247
Peter
A jolt of shock and disbelief surged through me as I processed Vasil's words. Stolen? When? How?
"Stolen?" I repeated, my voice edged with frustration and desperation. "What do you know about the theft?"
Vasil sighed heavily, his expression revealing his own disappointment. "It was taken just a few days ago... Right around the time you went into a coma. The theft was executed with an alarming level of sophistication. The museum's security was bypassed entirely. They're working on recovering the surveillance footage."
I clenched my fists, my mind racing. It couldn't have been a coincidence that it was stolen around the same time I had dreamed of it. No, whoever stole the spear was connected to these dreams and the way the werewolf virus was acting in my body.
The disappearance of it left me with a growing sense of unease.
"Do they have any leads? Any information on the black market for it?"
Vasil shook his head. "The investigation is ongoing, but there are no substantial leads. It's as if the thief vanished into thin air, leaving no trace."
That wasn't possible, but it was possible that whoever had taken it had decided to just keep it rather than sell it. Was it an inside job or something else? A sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. It was becoming increasingly clear that this curse, my deteriorating health, and the mysteries surrounding the Moon Wars were interconnected.
The stolen spear held answers, and it was now lost to us.
"A man who only had sons," I murmured. "Only wielded by a human..."
I shook my head. It was still sort of unbelievable that my family line had once only been human. I needed to look further into it, but the spear had appeared in my dreams to defend me. Didn't that mean something?
More importantly, if an ancestor of mine had wielded a spear capable of magic, if we were descended of these gods, then that power still had to be in me, didn't it?
"I need to find that spear, Vasil," I stated firmly. "If I'm right... maybe it can help break the curse."
Vasil went still. "You have no idea what that will do to you..."
"I don't, but we should keep it on the table. It likely won't kill me."
"Or it will." Vasil shook his head. "In either case, it's your family artifact. We'll double our efforts, Peter. I have contacts who can discreetly look into the matter. We'll leave no stone unturned in our search for the stolen artifact."
As the car pulled away from the hospital, I couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of determination. The journey to lift this curse and uncover the secrets of the Moon Wars had taken a disheartening turn, but I was resolved to face the challenges that lay ahead, no matter where they led me.
My phone rang with a message from Michelle.
I'd love to. Either is good with me.
I bit my lip.
I heard Vasil flipping through the report I gave him as I considered my options. Vasil hissed.
"Son of a bitch...Is he serious?"
"If I have to choose," I said. "It's much like choosing how to tackle human cancer, isn't it? How much poison is safe?"
"I'll figure something out... though silver would make it really hard for you to get your mouth on Michelle."
I chuckled. "Let's leave that one as the last option then."
I smiled. "Put it on the docket to go to the museum as soon as possible... and perhaps clearing me for a date?"
He chuckled. "Considering that you're dying. If you wanted to host an orgy, I'd let you."
I shuddered and relaxed in my seat. "Would be nice if I was a dragon shifter, wouldn't it?"
He chuckled. "Yeah. Convenient as well... I was thinking that I should take a look at that vision you had. It might have a hint or two about what to do."
"We can go looking whenever you want."
"Tonight," Vasil said. "We need to get out ahead of all this as soon as possible. I'll craft your restraint as soon as possible, and I'll be placing it myself."
I snorted. "Are you going to sneak into my bedroom or something?"
"Knock you out and leave you to Michelle, actually." He smirked. "I'm sure you won't mind being ravaged, hm?"
I laughed. "So long as I don't have a mouth full of poison."
Vasil chuckled and pulled away from the curb. "I can't tell her."
"If you fall dead, who is going to tell her?" Vasil asked. "Are you supposed to be working on more open lines of communication or something like that?"
I snorted. "Yes, I suppose. Are there any restoratives I could take to at least undo some of the damage?"
"Plenty," Vasil said. "I'll be dosing your ass six ways to Sunday."
"I hope you don't mean that literally."
He laughed. "I'll let Michelle do it."
