Chapter 123: Chapter 123

“So you’re saying that this random vampire is supposed to save us from Louis’s clan?” Alan asked, still in disbelief. Swallowing his hatred for bloodsuckers was not easy, but seeing how willingly she trusted her soulmate, he assumed that this vampire wasn’t like Jacob at all.

“Yes. I’m afraid Ryder won’t find me in time if I don’t reach out to him, but my magic is useless in here. The walls are too thick; I can’t sense any plants in the vicinity, so I can’t establish a connection to the outside world.”

Alex and Alan exchanged a glance. “You need to convey a message to him,” Alex mumbled. “My fire magic isn’t suited for this, but water magic, on the other hand, would be perfect…”

Elena’s ears perked up. “Alan, would you be willing to help me?”

Alan’s dark eyes darted from one broken tile on the ground to the next. His fists clenched and unclenched as he fought with himself. The kitchen was veiled in silence—Wendy and Belle were observing him just like Alex and Elena. Alan ruffled his silver hair, buried his fingers in his tresses. Raw desperation flickered over his face, and then he finally looked up to meet Elena’s eyes.

“I can try it,” he whispered reluctantly. “But it’s very dangerous. If the vampires find out about this, they might punish us like last time… when John died.”

The young wizard reminded Elena of a frightened lamb. Louis’s clan must have forced him to the brink of insanity with their abuse. For that, too, they had to pay. Her parents’ lives weren’t the only ones they had destroyed with their greed.

“You’re our hope, Alan. We have to try everything we can,” Elena said firmly. “Since we’re meant to die here anyway, we have nothing to lose.”

“That’s a good way to look at it,” Wendy agreed. The witch stood on Alan’s other side and nudged him with her hand. “Elena’s right. We don’t have anything to lose. They’ve already taken everything from us.”

“I don’t know if I’m still strong enough…” The water wizard hung his head and fought the tears in his eyes. He curled his hands into fists, preparing himself for the first use of his magic in a very long time. “Please give me your hand, Elena.”

Elena gently placed her hand in his and observed him, holding her breath in anticipation. Every fiber of her body was tense. He closed his eyes and scrunched his nose as he concentrated on an incantation he had memorized long ago. A ball of water materialized in mid-air and hovered in the middle of the kitchen. It warped and became larger until it appeared like a crystal-clear mirror. Water drops danced over its surface, showing a blurry landscape. The skyline of New York became visible: houses, streets, people. Then, the picture blurred again and showed a different view—a dark alleyway in a corner of New York that Elena didn’t recognize. Three familiar silhouettes appeared, one of them being her soulmate.

“What the hell is that?” Chump’s voice shouted. “Where did it come from?”

“Be careful,” Clitus warned. “Don’t touch it.”

The image warped back and forth. Chump’s red hair was easy to recognize, as was Clitus’s black and curly hair, but what took her breath away was the sight of her soulmate—it suddenly hit her how much she missed him, and she fought the urge to pull her hand away from Alan’s to touch Ryder through the watery mirror. Not that it would have worked…

“Ryder,” she exclaimed and leaned closer to the mirror. Its surface was now smooth, showing her an immaculate picture of her soulmate. The eerie scowl on his face waned as he recognized her, but his irises remained scarlet.

“Elena?” he muttered, creasing his forehead as he gazed at the peculiar water mirror hovering in front of him. “Where are you? I’ve been looking for you,” he shouted, and all the worry he had felt came crashing down on him.

“I wish I knew,” she answered, her eyes burning with tears. Hearing the deep sound of his voice was comforting, but it also made her miss him more. “I was attacked and taken by a vampire called Jacob. He and his clan kidnapped other witches and wizards as well. We’re somewhere underground, and the clan leader’s name is Louis. That’s all I can tell you. Do you think this will help to figure out where I am?”

“It’s a start,” Chump nodded. “We’ll look into it.”

“Elena, I’m so sorry, I should have prevented this,” Ryder frowned. The guilt in his eyes pierced her heart like a thousand tiny needles and made it ache with longing. At any other time, she would have hugged him and assured him that it was okay, but now she could only speak to him.

“It’s not your fault, Ryder. More importantly, how are you feeling? Are you thirsty?”

“It’s manageable.”

Elena bit her lip. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but there was no time. Alan’s face twisted in exertion—he was struggling to maintain the connection, so she had to hurry. “You have to involve the council in this. These vampires are planning something terrible that could change the foundations of society. They want to obtain the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“I already notified the council. They’re working together with us to find you.” Ryder paused, thinking about her words before adding, “What’s the Philosopher’s Stone? I’ve never heard of it.”

Clitus and Chump seemed clueless as well, so Elena decided to explain it as fast as she could, but it was too late. The mirror’s surface blurred. Small bubbles spread over it. The water fell and splashed on the kitchen tiles.

Alan heaved and doubled over. “I’m sorry, I can’t hold out any longer.”

“Sit down, you’re pale,” Alex urged and pushed him into a chair, kneeling in front of his friend. “And now rest until your magic is replenished.”

“You did well, Alan. I was able to tell Ryder everything we know,” Elena said. “Now we got a higher chance to get out of here.”