Chapter 62 - The Keeper's Promise
Daniel quietly closed the notebook.
"How old are you?"
The caretaker smiled without amusement.
"I've been asked that before."
"I'll ask again."
The old man walked toward one of the massive shelves.
"My age isn't important."
"My promise is."
He removed another weathered ledger.
"This archive has had many keepers."
"They came."
"They served."
"They left."
Daniel frowned.
"And you?"
"I stayed."
"For how long?"
The caretaker rested his hand on the old ledger.
"Long enough to watch three generations of your family search for answers."
Samuel immediately looked up.
"My grandfather came here?"
"Yes."
"My father?"
"Twice."
Daniel felt his pulse quicken.
"My father knew this place existed?"
"He found the entrance."
"But he never found the truth."
The caretaker opened the ledger.
Every page contained signatures.
Dates.
Names of previous keepers.
Near the bottom of the final page...
One blank line remained.
No signature.
Only a printed title.
Next Keeper
Daniel looked toward the old man.
"You think I'm supposed to become one of you."
The caretaker answered calmly.
"I think someone hoped you would."
"But hope and destiny..."
May you like
"...have never been the same thing."
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