the bed, frowned. "But what if it's a trap? What if the Circle's still out there, waiting for you to take the bait?"

"It's not a trap," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure. "Evelyn wouldn't lead me into danger. Not after everything."

Jesse sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ellie, you've been through hell. We all have. Maybe it's time to let this go."

"I can't," I said, my voice firm. "Not until I know the truth. Not until I'm sure the Circle can't hurt anyone else."

Jesse and Mara exchanged a look, but they didn't argue. They knew me well enough to know I wouldn't back down.

The next morning, we packed our bags and boarded a ferry to Portsmouth. The journey was long, the sea restless and gray. I spent most of the trip on deck, staring at the horizon, the letter clutched in my hand.

"You okay?" Jesse asked, joining me at the railing.

I nodded, though my stomach was in knots. "Just thinking."

"About Evelyn?"

"About everything," I said, my voice soft. "About my mom. About Clara. About how much we've lost."

Jesse put an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. "We've lost a lot, but we've also gained something. We've got each other. And we've got the truth."

I leaned into him, the weight of his words settling over me. "I just hope it's enough."

Portsmouth was a bustling port city, its streets lined with old brick buildings and its air filled with the scent of salt and fish. Evelyn's letter had included an address—a small shop near the waterfront.

"This is it," I said, stopping in front of a narrow building with a faded sign that read "Mariner's Curiosities."

The shop was dimly lit, its shelves crammed with nautical relics—old compasses, rusted anchors, and yellowed maps. A bell jingled as we stepped inside, the sound echoing through the cramped space.

"Can I help you?"

The voice came from behind the counter, where a woman stood, her face shadowed by a wide-brimmed hat. She looked up, and my breath caught.

It wasn't Evelyn.

"I'm looking for someone," I said, my voice steady despite the disappointment. "A woman named Evelyn. She sent me a letter."

The woman studied me for a moment, then nodded. "She said you'd come."

"You know her?" Jesse asked, stepping forward.

The woman smiled, a faint, knowing smile. "I know of her. She's been here, asking questions. Looking for something."

"What?" I asked, my heart pounding.

The woman reached under the counter, pulling out a small, wooden box. "This."

She opened the box, revealing a second ruby necklace, identical to the one I'd found in Haven's Cove.

"There are more," she said, her voice low. "Scattered across the world. Each one holds a piece of the truth."

I reached for the necklace, but the woman closed the box, her eyes narrowing. "Not so fast. Evelyn left something for you."

She handed me a folded piece of paper. I opened it, my hands trembling.

*"Ellie,

The tide takes, but it also gives back. You've found the second key, but the journey is far from over. The Circle's network is vast, and their secrets run deep.

Follow the clues. Trust no one.

Evelyn"*

I looked up, my mind racing. "Where is she? Where's Evelyn?"

The woman shook her head. "Gone. But she left this for you."

She handed me a small, leather-bound journal. I opened it, flipping through the pages. It was filled with notes, sketches, and coordinates—a map of the Circle's network, spanning the globe.

"This is it," I whispered, my voice filled with awe. "This is how we take them down."

Jesse and Mara crowded around me, their eyes wide as they took in the journal's contents.

"Ellie," Jesse said, his voice tight. "This is bigger than we thought. Bigger than Haven's Cove."

I nodded, my heart pounding. "I know. But we can't stop now. Not when we're so close."

Mara looked at me, her eyes filled with determination. "Then we keep going. Together."

That night, we sat in a small, dimly lit pub near the waterfront, the journal spread out on the table. The coordinates pointed to ports across Europe, Asia, and beyond—each one a potential hub for the Circle's operations.

"Where do we start?" Mara asked, tracing a line on the map.

"Here," I said, pointing to a port in Marseille. "Evelyn marked it as a key location. If we can find the next ruby, we might be able to uncover more of the Circle's secrets."

Jesse frowned. "Ellie, this is going to be dangerous. We're walking into the unknown."

"I know," I said, my voice steady. "But we've faced worse. And we've got each other."

Jesse smiled, though his eyes were still filled with worry. "Then let's do it. Let's finish this."

As we left the pub, the sound of the waves crashing against the docks filled the air. The tide was coming in, the water rising higher with each passing moment.

I looked out at the sea, the ruby necklace heavy in my pocket. The tide takes, but it also gives back.

And sometimes, it leads you to the truth.