Thea ended up not working on the spell like she wanted. After we made love, she fell asleep almost instantly and I took her to our bed. I thought about joining her and holding her, even if I didn’t really feel like sleeping right now, but I felt restless. I had been feeling restless ever since Bagatha told us about the Immortal Vow and the pregnancy and what would happen to Thea.

I think I had felt restless before that, because of the war and the chaos falling over our world, but this was different. Whenever it was about Thea, and now about our daughter, it was always different.

Despite the fact that I was sure I had already read all the books we had brought to the house, I went downstairs to the dining room and skimmed some pages, just so I felt like I was doing something.

After a few minutes, though, frustration erupted from my cells, and I threw the book across the room. It skidded down the hallway toward the kitchen. Keeran stepped around the island, picked up the book, and brought it to me.

“I’m guessing it’s not going well?”

I groaned. He knew it wasn’t going well. He and Luana and Thomas had been helping me. We had exhausted every avenue we could think of to learn more about the Immortal Vow and how to save Thea.

Speaking of which … “Where’s Luana? And Thomas?”

“Thomas said something about recharging his energy and disappeared, and Luana went out for a run.”

Luana and her runs. At least twice a day, she went out to run. To stretch her legs and condition her muscles, she had said. It was one of those wolf things I didn’t understand.

Closing my eyes, I buried my face in my hands. “I can’t … I don’t know what else to do.”

“I think I know.”

I snapped my head up, my eyes wide. “What do you mean?”

“Last night, I remembered something. A spell I have seen some of the Silverblood witches do before.”

“What spell?”

“A summoning spell, but you don’t summon a specific person. When summoning, you ask a question, and then the spell will bring you whoever can answer it.”

“And it works?”

“Well, the person summoned can refuse to answer, but they always know the answer.”

“So we could summon someone who can tell us more about the Immortal Vow?”

Keeran dipped his chin. “Yes.”

“Can you do it?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve never tried anything like that before.”

“A few weeks ago you didn’t know you could do a teleportation spell.”

“Yeah, but I spent a week in bed after that.”

“Wouldn’t you do that again? For Thea?” I was playing dirty, but I knew he had a soft spot for her. After all, she had been his first friend, the first person who had treated him like a human being, not a slave. And she had been the one who helped him escape. He owed her a lot.

“I wouldn’t have said anything if I wouldn’t,” he said. I let out a long, relieved breath. “But I have to warn you. I’ve never done it before, and I’m not really sure it’ll be one hundred percent correct. Also, I remember the witches saying that we can summon anyone. I can summon a deadly fae, for example, and if that person is stronger than me, it could mean trouble.”

“Are you telling me that because you want me to tell you not to do it? Because I won’t.”

“No, I am just preparing you in case we need to fight whoever comes with the spell.”

A growl rumbled in my chest. “I’ll be ready.”

Together, Keeran and I moved the couch and the coffee table to one side of the living room, clearing up space. Next, Keeran drew a circle on the floor while I gathered some herbs and other things he said he would need for the spell.

After drawing the circle, Keeran mixed the herbs, creating a thick brownish liquid. He sprinkled that over the lines forming the circle while chanting some words I didn’t understand.

When that was done, he stepped back and glanced at me. “Ready?”

Standing on the other side of the circle, I nodded.

Red light shone from Keeran’s hands as he raised his arms in front of himself. He closed his eyes, focusing on whatever spell he was working on, and soon, red light gleamed from the lines forming the circle.

“Ask your question,” Keeran said, his voice breaking from the strain.

“How do I save a witch with the Immortal Vow from dying in childbirth?” My voice was loud and clear. I had put all my wish and intent into my words.

Keeran grunted, as if the spell was hurting him.

I started for him, but before I could give two steps, a form moved in the center of the circle. It started as a black shadow the size of a golf ball. Gritting his teeth, Keeran opened his arms to the side, and the black shadow grew with the movement. Soon, it took a human form.

“Drake?” the shadow whispered, its voice eerie.

But even then, I knew that voice.

A chill ran down my spine. I watched as the form gained color and sharpness, not believing my eyes.

A tall man with blond hair and regal clothes stood in the middle of the circle.

“Lord Reynard,” I said, my voice a thin shrill.

“Hello, Drake.” Even though he glanced around as if scouting the place, he looked at ease. “Where are we?”

“M-my house,” I answered.

“And who are you?” he asked Keeran. But Keeran didn’t answer. He was too focused and strained on keeping this spell up.

“His name is Keeran.”

“He’s a warlock.”

“Yes.”

Lord Reynard frowned. “I thought the witches didn’t allow males to grow up.”

“They don’t. Keeran only found out about his powers two months ago.”

Lord Reynard’s shifted his gaze to me. “Why aren’t you at DuMoir Castle?”

I shook my head. “As much as I would love to tell you all that has happened these past couple of months, and ask you for your advice in everything going on, I don’t have time for that.”

