Call Of The Dark

The maid came running back after a few minutes. "Lord Lazarus is not in his chamber!"

Maeve closed her eyes, as misery skittered in her. This was getting worse by the minute. "Then send him a message to meet me as soon as possible. Also send a message to Prince Anton to meet me."

The maid bowed her head and went out of the room to deliver the messages. She knew that Maeve was in a terrible state. She was extremely pale and her body withered like burnt ashes falling from a log on fire. She wondered if the goddess would be able to make it even through the day. The soul casting ceremony was in the night and she had to sit along with the Shaman for it. But she was so fragile at the moment that she might have to lie down and attend the ritual.

Maeve was getting panicky. They still hadn't found Emma. Her only hope was Prince Anton. Lazarus was looking less and less interested in finding her. It was as if he was protecting her. No, it couldn't be possible. He wanted to marry her desperately. He had gone to find her in Vilinski. She was sure that he wanted her in a new body. So why was he acting indifferent? She had to ask Prince Anton to find Emma. Surely, he would get more force to find her.

Anton was busy with his trusted men. He was planning a lot of things. As soon as Maeve entered Emma's body, he had to put things in action. According to the plan, Maeve was supposed to kill Lazarus after the soul casting ritual and then along with him, she would go against the king. Maeve had promised him that she would marry him after killing Lazarus. That was their secret plan.

After killing King Viktor, they would both rule side by side. The Kingdom needed someone as strong as him with someone as cunning as Maeve and not someone as foolish as Lazarus. His older brother was too dangerous and powerful, but he was blinded by his vision of ruling Wilyra to the extent that he didn't even check upon his betrothed. Maeve was a smart goddess who had ensnared a vampire like Lazarus despite the fact that he had a mate.

The guard announced the maid. Anton was surprised but he allowed the maid to come in. His men were puzzled when he allowed her in, but they didn't say anything.

"Lady Maeve wants to see you urgently, my lord!" she delivered the message.

Anton frowned. Why did Maeve want to see him? He knew that Emma had escaped, but he also knew that she was in the palace grounds because Maeve had used her magic to cast a spell. He also wanted to meet her, but he was avoiding going there because he didn't want people to be suspicious of him. "I will come in an hour," he said. He was in a hurry to meet her, but he couldn't show his urgency.

The maid bowed to him and rushed back to Maeve.

Maeve sighed and pressed her arm to her forehead. An hour seemed like a lifetime. She was getting too nervous. After rejecting Ailill, she was feeling very depressed. It was as if her soul was cut into two and then twisted. On top of that, worry about Emma heaped. If Emma wasn't going to be there, she needed a strong woman who she could take over.

The maid offered her a draft to sleep. She drank it and, in a few minutes, she went off to sleep. When she got up, she found Anton sitting on a chair beside her bed.

"Anton!" she said as she got up and propped pillows behind her. "You have to help me!"

"You have to tell me what happened," he said, leaning forward. His shoulders were drawn back in tension.

"I can't find Emma. The bitch has somehow managed to stay hidden. Lazarus is also not able to find her. You have to increase the force to pull that bitch out of her hole!"

"She hasn't left the palace grounds, has she?" Anton asked, as he started thinking of ways to find her.

"No, she hasn't. That I am sure of." She hoped that he hadn't heard of Ailill. It was a big secret. Moreover, he wasn't on good terms with Lazarus, Magnus and Yul and so no one would be able to spill that secret.

"Then we will find her," he replied confidently. "Where will she go?"

"Ph please do that, Anton!" she said with tears in her eyes. "Tonight we have the soul casting ritual. I am getting extremely worried. My body is flailing. I don't have any energy left. I can't do any magic, because if I do, I am sure that this body would succumb."

"Don't worry, Maeve," Anton said. "I am going to find that whore. She won't be able to hide from me. I know the palace like the back of my hand."

"That would be great!" she said. "But--" she clasped her hands in front of her as more tears rolled out.

"What?" Anton asked, frowning at her 'but'.

"What if you can't find her?"

"That is not going to happen," he chuckled. "I will pull that rat out of her hole. Trust me."

"I know you have the ability to do so, Anton," she said in a hoarse voice. "But I need a second body just in case you don't find her. It is full moon night and it is very important for me to possess another body. If I don't, it would be a disaster!"

"But Maeve--"

"Anton!" She cut him off. "I know what you are saying, but there is no harm in arranging for a second body for me."

"Who the hell do you think would be available for this ritual?" he snapped. "No one is going to sit there willingly. Emma was chosen because she doesn't have any other option."

"I don't know!" she whined. "You have to find someone for me."

"Where is Gladys?" he said with a frustrated sigh. "She knows more women than me."

Maeve became deathly quiet.