Chapter Thirteen

Bella

I bent to pick up the label and saw it, the strange design that caught my eye before, when I first studied the present. I'd seen that symbol somewhere, but where? It just wouldn't come so I put the tag on my desk and left it there hoping the answer would come to me while I slept. All my best ideas came as I slept although I suffered from insomnia now often getting by on two or three hours sleep and not feeling any fatigue. As I thought about this my finger traced the symbol absently, I could trace it all the way round without taking my finger from the paper. That was it, a Möbius strip, a symbol of eternity. I guess it was as good a pattern for a gift tag as anything but I sensed it had been chosen carefully. Was Jasper or my mystery puzzle setter trying to tell me something? A puzzle which started with a symbol of eternity, constancy even, never ending. Well if that was the puzzle I'd failed dismally because I didn't have the faintest idea what it was supposed to tell me. I looked at the bracelet on my wrist, it looked like a Möbius strip too, eternity again.

What about the charms? Were they the puzzle. I took the bracelet off and studied them, a crystal heart, a vampire perhaps, or I give you my heart? Now that was a stupid thought. The next charm was unusual, it was a symbol of some kind but not one I had ever seen before, I'd have to look it up. The next was a star, also made of crystal, a single star, one star, nothing there leapt to my mind and the last charm was another symbol wrought in silver. Not a shape I could recognise so again I was stumped. I needed more brain power on this puzzle than I had. So a heart, maybe a crystal one that signified a vampire? And the single star, they all lay stubbornly silent. If someone were waiting for me to crack this puzzle they would be waiting a mighty long time. Arrogant to think I'd even bother after all that happened but I couldn't just forget about it.

Did I really want to drag it all up again? In all honesty it had never gone away, I just couldn't believe the power of one man's lies. My whole life had been changed by them and not for the better. I was bitter and distrustful and yet I wanted to believe that Jasper was different. In my heart I truly believed he wasn't a part of the charade the Cullens played for my benefit. There was a part of me that wanted revenge although I knew it was only a pipe dream but the other part, called to strongly by this puzzle, wanted to know the truth, the "Why?" behind it all.

I did have a friend who was good at cryptic puzzles, maybe she could help but was I really going to do this? I arranged the bracelet on the desk and took individual pictures of each charm then one of the gift tag and another of the bracelet itself. I decided to take them with me the next day still undecided whether to play the game or not. If so, then Aiysha could demonstrate just how clever she really was. I met up with her at college the next morning and taking a deep breath I pulled out the folder containing the photographs and held it out to her.

"Right brain box, I've got a puzzle for you and if you untangle this one there's free Starbucks for a month, on me."

She smiled at me, Starbucks was her favourite.

"Bring it on Bella. You are in the presence of greatness girl."

I handed over the folder just as our tutor came in so she put it with her books,

"I'll check it out at lunch."

The lecture seemed to drag on but finally we got out into the sunshine deciding to get a sub for lunch and eat it on the grass outside the science block. Once we got our lunch we found a clear space and sat down. Aiysha spread the photographs out looking at them for a while before glancing up at me,

"What about the background story?"

I hadn't thought of that,

"Lets just say it was left for me by an old friend. I only just found it and I'm trying to work out what it says. I think I've got a couple of the clues. The st..."

She waved her hand to silence me,

"No, let me work it out myself, no preconceived ideas of yours."

When the doorbell went that same evening I was puzzled, I didn't encourage visitors, I didn't want to make any close friends so when I heard Aiysha's voice on the intercom I was surprised.

"I think I may have cracked your puzzle Bella".

That was enough for me and I buzzed her in, eager to hear her conclusions although whether I wanted to become involved with a Cullen again, even Jasper, I wasn't at all sure. When she came in she was excited,

"That was a real teaser Bella but I think I know at least some of the puzzle".

I made coffee for both of us as she spread out the photographs on the dining table in order and as I sat down she started.

"Right well you know about the symbol for eternity, a never ending symbol, the gift tag."

"Yes, the bracelet is the same."

"No it isn't actually although you need a magnifying glass to see that, the links are actually linked hearts, now to me that symbolises a closeness that only two hearts meant for each other can achieve but its only a suggestion."

I thought about this, was the puzzle something to do with Jasper and Alice? It seemed more likely than a reference to us.

"OK, what about the charms?"

"Well the first is fairly obvious, a heart made of diamond, so..."

"A diamond?"

"Yes, I had it checked by a friend who has an interest in precious metals and stones. He told me that a diamond is a symbol of purity and steadfastness, although where he heard that he couldn't remember."

"So a pure heart steadfast and closely connected to another."

"Does that mean anything at all to you?"

"Maybe, I'll tell you when you finish."

That's if I could find a way of explaining it without mentioning vampires!

"Right well, the first symbol I've seen before, it's an ancient Egyptian symbol for destiny and Bella, that's even more valuable because according to my friend, even without seeing the real thing, he's almost certain its Lapis Lazuli. Your picture taking was excellent by the way".

"It gets more confusing not less."

"Don't worry we haven't hit pay dirt yet because the next charm seems to be a star, just a star. Does that make sense to you?"

"A star? Any star?"

"Yes, nothing unusual about it."

"No, no idea. What about the last symbol?"

"Ah now that one really did stretch me. I spoke to a friend who is doing a doctorate on pagan symbols trying to match them up from different continents I think. She didn't recognise it immediately but she put the photo on the net and sent out help me mail to all her contacts. When she got the answer back she was really excited because its such a rare and little known symbol."

"Of what though?"

"That's the really weird thing, it was an ancient cult that worshipped animals. They used to sacrifice them and drink their blood to attain the animals skills, like stalking prey or courage, that kind of thing. Does that mean anything?"

It did but nothing I could tell her, besides why that symbol? I already knew that Jasper was an animal hunter, the puzzle setter didn't need to labour that point.

"So we have an eternal connection that is steadfast and pure, a destiny intertwined, a star, and animal worship. But it doesn't give me somewhere to look and the puzzle was to help me find someone and some answers."

"Oh right. Not that it makes a difference unless you have to follow a certain star, do you know when this person was born? A sign of the zodiac might help."

"No I don't, no idea."

"OK what about a country? Was this person born in the States?"

"Yes as far as I know."

"Then maybe were looking for a state symbol or flag."

"One star? the US flag has way too many then, we need a lone one."

"That's it Bella, Texas. The lone star state."

"Of course, so we're looking in Texas but where?"

"Well if the last charm was a State maybe the next will narrow it down further."

"Really Aiysha? I'm looking for an animal worshipping cult in Texas, one that drinks the blood of animals to receive their gifts?"

"Well there are snake handlers in some states so why not?"

"I don't think so, that's a bit too way out."

"You don't know that. Lets go on-line and see."