Page 127 of Claim of Blood
“I’d first discovered these journals when I was seven or eight,” Felix explained. “Hidden away in a forgotten corner of our library. I’d been reading them for years—fascinated by all the observations about supernaturals that our tutors never taught us.” His hands moved as he talked, excitement building. “Then, when I was twelve, I overheard Uncle Stefan telling my mother they needed to purge the ‘dangerous materials’ from the family collection.”
“So I took them,” Felix said. “Hid them under my bed at first, then in the back of my closet.” He looked down at his hands. “I couldn’t save them all. They burned the rest.”
“Why risk it?” Adam asked.
Felix’s face brightened with conviction. “I wanted to understand supernaturals. What our tutors taught us was clearly incomplete—they had to be hiding something.” His hands moved as he talked, excitement building. “These journals proved it. Generations of Rothenburgs had been watching, learning, and documenting everything. I wanted to continue what they started.”
“And you added your observations,” Adam said.
Felix nodded eagerly. “Everything! Notes about vampire healing rates, werewolf transformation patterns, which witch families carry specific gifts.” He caught Ilona’s darkening expression and quickly added, “Nothing dangerous!”
“It is not for you to decide what’s dangerous,” Oren said, his voice like stone. He stepped away from the window, his shadow falling across Felix.
Felix lifted his chin. “Knowledge is never dangerous.”
“It is in the wrong hands,” Lander said quietly, watching Felix with careful eyes.
Felix opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it.
Adam looked at Gaspard. “Your assessment of allowing this research?”
Gaspard shrugged, making notes on his tablet. “Knowledge itself poses no threat. It’s application that matters.”
“I disagree,” Ilona said sharply. “Knowledge of our kind has always been our greatest vulnerability.”
Oren nodded. “There’s a reason research about us has been forbidden.”
All eyes turned to Maja, who had remained silent. She met Adam’s gaze steadily. “I’ll support whatever decision you make.”
“Lander?” Adam asked.
Leo watched Lander closely, sensing the conflict in his expression—duty as security head warring with something else.
“I think...” Lander began carefully, “We should allow the research.”
Ilona made a slight sound of surprise.
“Under strict supervision,” Lander added quickly. “We can learn from this, too. Understanding ourselves better is never a disadvantage.”
Adam considered all viewpoints before speaking. “Felix, what exactly would you need for this research?”
Felix’s mouth dropped open. “You’re... letting me?” His voice came out small and surprised.
Adam didn’t answer, just waited.
Felix waved his hand, brushing away his shock. “Well, I’d need my books, obviously.” He gestured at the trunk. “And a quiet place to work. Somewhere with a large table and good lighting.”
He hesitated, then added, “And maybe... later... a small lab?” His voice went up uncertainly. “Nothing fancy. Just for testing some theories.”
“We’d need to keep it underground,” Oren cut in, arms still crossed. “For security. And we don’t have room down there.”
Gaspard tapped on his tablet. “We could convert one of the lounges into a research space. Clear it out, set it up properly.” He looked up. “A month to retrofit it.”
“And the lab?” Felix asked hopefully.
Adam looked at Gaspard, who frowned thoughtfully.
“A lab would need to be completely separate from where books and research materials are stored,” Gaspard explained. “It would take longer and would be extremely difficult to retrofit underground.”
