“We’re ready,” I said, even though Annora looked anything but.

“Are you ready, Annora?” the Ancient asked, her eyes boring into her.

Annora breathed out and looked up at the ceiling. “What difference will being a Channeler make? I’m strong as it is.”

“You will be of more use to Lilith and the rest of our kind.”

Lilith began clicking her tongue, inching back toward her liquid tomb.

“No, wait,” I said. I pushed Annora toward the Ancient.

Come on, Annora. Don’t sabotage this. Please…

Annora glared at me one more time, but finally nodded. Turning to the Ancient, she said, “All right, I’ll do it. I’ll give it another try. But only if Caleb leaves.”

I stared at her in shock. “What are you saying? You need somebody present who’s familiar to you. Even Lilith advised this.” I turned to Lilith and looked at her desperately. “Didn’t you?” Lilith scowled, but nodded. “Otherwise it will just be a repeat of last time and you might even end up worse off.”

Lilith coughed up another mouthful of black phlegm and spat it over her shoulder into the pond. “Hurry up!” she rasped.

Annora swallowed hard and then nodded. “Okay, with Caleb present.”

Annora folded her legs and sat cross-legged on the dusty floor, while I took a seat next to her.

I looked up at Lilith, who had approached and was hovering over us.

“Let’s begin.”

Chapter 33: Caleb

Watching Annora writhe and scream, semi-conscious throughout, was perhaps the strangest experience of my life. Her eyes rolled in their sockets. It was as though she was present at times, rested enough to scream, but other times I had no idea where she’d drifted off to.

I didn’t know what Lilith was doing to her, or why it caused so much pain. I would have liked to ask, but there simply was no time. Lilith had been on the verge of disappearing back into her black pond and I couldn’t afford to agitate her further.

We sat on the dusty floor for what felt like hours. The whole time Lilith instructed that I keep my hands firmly placed in Annora’s, which was becoming harder and harder as she sweated. They were becoming slippery and I had to grip tight as she writhed on the ground and tried to break free.

Annora was so far gone, I wasn’t even sure she was aware I was even here for her, or what good simply holding her hands would do. Still, I had no choice but to trust Lilith.

I wanted to ask how much longer, but since Lilith too had her eyes closed tight I was sure she wouldn’t welcome the interruption. I dared not say anything lest it interfere with the process and the spell went wrong yet again, leaving Annora in an even worse condition.

Truth be told, I was surprised that Annora had agreed at all. I had thought she’d refuse and just vanish from the spot. A small part of me hoped that perhaps she was doing this for me after all. That there was still a part of her that missed what she was before, when she’d still loved me.

It was impossible to know, and a waste of time speculating about, but I had nothing else to distract myself with. Otherwise, I would just find myself worrying about things out of my control, such as whether Annora would resurface at all after Lilith was done with her.

I knew I shouldn’t get my hopes up too high. If she did resurface, she would still be a witch. Still affected by the darkness that had first consumed her when I’d turned her into a vampire. It wasn’t like we could erase all that history and bring back the sweet beacon of light Annora had once been. Still, I hoped that she would at least revert to the way she was before she’d attempted to become a Channeler—when I could still recognize pieces of her, rather than seeing nothing but an empty shell.

More time passed, and Lilith still showed no signs of letting go of Annora. At least by now it was easier to keep hold of Annora’s hands. She seemed to have passed out completely. Her face was still contorted, as though pain was still coursing through her, but now she was stiller, her breathing more steady.

I was beginning to suspect that we were nearing the end when a click echoed around the chamber. Though I was careful not to let the shock loosen my grip on Annora, my eyes shot toward the entrance.

The door was wide open. And standing in the doorway was a man with pitch-black eyes and pale skin. A dark traveler’s cloak was wrapped around his shoulders.

Outraged, I glared daggers at him. I wanted to shout at him, but I was scared to break Lilith’s concentration. She hadn’t yet looked up at the intruder. Her eyes still closed, she seemed so absorbed in what she was doing, I wondered if she’d even heard him enter.

The man began walking down the stone steps toward us, his heavy black boots echoing around the chamber.

No. Not now. Leave, you bastard. We were so close to completion. We couldn’t afford for this to get messed up now. I need Annora back.

To my horror, he approached just a few feet away and broke though the silence.

“Lilith. Your Grace. I’m sorry to interrupt.”

Lilith shook her head, her thin eyelids fluttering open. She glared up at the man. Then, once she took in this intruder, her face softened.

To my horror, she let go of Annora and stood up. She hurried over to the man’s side as though Annora and I didn’t exist.

“What are you doing?” I hissed, jumping up. “Did you even finish?”

She ignored me and began speaking in hushed tones with the man.

“Well?” she asked him.

“I’ve—”