“
That I killed Victor or that Victor might be captive somewhere?”
“
Both.”
I clutched my heart. “How can anyone even think I’d plot Victor’s death? I don’t care about being the sole ruler of this kingdom. I only stayed in Tastia to be with Victor because I loved him.”
“
People love rumors, sis. There will always be gossipers among the crowd, and people love a juicy story. Think of this as the medieval version of one of those gossip magazines.”
“
You’re right. I know the truth, and you were there too. I’m not even going to give their rumors another thought. We know what really happened.” My eyes suddenly welled up with tears. “Do you think there’s any truth to that soldier’s claims? Do you think Victor is alive?”
“
Don’t let Ethano pull you into one of his sick fantasies. He’s trying to torment you. As you said, we know what really happened, horrible as it was. We both watched Victor die before our very eyes.” She let out a long breath. “I’m going to make that jerk pay.”
“
Not if I beat you to it,” I said.
“
We cannot let an evil, wicked tyrant like that gain full control of this world,” Liz said.
“
I know.” I gripped my sister’s hand. “Thanks for staying here with me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She embraced me, and I hugged her tightly.
“
I still can’t get the thought out of my mind,” I said. “What if he’s alive?”
“
Oh, Sarah. Don’t let him do this to you.”
“
You just don’t understand, do you? My world is painful, my heart torn in two. Grief can be a very lonely place. I can’t help grasping at hope, even if it is like grasping at straws.”
“
So what are you thinking?”
“
I’m going to do some detective work,” I said. “I need to find out more.”
She cocked a brow. “But the soldier’s dead.”
“
So we’ll try another angle.”
“
Like what?” she asked.
“
Let’s start with that enchanted book Ethano had. I want to see what he needed for that spell to work. Maybe that will explain what happened to Victor. I’d have an advantage over Ethano if I knew what he needed me for.”
“
It’s called
Sham’s Book of the Dead
,” Liz said.
“
How do you know?” I asked, but before she could answer, I waved my hand at her and was on my way. “Never mind. I’ll find it,” I said before I rushed down the corridor, making my way to Victor’s bigger library.
It wasn’t like the library I was used to in California, where shelf after shelf dominated the entire plain room. This was a giant room that was anything but plain. Old, leather-bound books and rolled-up manuscripts sat on richly decorated, gold shelves that were built into the walls. There were books on everything from medicine and literature to history and philosophy. Jacaranda-like tables were set up in the middle of the room for reading or studying. My gaze shot up to the frescoed paintings on the ceiling; the amazing detail and colors always took my breath away. Then again, the decorative features sculpted in gold and wood adorning the room were pretty breathtaking too.
“
Wow,” Liz said. “This place is gorgeous. It’s like stepping into an intellectual treasury. Look at all these books!”
“
It’s spectacular, isn’t it? It sure beats an e-book.”
“
What’s an e-book?” Liz said.
“
It’s…oh never mind. It’s way too hard to explain. Sometimes I forget how long you’ve been gone from the twenty-first century.”
“
Just tell me later. We need to split up and start looking.”
I nodded.
My eyes began to blur after a while. Some of the books were written in languages I couldn’t possibly read. There was one scroll in particular that I wished I couldn’t read: a love letter, written by Victor, pouring his heart out to Della. “I don’t believe it,” I said.
Liz glanced up from the scroll she was reading. “What?”
“
Look.”
She read a few lines, then shrugged. “That’s ancient history, Sarah.”
“
I know, but I can’t help being a little curious.” I touched the fancy lettering, admiring the elegance and boldness of the gothic calligraphy. The
details on the edges and corners of each letter and stroke made it unique, smooth, and beautiful.
Victor had the most amazing handwriting, but he was quite the artist, so I wouldn’t have expected anything less. I envied that love letter; if I’d have had one of my own, I would have cherished it forever.
My sister’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Just remember that Della was his past, and you were his future. He wanted to spend the next thousand lifetimes with
you
, not her.”
“
I wish we could have,” I whispered. “It was the only thing I loved about being Immortal.” I stared at the black ink on the yellow paper, then skimmed it. Victor’s touching words moved me, and I felt a pang of jealousy as I felt the love and passion he had for her.
“
What does it say?” Liz asked.
“
That he loved her more than the stars, the moon, and time itself. For some reason, that woman shakes my confidence.”
“
Sarah, Victor loved you, not her,” Liz reminded me sternly.
“
I wonder how Della took his death,” I said. “I’m sure she’s heard about it, wherever she’s hiding. It’s big news.”
“
I’m sure she’s devastated and…” Liz pointed down at a big, black book. “This is it! I recognize the symbols on the cover.”
I rushed over and anxiously began thumbing through the countless pages. After an hour of hunting, one of the illustrations caught my eye: a picture of a queen with a crown, holding hands with a tiara-topped princess. In the middle of the two was a sliver goblet, just like the one Ethano had used. “I think this is what we’ve been looking for.”