Lord Reynard crossed his arms. “Then why did you summon me?”

“I found out I share a bond with a witch,” I said simply. “The Immortal Vow. Do you know anything about that?”

He shook his head. “I’ve heard about it before, but I don’t know any details. Why?”

I sighed. “Because she’s pregnant with my child and she’ll die. I need to find a way to save her.”

“I’m sorry, Drake. I really don’t know anything useful about the Immortal Vow.”

My dead heart shriveled and my shoulders sagged. “Although I’m glad to see you, Lord Reynard, we were trying to summon someone who could help me save Thea.”

He pressed his lips into a thin line. “Perhaps I can still help you, but not with that specific answer.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tell me, Drake, why are you hiding here when you’re supposed to take my place and be the leader of DuMoir Castle?”

“What?”

“Some of Sarki’s visions are simple, but some of them are intricate and specific,” he told me. “A long time ago, she had one of those visions and it was clear: I would die and there would be a terrible war among not only our coven, but all supernaturals on this continent. And the only way to bring peace back between all species was if you became the leader. Not only leader of DuMoir Castle, but leader of all vampires.”

I gaped at him. “We’re at war now.”

“I imagined.” Lord Reynard let out a long breath. “And you’re hiding.”

“I don’t have much of a choice right now.”

“But you intend to fight and reclaim DuMoir Castle?”

“Yes.”

“Then I have something that can help you.”

My breath caught. “What?”

He touched his chest. “Remember the silver cross I wore around my neck?”

“Yes,” I growled. “When I last saw it, Alex was wearing it.”

“Find it. Retrieve it,” he said. I frowned. “Inside the cross is a red stone. It’s called the Blood Amulet, and it carries immense power. If you can find it, if you wear it, and if the amulet accepts you, no vampire will be able to stand up against you. You’ll be too powerful, and you’ll be able to take control of the throne.”

I was guessing Alex was wearing the necklace when I killed him, which meant the Blood Amulet was still on his body, under the ruble of DuMoir Castle.

“I think I know where to find it,” I said. “But … Alex was wearing it when I killed him. He wasn’t more powerful than normal.”

“Like I said, the amulet has to accept the person who wears it. Only then you’ll be able to access its powers.”

“The amulet didn’t accept Alex,” I muttered.

“Because he wasn’t worthy,” Lord Reynard said. “Just a warning: In order to acquire the amulet, you’ll have to make a great sacrifice—a truth you will have to reveal in order to prove you’re worthy of the amulet’s power.”

Right now, I would do anything to end the war as soon as possible and find a way to save Thea. If I got the Blood Amulet, I could cross off one of those items from my to-do list.

“I can’t …” Keeran gasped. “Hold it for too much longer.”

“I think we’re done here,” Lord Reynard said. “Goodbye, Drake.”

There was so much more I wanted to talk to him about, to ask him, but I couldn’t hold him here forever. “Thank you.”

“Take the castle back, Drake, and continue my legacy.”

Keeran released the power—Lord Reynard became a black shadow before evaporating into the air—and fell on his knees.

“Are you okay?” I hooked an arm around his shoulder and helped him to the couch.

Breathing hard, Keeran lay down. “Give me a minute.”

A minute was too long. We had to do something now. “Thomas!” I called out, not so loud as to wake up Thea. Thomas appeared in front of me, his ghost form more transparent than usual. “Is there something wrong?”

Thomas shrugged. “It has been hard to keep my form lately.”

“But you can still be around even if we can’t see you?”

His brows knotted. “Yes.”

“Then I have a favor to ask,” I said. “Go to DuMoir Castle and find Alex’s body. We were fighting on the staircase leading to the third floor. His body is probably there, under all the stones.”

“And?”

“Check to see if he’s wearing Lord Reynard’s silver cross necklace. I need that.”

“That’s ominous,” he said, sounding every bit like a whiny sixteen-year-old teenager.

“There’s a powerful stone hidden inside the amulet. We need it.”

“That makes more sense.” He saluted me by tapping his hand from his forehead. “I’ll get on that.”

A moment later, he was gone and I began my favorite hobby: pacing and worrying.

“I’m sorry the spell didn’t work,” Keeran said, sitting up. “I should have summoned someone who could answer your question, and yet, we summoned Lord Reynard. The only connection that I see here is that he was close to you.”

“It’s okay,” I muttered. “At least we got useful information out of him.”

I frowned, thinking of what Lord Reynard had told me. A long time ago, Sarki had had a vision of me being the leader of the vampires. Hell. Each time I thought of myself on the throne, I hated it. I hated that image. I hated what I could turn into once I had all that power in my hands. But … there was no one else. Not here, not right now. If I didn’t take the throne, if I didn’t save the vampires and the other supernaturals, things would only spiral out of control more and more. Maybe once everything was orderly again, I could find someone else to rule in my place.

But for a while, I would have to endure it.

And somehow I would make sure Thea lived long enough to see it.