Chapter 40

**Charles**


After I leave Aziel and Nova alone, I decide to return to my own room and research the sanctuary Nova has spoken about. She says it is only known to her kind, but I wonder if there had ever been someone who spoke of it.

I stand in the center of my room which is sparsely furnished and lower myself to the floor. My legs cross in front of me and I close my eyes. I breathe several times in and out to empty my mind of any other thoughts than the matter at hand. I have been using so much energy over the last few days that entering the library in this state has become increasingly more difficult. Nevertheless I need to prepare myself as much as I am able so I can help my mate.

She is taking a tremendous role on and it is my duty to be ready to help her.

One more breath and I am in the north wing of the library. I notice a few others projecting themselves in the same manner as I am, but they do not notice me. As I move closer to my destination, I glance around to be sure no one is following me. When it appears that I am indeed alone I stop in front of a shelf of books and access the hidden latch. This section is hidden from most Mages and can only be accessed by those who have served on the council, and me. I have had plans to make it only accessible by me, but that is a matter for another day.

The actions of my father has further assured me in my assumptions that the council is no longer pure. They have been compromised and that cannot be allowed to continue. It has been my hope that once Nova has made things right she will take on the role of head council member and bring the races together under one leadership group. Each group would have a representative and she would lead us all. It may be too soon to tell her of my plan, so I have been keeping it quiet.

I enter the secret library and silently follow the winding stairs down to the bottom most floor. There is where I find some of the oldest texts of our people. Mages have always had an urge to learn and document as much of the world around us as possible. There are few books in here that I have not read, and now is the time to do so. I brush my fingers over the spines of each book and choose one at random.

Several pages in and I realize this is not the information I need so I return the book to where I removed it. I do the same to the rest of the books I have yet to read until finally I find something. In the book titled: *Myths and Beliefs of the Lost Ones*.

It seems to cover stories that were not believed to be real or could not be proven as real. This must be the correct book. I take it and sit on one of the benches nearby. With help from a search spell, I find a section involving Vampires. As far as I was aware there is very little, we know but, in this book, there are several pages dedicated to uncorroborated testimony of places and experiences with the Vampire race.

I quickly read through it all until I find the mention of an old temple. It says that the temple had been destroyed after a group of shifters attacked and killed many of the priests. They destroyed the building and left no one inside alive. Because of this horrible act, no vampire has ever stepped foot in it again. Yet there is a notation saying that some have said there is an entire city beneath the wrecked building. It was referred to as, The Beating Heart.

There is no image or drawing to go along with this note but if this is true then it must be the place Nova saw in her vision. I must get back and tell her what I have found.

“What have you done son?” I turn at the sound of my father.

He does not look well. “What has happened?”

He laughs. “I have been made a fool of. That woman has destroyed my life all for the sake of…”

“For the sake of what father?”

“It does not matter. What matters is that I have been ruined and in succession, you. You can not come home, she has already begun infiltrating the council. I am but one victim in her plan.” His voice is trembling as if he is truly afraid.

I have never seen my father truly afraid before. Things must be very sever to make him so uneasy.

“I am sorry you are suffering father.”

“You are sorry? If that were true then you would not be wasting your time with that monster and come home. We need to right the mess here.”

“This is not my home any more father, and my allegiance belongs to my mate. She will right all wrongs when the time comes, but today is not that day.”

His eyes burn with anger and his face begins to turn red. I recognize it as a sign that he will explode any second with anger.

“They are going to get her back. She might have had help this time but they will not stop until they have her and kill her. She does not need to live long for them to get what they want. Her blood will be more than enough.” He smirks wickedly but it does not intimidate me.

“That is something they will never get. My mate will have an army the next time she meets those people, and I will be among them. Imagine the force we can summon with all of us combined. We would not need an army, but we will have one. Even if death is our fate, we will be sure to take those who have corrupted this world down with us. It is unclear which one of us will survive, but I know this will be the last time we speak. Next time we meet one of us must die.”

I pull out of my trance just as he begins to scream. There is no reason for me to stay and listen to the angry ramblings of an old man. My room is dark, and my mind has not fully returned when I sense something. Aziel bursts into my room suddenly looking panicked.

“You have to come. Something is happening with Nova!” He turns and leaves the room without waiting for me.

I decide to portal into her room. Aziel would have so the fact he did not means he is extremely distressed.

When I enter her room Nova is lying on her back and shaking violently.

“I don’t know what happened! She was asleep and then suddenly started shaking like this.” Aziel says.

The door to Nova’s room opens and her other mates appear.

“Not again.” Eli says before he marches over.
“This isn’t like the last time.” Asher points out.

“No, it is not.” I confirm. “This is not what she experienced before.”

I move toward the bed and sit beside our mate. Her eyes are wide open and completely black.

“What do we do?” Eli growls.

He is breathing hard and looks as if he is growing bigger by the second.

“First we need to stay calm. Do not shift in here.” I tell him firmly.

He growls again and storms out of the room. I know he wants to help but there is not much he can so.

“Can you try to talk to her again?” Chase asks.

He has climbed onto her bed is sitting beside her. I watch him brush her hair away from her face and gently runs his fingers along her cheek.

“I can try.” I move to the other side of her and sit beside her.

Although she is shaking her movements seem restrictive so I can sit beside her without being struck by her. Once again I close my eyes and try to reach for her. The other time we met this way it had been by mistake so I am not sure if it can be replicated.

At first I see and sense nothing other than her basic energy around us. Then slowly my surroundings start to brighten. More and more until I am standing in what looks like a empty room. Empty besides a single person.

“Nova?” I call out to the figure.
Their back is facing me but they turn when I speak. Nova faces me and my heart picks up at the image of her in front of me.

“Nova? What has happened?”

“I am going through a transformation.” Her voice echoes so strongly that blood flows from my ears.

“What will you become?” I ask.

“A creature of balance.” She says as she lifts her arms apart and slams them together with a thundering clap.

My consciousness is pushed out and I collapse to the floor.