Dawn knew that look. Her heart writhed on the inside. Sedora had crossed all limits to kill her. Now she was taking the lives of her sons. It was so appalling that Dawn couldn't fathom her hatred for her mother-in-law.

The way she loved her unborn babies, it was impossible for her mind to understand the darkness of a woman who wanted to kill her children. Coming out of her thoughts, she asked, "How is she?" She came to stand near Elize whose face was pale like that of a ghost. Her lips had turned blue and so had her fingertips.

​​

Caleb turned his face to look at her. "I think she won't live for more than a few hours."

"Caleb…" Dawn let out a cry and a whimper left her body.

Caleb stroked her hair. His chest tightened at the sight of his mate. The king of sorcerers looked as helpless as a lamb. "I wish… she got to live with me…" he whispered.

"What are the healers saying?" Dawn probed. "Can't we use magic for her? Isn't there a single sorcerer here who could help her out?"

Daryn shook his head and went to sit on the edge of the bed. "They are saying that she is beyond the magic. Not only has she been heavily poisoned, she also has a huge brain tumor. If they will work on the tumor, chances are that her body might trigger the effect of poison…" His voice choked. He looked at his brother who was now not listening to anyone. He was dazed and had clung Elize's hand to his chest.

Dawn looked up towards the ceiling and gave an exasperated sigh. She started to feel guilty as to why she urged Caleb to come here. Had she not done that, Elize would have not been poisoned. The guilt made its home in her heart. What she had done, she couldn't un-do that. She so wished to travel back in time and amend. She bit her lip to stop it from trembling when she thought how much she had become angry with Caleb for not going to Ixoviya to help Daryn. She closed her eyes and prayed to God for forgiving her. Because of her Elize was in this condition. Because of her Caleb would lose his mate and because of her Daryn would lose the only living blood relative, he had now. She felt that she had become so loathsome in that one moment of anger. How could she help Elize? The poor girl had come to spend her time with Caleb and instead faced this horrible situation. She wrapped her arms around her body and walked out of the bedchamber. She needed to breathe. Her thoughts had stifled her so much that her sanity was being shredded.

'Call Lorza and his bride, Emma.'

Dawn snapped her head around and realized that it was Quetz's voice. She had walked outside to the garden overlooking the royal chamber.

When she didn't reply, Quetz said again, 'Call Vampire Lord Lorza and his bride, Emma.'

'Why?' she asked, irritated at his suggestion. 'It is no time to talk about Mozrath and alliances.' She ambled towards a copse of trees and sat down on a bench under the canopy.

'If you want to save Elize, call them.'

Dawn's attention was now focused on her dragon. Her skin tingled at the thought that Elize could be saved. 'I don't understand. How can they save her when the whole Ixoviya can't?' She was baffled.

'The girl can't be saved Dawn. She will die. The poison given to her is used to poison the creatures of the Lore, and not the human. Can you imagine it's potency?'

She was now totally irritated because Quetz was talking in puzzles. 'At one point you are saying she can't be saved and that she will die and then you are saying that Lord Lorza and Emma can save her? Have you gone insane?' She scoffed. 'Besides don't irritate me, Quetz. I am in a terrible mood. Do you know that Caleb came here because of me and Elize just followed him out of love? This fact— this thing— is gnawing my soul.' She winced. Her shoulders dropped and she wanted to cry loudly.

Quetz sent a tendril of love through her mind and she calmed a little. 'Dawn, the only way she can be saved is if she is turned.'

'Turned to what?'

'Lorza has sired many vampires with his bite. Even Emma can do it, but a bite from Lorza would surely save Elize. You can consider that.'

Dawn was so shocked that her mind froze. She jerked her head up to see Quetz who was hovering over the castle and was right now above her in the sky. The possibility was enthralling, but she had her doubts whether Caleb would accept it? Her body trembled thinking about the outcome. Elize as a vampire? 'Oh. My. God!' she rasped. 'Can that really happen?'

'Of course, it can happen. Lore is full of interesting creatures, Dawn. Don't be so shocked. Besides you should hurry up, because turning can take place while she still breathes. If she dies, her corpse can be used for voodoo only.'

Without a second thought to the discussion, Dawn dashed to the royal chambers. She found all of them in the same condition as she left them. The healers were trying their best to make her drink a drop or two of the solution they had made and were shaking their heads. "Her pulse is weak…" said one of them.

"Caleb, Daryn, I need to speak with you urgently!" said Dawn with a flushed face and heartbeat racing like a horse. They looked towards her uninterestedly.

"What is it Dawn?" Daryn drawled.

"I think I know how to save Elize!" she blurted because she realized that none of them move if she didn't drop the bomb. The effect was instantaneous. She had the full attention of the brothers. And that of the healers. And of everyone else in the room. Seeing that she goaded them, "Please I would like to speak with you in private."

Since the healers had to stay with Elize, an excited Caleb jumped over the bed and held Dawn by her upper arm. He dragged her to the garden out and Daryn followed them, fearing that Caleb would become extremely angry. Why was Dawn so thoughtless at times? He growled from behind at Caleb, threatening him to leave his mate.

When they were standing under the same canopy where she was, Caleb pulled her in front of him and said, "Now tell me what were you trying to mean inside?" His eyes were bloodshot and his voice carried anger. "I hope you are not joking."

"Why would I joke Caleb?" said Dawn, as she tried to free herself from his grip.

"Leave her," Daryn repeated his warning, ready to combat with Caleb if need be.

Caleb bared his fangs and growled at Daryn for him to back off. Scared as hell, Dawn shouted at them, "For God's sake, calm down! Listen to me first!"

The two brothers clenched their jaws. Still they were so angry that their chest rumbled.

"Quetz has suggested this, okay? He says that Elize can't be saved because the poison is too potent. It means that she will definitely die."

"Fuck you!" Caleb snarled. "This is what you wanted to say?"