Fated | The Heir of the She-Wolf

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

[Valerio]

I stormed inside the Tower and left Marcus in the car with the explicit directions to be ready to take off the second I come back.

I hesitated before walking past the elevator and taking the stairs to the twentieth floor. I reached the door to my office a few seconds later and busted in, immediately heading for the hidden safe below my desk.

I placed my palm on the wooden floor and it started warming up before revealing a small handle. I pulled it up and revealed the small hidden compartment under the floor boards. Right before my eyes was exactly what I was looking for – the engagement ring Yolanda had given me the night she revealed the prophecy.

According to Yolanda, the ring was the first object crafted with magic. It was created by the first Reader to be born into our world and also the one who started Yolanda’s bloodline.

The ring itself looked old, ancient even, made of rough golden alloy with an irregular round shape. It was decorated by nothing but a matte washed-out gemstone in a light yellow color. It looked like something that belonged in a museum, not a modern jewelry store. But if Yolanda was right, it had powerful magical properties and I was hoping it was what we needed to pull away the darkness from Eleanor and lock it in, forever.

I took the ring and quickly closed the safe compartment. Back in the lobby, I saw Lorenzo come in from the side entrance.

“Lorenzo?”, I asked and walked over to him. “I have been calling you, where have you been?”

Lorenzo stopped in front of me, barely able to catch his breath.

“My King, I’m sorry.”

“Is everything alright?”, I asked as a look of concern was spreading over his face.

“I was following Augustine and Francis after I found out they are not joining you.”, Lorenzo said quickly.

“And? You know what, follow me. I have no time to waste!”, I ordered and started walking towards the car where Marcus was waiting for me.

Sitting in and driving away, Lorenzo said something that made new chills of horror pass through my body.

“I think they have joined the Proditores.”

…..

Marcus stopped the car in front of the infirmary and Lorenzo and I got out.

“Marcus, get a hold of Augustine and Francis. Tell them to wait for me in the Tower, that there is an emergency. But do not show any signs that we are onto them. Understood?”, I told Marcus and he nodded at me.

There was no way I could tell if what Lorenzo had shared with me was a lie. For all I know, he could have been with them and not following them like he told me. What a disappointment that would be if it turned out to be true, I thought to myself, as I realized in about a day I was going to find out if my most trusted man was a traitor.

Pushing the thoughts aside I focused on the present – Eleanor. She was all I could think about even while Lorenzo was telling me about the possibility of the Proditores coming back to life.

Eleanor. Eleanor. Eleanor.

It had been more than eight hours since she consumed the darkness in order to save the children that had become innocent victims in a fight they were not part of.

I stormed in the infirmary with Lorenzo following me and walked into the room it had all happened the night before.

Clara was sitting on the edge of Eleanor’s bed with her blonde hair falling in messy, dirty curls around her face and her posture clearly showing she was on the verge of her strength. Austin was standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder and she was channeling him, chanting a spell under her breath. When I walked in, Clara stopped whatever she was doing and looked up to me.

“Valerio. Finally.”, she said in a tired voice and I noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

“How is she?”, I asked and observed Eleanor’s face which was pale but peaceful. She was sleeping, just like the children were yesterday in this very same bed.

“We put her to sleep and had the kids moved to another room. They are awake and well now.”, Austin said but I could sense he was holding back and not answering my question.

“I see that. But how is she?”, I repeated myself with notes of frustration behind my voice.

“Valerio…”, Clara said and got up. “It is spreading faster for her. I have been performing a spell to slow it down as much as I can, I even channeled Austin…”

“Show me.”, I ordered and Clara pulled the blanked off Eleanor’s body. I couldn’t see anything but once Clara pushed up the sleeves of Eleanor’s pullover up, I gasped in shock.

“And it goes to her chest.”, Clara whispered and looked away from the black parasites crawling under the skin of Eleanor’s arms, up to her shoulders.

“We are almost out of time. I will perform the spell. Now.”, I said firmly and pulled out the ancient ring from my pocket.

“But your magic is not strong enough for a spell like this.”, Clara argued and extended her hand to have a close look at the ring. “But this will work. I can feel the energy radiating from it. Where did you find it?”

“Let’s just say it’s a long story and leave it at that.”, I replied not really in the mood to spill all the details of the prophecy in front of her and Austin.

“Sir, do you think this is the darkness the prophecy was referring to?”

I rolled my eyes and turned to Lorenzo who realized his mistake the second the question left his lips.

“Prophecy? What prophecy?”, Austin looked at both of us confused.

“Doesn’t matter.”, I hissed and gave Lorenzo an angry stare.

“But if it is something we should know about, you have to tell us, now!”, Clara argued and gave me the ring back.

“I said, it doesn’t matter. Don’t question me!”, I raised my voice forcing both Clara and Austin to not say another word for a long moment.

“I can help you with the spell, Valerio.”, Clara whispered and looked at me. “The magic of a Triad is not strong enough for such kind of spell, even if he is the King.”

I thought about what she said but had already made up my mind. Saving my Eleanor was on me. And no one else.

“I will do it alone. No arguments.”, I stated and gestured for Austin and Clara to back away and give me some space.

I sat on the edge of Eleanor’s bed where Clara was just a few minutes ago. I couldn’t help but trail my eyes down Eleanor’s face.

She looked so damn beautiful.