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"Allen is Sheena's husband." Kendrick caught on instantly. "So by default, Allen became a part of the Cain clan." I looked towards Emiel. "I'll gather what I can from him. It's possible Allen's sickness has also affected his memory, but it's also possible Sheena told him something. In the meantime, try to remember anything significant from the possessions." I walked out of the dungeons and heading to my room so I can teleport to Allen's hospital room without interruptions. "Is it safe to trust anything he says?" Kendrick asked the million-dollar question. I had the same doubts, but..."Alina asked me to give him another chance. Well, I was giving it to him, and I hope for her sake that Alina wasn't wrong in her judgement." Upon reaching my room, I closed the doors shut and stood next to my bed. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on remembering the exact details of Allen's hospital room. It wasn't hard for the details were imprinted on my mind. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in the middle of the hospital cabin. Allen was looking at me wide-eyed through his spectacles as a book hung from his one arm. "Erick?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice. "What are you doing here? Where's Alina?" "I needed to speak to you urgently," I said, trying my hardest not to disclose too much about Alina's situation. It would adversely affect his health if he found out Alina has been taken by Aaron. "What do you need to talk about?" Allen removed his glasses and placed the book on the side table as I came to stand next to his bed. He somehow knew this was an emergency. "We had reports that an Ancient is waking up," I told him the truth. For him to help, he needed to know the minor details. "Do you know anything about it? Did Sheena ever tell you—" "Sheena died because of it!" The raw anger in his voice stunned me to silence for Allen was the most imperturbable person I've ever known. "Allen," I began, treading ever so carefully, "if you know something, then please tell me. I need to know if there is any hope of defeating an Ancient." "The night..." Allen took a shaky breath, his heart rate spiking on the monitor. "The night of the accident... we were at the Cain clan manor. Sheena was unexpectedly invited to the manor after years. She was so happy to be there." He took another shaky breath as his eyes watered. "Alina was supposed to come with us that day, but she denied. The Cain's got angry that Alina wasn't with us." "Then? What happened after that, Allen?" I urged gently, placing a hand on his shoulders. "Allen, I need to know." He shook his head and wiped at his eyes with unsteady hands. "I don't know. I wasn't allowed to go into the room with her, but after about an hour, Sheena came running out of the room all pale and frightened. She kept repeating that we had to get home before it was too late. I didn't understand what she was trying to tell me, but it was on our way back home that we got hit by that truck. I'm sure that it wasn't an accident. It was a planned murder." "But why would they want to murder both of you? You didn't even go inside the room!" "That's exactly why I'm still alive. They were after Sheena, and they didn't care if they had to kill their kin to get her to keep quiet." Although his hands trembled, his spine was set in steel. "Before Sheena died, she told me that an Ancient will rise in a hailstorm of blood and flesh. I didn't know what that meant, not until now. Now I know for sure that Sheena was murdered." He turned to me at that instant, taking my hand in his as he pleaded. "Please don't let it hurt Alina, Erick. Please keep my baby safe." "I will," I answered past the ice in my throat. "But you need to tell me if there is anything else you remember from that night." What Aaron told me was shocking but not helpful in any way. I needed more, and I needed it fast. "Yes, there was something else she said before she died." His forehead wrinkled. He was clearly having trouble remembering. "It was something about a blade." That was it! That was just what I needed. "Come on, Allen! You have to remember. Tell me its name." Allen concentrated for a long time and by each passing second, my hope faded bit by bit. No! I had to hold on. I had to get her back. I wouldn't be able to live without Alina, not without turning into a monster. "I remember!" Allen's voice cut through my thoughts with sudden clarity. Hope bubbled in my chest once again. "Tell me." I urged, holding on to his hand. "The Arctic Blade," he said.