Page 48 of Dead

“Good,” Noah said. “Stay in contact. I’ll update you on Angelo as soon as I find out more.”

Noah had hoped they all made it out of there in one piece…

But the attack could’ve been a hell of a lot worse.

* * * *

Adriel was finally completing his locator spell. It had been a slow process, not helped by his worry for his two bears. It was imperative he finish the spell and get the information they needed. As he placed the finishing touch on it and whispered an incantation, it went to work over the map of the city.

The door to his lab opened, and Eilam and Noah walked in.

Adriel let out a sigh of relief before crossing the room and hugging each of them close. “A success?”

“We lost one man… had a few injuries… but the portals are both closed,” Noah said.

Adriel smiled up at him. “My hero.”

A slight smile crossed Noah’s face, but Adriel could tell something was wrong. “Why are you not happier?”

“It’s not all good news,” Eilam said.

The king turned to face Eilam.

“Ralnur was found locked in a room there, bound to a chair. He had bites all over his body. He’s been drained to an inch of his life… and at the hospital.”

Not again!

Adriel cast a look toward his spell before turning back to his bears. “Take me to him.”

“There’s more,” Noah said. “The doctor we spoke to says there might be one chance to save him.”

“How?”

“Letting him be turned,” Eilam said. “Making him a vampire.”

“It’s against our laws,” Adriel said. But it could save his life.

He was faced with losing his uncle, who had been like a father to him.

“Was there any signs there that Ralnur was working with them?”

“No,” Noah said. “From what I saw, it definitely appeared he was a prisoner.”

“Or that’s what the vampires wanted us to think,” Eilam said.

“So, I either allow him to be turned, or sign his death warrant. If I allow him to turn—he might end up a more powerful enemy.”

The two men were silent a moment.

“Go to the hospital. Talk to him.” Eilam walked closer and laid an arm around his back. “Go with your gut.”

Gut or no… it was illegal for a witch to be turned into a vampire. “Regardless of what he says, it is against our laws. I can’t live outside the rules and expect those in this city to follow them. What kind of leader would I be?”

“What do you want to do?” Noah asked, moving closer.

Ariel felt their strength surrounding him and for the first time, he felt truly blessed to have it.

“If I’m to sign his death warrant, he deserves to see me face to face and know why,” Adriel said, his heart breaking.

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