All Chapters of Esmerelda Sleuth: The Journal (Book 4): Chapter 31 - Chapter 38

We’d searched for Killian for several hours with no luck.“The problem is that this place is so vast,” I complained. “It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.”“How long can we stay here without being at risk of discovery?” Nora asked.“The deeper we go, the more probable that is,” Anton grumbled. “It was foolish to think that he would be an easy find.”I sat on a boulder and put my fingertips to my forehead.“I need to think for a moment,” I said, more to myself than to them.  “I opened and closed more portals for Marduke than I can even remember.  Some led to realms that were literally used as prisons.  If he hasn’t been killed or turned vampire, I’d wager he’s being held there.”“What if Marduke wants him for his magic?” Nora asked.  “You weren’t put in a prison, were you?&rdquo

Getting into the torture chamber was far easier than we’d anticipated.  It was so easy, in fact, that we were on the alert for danger even more than normal.It took time for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting.  When I finally did and was able to move about without fear of bumping into something and bringing attention to our presence, I headed for the small cages along the back wall.There were six cages in all.  Two were empty.  I moved close enough to see the occupants in the other four.  Only one was a human from my world. He was in the very last cage in the dank and darkest corner.I emitted an agonizing gasp as I peered between the bars to better inspect the cage’s occupant. Before me was what looked like the remnants of my husband.  Instead of the robust, sexy, handsome man with raven hair, he was gaunt, hunched over, and sallow in complexion with streaks of gray running through his now dull black hair.&l

We eased Lance into bed and inspected his condition.  He was in very bad shape. “I fear I can do very little for the man.  We need better medical help than I can provide,” Anton confessed.I was at a loss over what to do.  Taking Lance to the hospital would bring on a slew of questions that neither Anton or I were prepared to answer.  I thought about calling Roger, but he was never totally brought into our world.  Since he wasn’t magical, Killian had felt it best to keep him in the dark about most things. I also knew that one of the main reasons why he and Nora broke up was because she hadn’t shared much with him either. How could I tell him that his partner had been turned into a vampire and that Lances condition was a result of his work?  There was also the question of explaining what happened to Nora to him. No, Roger was not the answer.“I can take him back to the past, but I ques

Lance rejuvenated enough to be coherent and conversational for a few days. As I watched the color return to his face, I began to feel encouraged.Sadly, it was short lived.He’d returned to his old self long enough to reassure me of the love that he had for me and to make sure that I knew that I was to move forward with my life. Reminding me of my magic and my ability to time travel, he struggled to get me to go over the running of the estate with him to be sure that I understood and could handle it on my own both in the past and in the future. I didn’t want to have that conversation with him,  but I eventually lamented and allowed him his say.When he felt confident that I was prepared for the inevitable, he told me something that shocked me to my core.  He’d been Marduke’s prisoner since the night I’d learned that he intended to take me back to the past.  With the help of Killian to keep me occupied, Jason and his w