Behind the Mask Read Online Free Page A

direction then another. Abbi’s eyes followed his glance, and she realized they weren’t alone. Standing some distance away were two uniformed officers of the Guard. Their presence unnerved Abbi, but her father murmured his good-byes and left with them. Abbi’s ignorance left her frustrated, but she fought to push the episode out of her mind as she rode for home, knowing there was nothing more she could do.
    Abbi’s monthly visits to the park quickly became a habit. Gerhard never stayed more than a few minutes, since his uniformed escorts were always eager to leave. During each visit, she exchanged small talk with her father and a kiss as they parted, but they never mentioned the documents or his circumstances.
    Gradually Abbi’s concern over her father’s situation became lost in the trivialities of everyday life. With Papa’s instruction and Georg’s help, she carefully trained Blaze into his maturity, gaining a deeper bond with the animal than she’d ever felt with any other. As always, her life was monopolized by her passion for horses, and little existed beyond her secluded world.
    Three winters passed while Abbi learned the story of Joseph from the Bible by heart, loving the way it validated the dreams she’d had. But as time passed and Blaze grew, Abbi ceased having dreams of any importance. In fact, the dream that had predicted Blaze’s birth was the last she’d had that was anything beyond nonsense. She began to doubt her gift, as Georg had called it, until a morning in late June when she dreamed that her grandfather had left her and she awoke to the news that he had passed away in the night.
    Dealing with Papa’s death was by far the most difficult thing she’d ever faced. Even losing her mother hadn’t seemed this hard, perhaps because Abbi had been so young. She’d missed her mother, yes, but Papa had been there at the time to love her and take care of her, and she’d hardly understood death. But this, this was like tearing some tangible piece of her spirit away. In spite of his occasional gruffness and severely practical nature, Josef Albrecht had been a part of Abbi’s everyday existence for most of her life. He’d soothed her hurts and been her strength. He’d taught her to be steadfast and competent. And now he was gone.
    Less than a month after Papa’s death, Abbi woke from a dream that left her bound to her sheets, staring into the darkness above her, cold with sweat, her heart pounding. Never had she dreamed anything so clearly. Never had she felt so completely consumed with an emotion too intense to describe. Never had anything been impressed upon her mind with such impact.
    As daylight crept into the room, Abbi lay unmoving, attempting to understand the dream. She had seen a series of landmarks, as if she’d been given directions to lead her to some kind of dwelling in the forest. A lodge of sorts, made of logs. And when she arrived and knocked at the door, a man had answered. His hair was dark and his features vague, but the simple words he’d spoken to her were very clear. Please don’t leave me. I need you . Over and over, the memory of the dream raced through her mind. The vision she had seen was clear and undeniable, but the images paled in comparison to the way they made her feel. The more she thought about it, the more compelled she felt to follow this esoteric vision.
    Skipping breakfast, Abbi dressed quickly and rushed out to the stable. Since Georg was busy elsewhere, she saddled Blaze herself and rode him at a full gallop toward the covered bridge. She often rode here and beyond, since it was the gateway to the foothills that she loved to roam on horseback, but now it took on a whole new meaning. The covered bridge had been the first landmark to appear in her dream. She crossed the bridge and rode beyond it onto the mountain’s bench, her heart racing as she came with little trouble to a clearing where a tree had fallen. She had known this would be here, even though