I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small leather book, my fingers shaking as I opened the cover.

The first page was blank, except for a single signature written in dark, wet ink.

It was Ethan’s signature.

But the date at the top of the page was not from thirty years ago.

It was from today.

And the title on the cover of the book was one I had never seen before.

“The Empty Castle.”

I closed the book, my hand trembling as I looked at the back of Ethan’s head.

He didn’t turn around. He just kept his eyes on the road ahead, his hands tight on the steering wheel.

And the cab drove on, into the heart of the storm, as the snow continued to fall.

And the silence in the car was the loudest thing of all.

The headlights cut through the white, revealing the dark road ahead.

And the promise was finally ready to be kept.

But the price was still waiting to be paid.

I looked at Lauren, her small face soft in the light of the dashboard.