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Aelryn touched Horvan’s arm. “They’ve found Alec. I’ve had someone send for Doc.”

“Thanks.” When Aelryn didn’t remove his hand, cold flushed through Horvan. “What is it?”

Aelryn’s eyes were filled with compassion. “It doesn’t look good.”

Let me know when you see him. Dellan sounded anxious.

I will, I promise. In the meantime, you and Rael take the first train to Manchester. I’ll have some of Aelryn’s men meet you to bring you to the clinic.

Horvan prayed they’d be in time.

Theron opened his mouth to say something, but fell silent when Eve entered the room. Jake and Orsini followed her, and Theron blinked. “You’re a long way from Rome, Signor Orsini.”

Orsini shuddered. “I remember you. I knew the day you came to the archive that you were trouble.”

Theron snorted. “I have nothing to say to you. To any of you.” He scowled at Eve. “And especially you. Traitorous bitch.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Eve said with a smile.

“It’s okay if you don’t feel like talking.” Jake stepped forward, and Theron’s breathing hitched.

“Don’t you touch me.” His words were more like a growl.

Jake huffed. “I don’t have to touch you. Fielding gave me everything I needed.”

Theron froze. “You lie.”

“How do you think we found this place? We couldn’t have done it without him.”

“He would never have—”

Jake cut him off with a wave of his hand. “For the record, we’re not interested in anything you have to say. You’re not the reason why we’re here.” He glanced at the wall of glass, just as eight men came into the room, pushingcarts on which sat packing crates. Then he returned his gaze to Theron. “That’swhy we’re here. Whatever you’re hiding in those caskets.”

Theron paled. “No!”

Jake widened his eyes. “Whoa. He’s scared to death. I mean it, Horvan. He’s not faking this.” He cocked his head. “What’s in there?”

“Nothing,” Theron said with a snarl.

Jake walked slowly toward him and stopped, his body rigid.

“You’re lying. That forgery I saw all those years ago? That’s why you had me taken, wasn’t it?”

“Forgery?” Theron’s eyes blazed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He gaped as one of the team opened the glass door and went inside. “No. You can’tdothis.”

Jake smiled. “Correction. We’redoingit.”

Aelryn spoke into his mic. “We’re ready for you. Come and get him.”

“What are you going to do with me?”

Horvan nodded to the medic, who stepped forward, a syringe in his hand. “All you need to know is when you wake up, you’ll be somewhere safe—but nowhere near as swanky as a castle that dates back to the eleventh century.”

“A castle nearly as old as the oldest shifter records,” Aelryn added. “When they started building this place, Ansfrid and Ansger were alive. They might even have visited here.”

Horvan didn’t miss the flicker of fear that flashed across Theron’s face, and he couldn’t resist. “So what do you think the Gerans will say when they learn the truth? That there was no animosity between the brothers? That everything they’ve been told is a lie? Because that’s what we’re going to discover in those caskets, isn’t it?”

The medic injected Theron in the neck, and within seconds, Theron’s eyelids fluttered and his breathing changed. Before he slipped into unconsciousness, he fixed his gaze on Horvan.