I wasn’t sure how to start explaining what was off about my fiancée to someone who slept in a pool of their own festering body juice. I just glared at Lilith. “Annora can no longer feel anything but pain. She was my fiancée. She used to be in love with me. She lost some of herself when she became a vampire, but when she came to you, she returned to me unrecognizable. You ruined her.”

“It was her choice,” Lilith snapped. “Nobody forced her to become a witch. She knew the risks. She took them.”

Again her words sent a dagger though my heart. I clenched my fists and stood up, walking over to where the towering nightmare was pacing.

“Whatever did happen in the past… that’s not why I’m here now. I came to ask you if what happened to her is reversible. I want you to undo the spell. Make her into a vampire again, if you have to.”

“And why would I do that? Annora is most valuable to us in her current form.”

“Then keep her a witch, but give her back her heart. What if you redid the spell—try to make her a Channeler again—this time with me present?”

Lilith stopped pacing and shot a glare at me. “Much like my skin, my patience is wearing thin. I have granted you this meeting only because of Annora’s and your loyalty to us so far. But remember, I don’t owe you anything. Annora got what she wanted, as did you. Don’t forget what we saved you from. You would still be rotting in Cruor were it not for us.”

There wasn’t much I could say to argue with her, although it felt like we’d jumped from the frying pan into the fire. What the witches had done could hardly be called saving. They’d taken us as prisoners, preying on our vulnerable state and complete absence of other options.

“You’re right that I can’t make you do anything, and neither do you owe me,” I said. “But in light of our years of service to you, grant this one request. I’ll never ask anything of you again. And think of how much more useful Annora will be to you once she’s a Channeler. And I too will be more motivated if we can somehow—”

Lilith clucked her tongue and clicked the bones in her knuckles impatiently. “And what makes you think redoing the curse will save your woman?”

“I don’t know that it will help. But I want to try.”

“There is no guarantee,” Lilith said. “It all depends on how strong her mind is, and how deep her attachment is to you. Her trust in you is vital to regaining mental stability, that you are next to her to remind her who she is… You may be willing to try, but what about Annora? Is she willing to try it? Because I’m not willing to waste any more of my time while you try to convince her.”

Time that you’d otherwise be spending doing what exactly? I couldn’t help but think.

The Ancient was sharp despite her rotten skull. The tension between Annora and me evidently hadn’t escaped her notice and now she was trying to use it to brush off my request.

“Grant me five minutes,” I said.

When the Ancient hesitated, I reached out and gripped her bony arm. “Just five minutes of your time, in exchange for years of service.”

She withdrew her slimy hand from mine and shook me away.

“Very well, vampire,” she grumbled. “But no more than five.”

I raced down the steps and out of the chamber. Annora waited outside the door. I thought she might have been eavesdropping, but I didn’t care now. I just had to get her to agree to what I was proposing.

“Annora, I know you tried to become a Channeler. And you failed,” I said, gripping her shoulders. Her face contorted. “The Ancient is willing to give it another shot with hopes that it will be successful this time and this time I will be there with you.’

Annora narrowed her eyes on me. “What does this have to do with our trip? You said you wanted to become a dark witch yourself…”

“And I will,” I bluffed. “But Lilith said that before she agrees to it, since you’re here with me, she wants to try turning you into a Channeler again.”

“No,” Annora said, stepping back from me. “I don’t want to go through all that again.”

“Lilith wants you to,” I lied. “But think about it, this is a good thing. You’ll be more powerful than ever. You need to take this chance while the Ancient is willing. Her mood might change at any moment. It’s now or never. Come on.” I tugged at her.

“I’m fine how I am.”

I paused, staring at her.

“Do you not remember the pain you feel each night?” My face now a few inches away from hers, I continued to squeeze her. “Do you want to feel that for the rest of your life? Do you remember nothing of the life we used to share?”

She stared at the floor, refusing to make eye contact with me.

“Look,” I said. “I don’t care any more if you do this for me or for yourself. I’m tired of having to deal with you. Become a Channeler and finish the job. Do it for Lilith, for Christ’s sake, but just do it.”

“You didn’t want to come here for yourself at all, did you?” Annora said, biting her lip.

“It doesn’t matter any more.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room. She didn’t resist this time, although she could have easily. I pulled her down the sloping floor toward the pond.

“Lilith,” I called.

The hulking skeleton descended slowly down the steps toward us.