I rolled my eyes, even as I was grateful for his teasing. I was eager to put the recent health scare behind me and return to my normal routine. The comforting purr of the car's engine beneath us, the soft leather of the seats against my skin, all of it felt reassuring. Vasil was quiet for most of the drive.
Then, his phone chimed. Vasil's fingers danced over his phone's screen as he took the call in his earbud. His brows furrowed in concentration. I strained to hear his conversation but could only catch bits and pieces. It was a problem that even my hearing was affected.
"Surveillance footage... progress... possible lead..." The words gave me hope, but he said nothing, leaving me in suspense. When he finally hung up, I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer.
"What's going on, Vasil?"
His lips curled into a half-smile, the one that told me he had something interesting to share. "It seems, Peter, the investigators have made some headway in recovering the surveillance footage from the night the spear was stolen. They believe they might have found something significant."
My heart quickened at the news. "That's excellent! What did they discover?"
Vasil turned his attention back to the road, a thoughtful look on his face. "They mentioned a possible lead, a bit of footage they're hopeful they can recover."
I nodded, appreciating his cautious optimism. The thought that we might be closer to unraveling the issue was thrilling.
"Let's head there then."
He shook his head. "You need rest."
"I'm not going to rest not knowing."
He huffed. "Compromise. We get there. You get one hour, and if you fuss, I'm calling Michelle and telling her you're grounded, and she's not allowed to come over."
I scoffed. "I'm not a child, but fine. I'll submit to your cruelty towards a dying man."
Vasil smirked and headed to the highway.
"You know nothing if you think this is cruelty."
I settled back into the plush seat, contemplating the situation. The prospect of the spear's recovery filled me with hope, a glimmer of light in the darkness that had recently shrouded my life.
"If there is nothing, swear to keep me informed, Vasil. I want to be kept in the loop."
"Of course. Don't be stupid."
As the car cruised through the bustling city, I couldn't help but hope the thieves were easily identified.
The drive to the museum was filled with a sense of anticipation, Vasil's words hanging in the air between us. It was a bustling scene when we arrived. Investigators continued to search every inch of the building. There was something off about it, and I didn't feel at ease until I saw my magical technician team. I needed answers, and I knew that the best source of knowledge was likely in their hands.
The leader looked up at me and smiled.
"I'm glad to see you, Alpha. We're recovering the surveillance as we speak. "
I nodded. "Thank you for coming."
I hesitated. "With regards to the other projects, put them on hold. I'll need your full focus on something else. We'll speak about it soon."
He seemed startled, but he nodded and walked me over to the rest of the team, who gave me a rundown of how they thought the break-in happened and how the museum's security was bypassed.
The magic of the museum's security had been disrupted just long enough for the thieves to get in and out. That meant there was a witch of some sort involved. They'd harvested a few magical signatures to analyze, but that was it.
"Sir," a young woman said. "We've got it."
I followed the lead investigator over to the crystal tablet the young woman had open. The atmosphere in the room was tense, and my own heartbeat quickened, knowing that we were potentially on the brink of a breakthrough.
Vasil and I settled into comfortable seats as she played the footage. The grainy video showed the museum's exterior, illuminated by the faint light of streetlamps, as well as shots from the front and back doors into the main exhibit hall.
A sense of unease washed over me as the footage began. We watched a group of figures approaching the museum. The figures were mostly in human forms. They paused at the door before walking in. She took note of the time as we watched them enter the museum and walk inside.
I leaned forward, my eyes fixed on the screen as the footage continued as they headed to the exhibit hall. They approached the glass case containing the spear. My grip on the armrest tightened. They broke the glass quickly and lifted the spear out of the case. None of the alarms went off.
Then, as the footage neared its end, one of the intruders turned slightly. It was a fleeting glimpse, a fraction of a second, but I saw it. My breath caught in my throat, and I turned to Vasil.
"Pause it. Go back," I urged, my voice trembling with a mix of anxiety and hope.
The team rewound the video, stopping at my direction. The image on the screen was still blurred, but there was no mistaking the face that appeared.
I growled. "Oren."
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