Page 81 of Eternal Surrender

“We found her wandering outside Belshazzar’s,” Jacob said. “She was looking for you.”

“Where’s she been all this time?” Marcus’s voice was strained.

Jacob lowered his gaze. “I’m afraid the news isn’t good.”

“She’s been poisoned,” I said, realizing.

Marcus flinched.

Jacob bowed his head. “We’re keeping her safe.”

“Will she live?” Marcus asked.

“As long as we manage to keep her out of the sun,” Jacob said. “Confusion seems to be the only side effect.”

“I have to see her,” Marcus said.

“We’re hoping she can answer our questions, and possibly help find the cause,” Jacob said. “Though she doesn’t seem to remember much. We’re watching over her at Salisbury Cathedral.”

I gave Marcus’s arm a squeeze. “I’ll meet you there.”

“What keeps you here?” Jacob’s tone reeked with suspicion.

More answers than you’re prepared to give me, I wanted to say, but didn’t.

It hurt to think Marcus might be afraid for his sister, that she might be in danger. I loved them both. We went back far, back to the first time I saved them from the clutches of an evil vampire. We had stayed close ever since.

Still reeling with the idea that Rachel was suffering, I headed back toward the castle, now more than ever ready to question Sebastian. I left Jacob and Marcus standing there on the shoreline. These poisonings were fast becoming the worst threat since the Stone Masters, and I was eager to vanquish the cause.

Dashing down the endless corridors, I followed Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Fur Elise and quickly found its source. Inside the ballroom, Alex was pounding the keys, speeding up the notes into an insane rhythm.

“Where’s Sebastian?” I asked him, not wanting to waste anymore time.

Alex slammed his fingers onto the keyboard. “Why?”

I was taken back with his aggression. “I have to talk with him.”

Alex grabbed the keyboard cover and slammed it shut. The piano chimed its disapproval. “What happened with Marcus?” he asked. “What did you two talk about?” Alex rummaged around my thoughts.

“Please don’t do that,” I said.

“Then don’t evade me.”

“This is difficult for everyone.” I studied him. “You spent some time with Jacob recently. Anything you might want to share?’

“I like him.”

It was now my turn to penetrate Alex’s thoughts.

“I can feel that.” He sat forward. “Jadeon would do everything in his power to make this right.”

“I am.”

“What are you scheming?”

“I’m here right now, with you.”

A stack of books rested on top of the piano and I picked one of them up and read the title. Necromancing the Stones. I held it up. “Fabian Snowstrom wrote this.” Glancing at the other titles, I realized they were all about vampires. “Don’t let Sebastian see these.” Then I saw Alex’s bloodstained cuff.