Share

Chapter 6

Penulis: StaceSteele
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-06-27 20:14:28

"No," she whispered. "But what if the visions were warnings? What if something terrible happens and I could have prevented it?"

David's eyes held hers steadily. "Tali, even without mystical smoke serpents, we never know what the future holds. That's what makes each choice meaningful." He gestured around the gallery. "These artifacts have survived thousands of years, witnessing countless human lives with all their joys and tragedies. The only certainty is change."

As if responding to his words, the heating vent near by began spill what first looked like vapor but quickly be came thinker, darker like smoke and the smell of burning jasmine began to fill the air.

David's grip on her hand tightened as the scent intensified, his eyes widening as he witnessed what she'd tried to describe. The smoke didn't rise randomly—it moved with purpose, coiling upward in spirals that defied the gallery's air circulation patterns.

"Jesus," he breathed, but his voice held wonder rather than fear. "Tali, d
Lanjutkan membaca buku ini secara gratis
Pindai kode untuk mengunduh Aplikasi
Bab Terkunci

Bab terbaru

  • The Cobra of Smoke - The Burden of Sight   Chapter 19

    "Your book reminded me that the cobra didn't just show us the future, it showed us how to live in the present. Margaret isn't gone, not really. She's in every choice I made because of her, every moment of joy we share, every grandchild who carries her laugh." He looked at them both with clear eyes. "The serpent's gift isn't prophecy, it's presence. The ability to see what truly matters before it's too late."As they prepared to leave an hour later, George pressed a small photograph of him and Margaret into Shantali's hand, on their wedding day, both radiant with joy and possibility."For your child," he said. "So they'll know their home was built on love chosen, not love stumbled into."Driving home, Shantali studied the photograph while David navigated traffic. "Do you think our baby will inherit this somehow? The ability to see the cobra when they need guidance?""I think," David said thoughtfully, "that each generation finds their own way to the wisdom it needs. Maybe it's cobras m

  • The Cobra of Smoke - The Burden of Sight   Chapter 18

    "Thank you," she said, touched by the gesture's significance. "This is perfect.""I've had three more cases since Maria," Dr Hassan said quietly. "I've been sending them to you for coffee meetings. I hope that's alright."Shantali nodded, thinking of the conversations she'd had over the past months, helping others navigate their own crossroads without falling into the trap of obsession."It feels right," she replied. "Like passing on what I've learned."Later that evening, as they shared their first dance as husband and wife, David whispered in her ear, "Any regrets about not pursuing the mystery further?"Shantali looked around at their gathered loved ones, Marcus and Sophia, Elena and her new boyfriend, David's grandmother, watching proudly from her wheelchair as she recovered from hip surgery. In the corner, Maria and Marcus laughed together, their move to San Francisco just weeks away."N

  • The Cobra of Smoke - The Burden of Sight   Chapter 17

    As she walked toward the subway that would take her to David and his grandmother, Shantali realised the cobra's true gift hadn't been prophecy at all. It had been clarity, the sudden, stark understanding of what truly mattered when all the noise of fear and ambition fell away.Three weeks later, their apartment fully furnished and the novel nearly complete, Shantali received another text from Maria: *I talked to Marcus. He applied for transfers to museums in San Francisco. We're moving together. Thank you for helping me see there was another option.*David read the message over her shoulder as they sat at their new kitchen table, Sunday papers spread between coffee mugs. "Another happy ending for the cobra's collection.""Not an ending," Shantali corrected, setting down her phone. "Just a better beginning."Outside their window, the park's trees had shed most of their leaves, preparing for winter's dormancy. In sp

  • The Cobra of Smoke - The Burden of Sight   Chapter 16

    Maria's response was immediate: *Yes, please. Tomorrow afternoon?*After arranging to meet at a café near the museum, Shantali set down her phone with a sense of purpose she hadn't expected. Not the desperate need to understand that had driven her to the library, but the gentler impulse to help someone else avoid the same pitfalls."You're going to become the unofficial cobra counsellor, aren't you?" David said with an amused smile."Maybe. If it helps people choose love over obsession." She curled back into his arms, feeling the rightness of it. "Dr Hassan mentioned that Dr Thorne left instructions about helping others. Maybe this is how it's supposed to work: each person who learns the lesson becomes a guide for the next."

  • The Cobra of Smoke - The Burden of Sight   Chapter 15

    Shantali paused, hand on the heavy glass door. Part of her was curious, but the larger part recognised this as another test of her commitment to moving forward."Maybe someday," she said finally. "But not today. Today I'm choosing to live in the mystery rather than solve it."Dr Hassan nodded approvingly. "Dr Thorne would have been proud of that answer."Outside, the October wind scattered leaves across the museum steps. David pulled Shantali close as they descended toward the street, the familiar weight of his arm around her shoulders grounding her in the present moment."How do you feel?" he asked as they reached the sidewalk."Free," she answered, surprising herself with

  • The Cobra of Smoke - The Burden of Sight   Chapter 14

    The Tuesday meeting at the museum felt like a visit to a bygone era. Shantali walked through the familiar corridors with David beside her, their footsteps echoing against marble floors that had once been the backdrop to her nightly obsessions. Now, the Egyptian wing held no mystery for her, just artifacts behind glass, ancient but safely contained in their climate-controlled cases.Dr Hassan was younger than Shantali had expected, perhaps mid-thirties, with intelligent dark eyes and prematurely silver-streaked hair pulled back in a practical ponytail. She greeted them in the conference room with a firm handshake and an appraising look that lingered on Shantali's face."Thank you for coming," Dr Hassan said, gesturing to chairs around a polished table. "I hope you don't mind that I asked Mr Chen to join us. Given that h

Bab Lainnya
Jelajahi dan baca novel bagus secara gratis
Akses gratis ke berbagai novel bagus di aplikasi GoodNovel. Unduh buku yang kamu suka dan baca di mana saja & kapan saja.
Baca buku gratis di Aplikasi
Pindai kode untuk membaca di Aplikasi
DMCA.com Protection Status