“
It’s a shape-shifter spell,” Liz said, studying the pages. “Do you know what this means?” She paused, then continued before I could answer. “He killed Victor because he wanted shape-shifter abilities to add to the long list of powers he already possesses.”
My eyes widened as she read the words.
“
He needed two Immortals who were related, connected by blood, and they had to come to the temple on their own free will. One had to be a queen, and one had to be a princess.”
I blinked. “We’re sisters, so there you go.”
She nodded, then continued, “A shape-shifter was needed as well. The shape-shifter would be sacrificed first, and two beams of light would sprout from the life force.”
“
I remember that,” I said grimly, unable to forget the blinding moment.
“
The queen would be sacrificed next, followed by the princess,” she said. “The light would then bathe Ethano, giving him shape-shifter abilities from the sacrifice on the table.”
My mind swarmed with confusion, and my heart palpitated in my head with a determined hope.
A shape-shifter? Maybe that wasn’t even Victor on the table! Maybe Ethano only commanded the shape-shifter to look like him to torment me!
The thought that my beloved might be alive sent a tear flowing down my cheek. There was no guarantee that I’d find him alive, but I couldn’t give up hope. Victor was my light in that dark world, and I hoped he was still flickering somewhere.
Liz tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Ethano wanted you to think that shape-shifter was Victor, but why? I mean, I know he’s a cruel jerk, but that seems a bit nasty, even for him.”
I pointed down at the book. “Look! It says here that anger fuels the spell.”
Anxiously reading, she said, “The queen…” She pointed at me. “…you had to be upset and angry when the beam sucked up your life force. He broke the connections between us. Both of us walked into the temple on our own accord and weren’t forced. He had his two blood-related Immortals, a queen and a princess, and he had his shape-shifter. He also had you mad as hell so anger could fuel the spell. Seems to me all the pieces are in place, so what went wrong?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m glad. If the spell had worked, we’d both be dead.” More thoughts crossed my mind. “Wait. Ethano’s priests said I was still connected somehow, presumably to Victor. He must be alive somewhere! But I don’t feel connected.”
She blinked. “He seemed positive he had turned off your connection, and you said that he’d broken it when he’d attacked you before.”
“
I’m sure he did,” I insisted.
Liz put a hand on my back to comfort me, and I sucked in a trembling breath.
“
I’m going to find Ethano!” I shouted, adrenaline surging through me. “I need answers.”
“
No,” Liz said. “The shape-shifting spell didn’t work, and he wasn’t fazed in the slightest. He’s dangerous, Sarah, and he knows something we don’t.”
“
You’re right. He has a hot temper, and he’d planned everything out to a T. Why wasn’t he more angry?”
“
Because he found something when he was looking through the second book. Now he has bigger plans, and we both know they somehow include you.”
“
So if the shape-shifting spell didn’t work because an attached life force still exists, that must mean I’m still connected to Victor, even if I can’t feel it. Maybe there’s a short or something. Maybe Ethano forgot to clip one of the wires.”
Liz let out a breath. “I don’t know how he screwed up, but it’s likely that he’ll try to make good on his mistake and try to finish the job.”
My head throbbed. “Gosh, it’s hard trying to put all the pieces together.”
“
If Ethano used a shape-shifter for the sacrifice, why didn’t we see green blood?” Liz asked.
I shook my head. “He could’ve tricked us with all that smoke and magic. He’s very powerful, and he can control what people see, using illusions. He needed me to see Victor being sacrificed so I’d be angry, so the spell would work. How cruel is that?”
“
Where’s Victor then?” Liz asked.
“
I don’t know, but he’s alive somewhere!” My heart jumped at the thought of him being alive. I hugged Liz as tight as I could, hope and excitement washing over me.
“
Sis,” she squealed, “you’re squeezing me to death.”
“
Victor’s alive!” I shouted. “I’m sure of it. I can feel it.”
“
You said Ethano was flipping through another book. We need to find that book. If we do, we’ll figure out what he wants with you.”
“
It was a black book with a giant gold snake on it,” I said.
“
That sounds like the
Book of Maldara
. Let’s look for it.”
Suddenly, dark spots flooded my vision, and a wave of dizziness ensued. Liz’s concerned voice echoed in the room as I stumbled, grabbing the table and sucking in a deep breath. Lightning-like flashes blinked in my vision.
“
I’m going to get the doctor!” Liz screamed.
I gripped her wrist. “Please don’t. Just give me a minute.”
Liz held my hand and rubbed my back, giving me words of encouragement. I couldn’t have asked for a better sister. After a few minutes, the flashes of light started to fade, but the headache didn’t ease up.
“
You need to see the doctor, Sarah,” my sister said in the most concerned voice I’d ever heard her use.
“
No, I’m feeling better,” I whispered. “Besides, there’s nothing they can do. All the Immortal doctors have already told me I just have to let the power break through on its own, like a tooth emerging through the gums.”
“
Sarah, this isn’t right. Something’s seriously wrong, and I’m not going to stand by and watch you die before my eyes.”