Page 151 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

She spoke on autopilot. “A month ago, Luka told me he met these men, who claimed they had something that could unlock the secondary form of a New Generation creature. To get it, he had to open a portal to the Hospital and deliver something. I was completely against it, because I’ve read a lot about witch portals, but Luka wasn’t convinced. He claimed the men were serious, all dressed head to toe in expensive suits. They were important individuals, but somehow creepy and slimy. That’s all I can recall at the moment. He also found it strange that they wore sunglasses at night.”

“And he met them at The Seven Horses,” Constantine added, leaning against the wall. His husky voice was like a balm for her tightly wound nerves.

“We argued,” Diana continued. “Luka told me he’d given up on doing the job. But, in fact, he hadn’t. I realised it when I discovered his home a mess, the vial in his safe, and Luka nowhere to be seen. Then I went to Istanbul… You know the story from there.”

“Where were you and your brother when he got offered the deal?” Mikhail asked.

“Here, in Sofia.”

“Do you live in the city?”

“No.”

“Then why were you here?”

“Personal reasons.”

Constantine interfered, “I know these reasons and I swear they have nothing to do with our case.”

The manticore pursed his lips, but left it as it was. Then he had Diana repeat the whole story from the beginning, like he was a detective trying to trip her up in her statement.

When she got to the part with their meeting in Alberobello, Mikhail’s suspicious gaze shifted from her to Constantine. “How is it possible that you didn’t feel her tailing you?”

Diana knew now that her success was due to Constantine’s weakened abilities – something the necromancer had shared with her during their trip. But she wasn’t about to oust him to his friends.

“She’s that good,” Constantine said.

Before anyone could comment on it further, Diana picked up her story. “When we found Luka, he was in no condition to have a meaningful conversation. He was hallucinating, or so I thought. He was seeing demons and monsters at every corner, but occasionally he would notice me and his eyes would clear up. And he said ‘beware the reptiles’ over and over. Constantine heard him as well, but none of us paid attention to his rambling.”

Mikhail stopped pacing. “And now you suspect it was something more?”

“Please, allow me.” Alex stepped forward with the book already open in her hands. She re-read the same passage she had read to Diana and Viktor.

After having listened intently, Mikhail pointed to the book. “What is this book?”

Her eyes shone with pride. “It’s the journal of an extraordinary man. His name is C. and this diary chronicles part of his life. Unfortunately, many pages are missing, including the happy ending.”

Viktor snorted. “I’m not so sure this book deserves our attention. It should be over a thousand and five hundred years old, but it looks like it was written yesterday.”

Diana took in the young girl’s scrunched-up face, ready to argue, and shared a look with Constantine. He shrugged and said nothing.

In an effort to stop an argument she could foresee spiralling out of control between the lycanthrope and his stepdaughter, Diana offered, “It could be a transcript?”

Alex lifted her chin in defiance. “Exactly!”

Mikhail inspected the book in her hands. “I have to read it.”

Alex’s focus dashed between Mikhail and the black cover. “You mean…you want to take it?” She snapped the book shut and brought it to her chest in a strange possessive way. Her behaviour didn’t go unnoticed.

“Where did you get this book?” Mikhail asked.

“I…” Alex glanced at Viktor. “Well, like I told Vik, I found it.”

“Funny, I don’t recall you specifying where,” the lycanthrope said.

“I… I don’t remember.”

Everyone stared at her.

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