“I learned about his experiments from my research of a Dr.Novikov.” He stared at me in awe. I remembered Dr. Novikov’s name from the letter as well. Another scientist searching for ways to make humans stronger. “They stopped working together when Rapava’s went to the States, where he became radicalized and unstable.” He licked his lips. “Istvan is studying Rapava’s work?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “Not just studying.” I pointed to the pills. “He has Rapava’s formula.”
“These?” Mykel gestured at the blue pills, his reaction icing my veins. “These are made up from the Rapava formula? He found it?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
Mykel started pacing, his hand running through his hair. “The doctor was crazy, and though some of his testing resulted in some interesting headway, almost everyone died. Also horrendously. He was known around the science community as Dr. Death. It was some of the reason Dr. Novikov parted ways with him.” He pinched his nose. “Are you saying Markos is using this nutjob’s theories for an actual purpose?”
“It wasn’t until I came back from Halálház that I saw how obsessed Istvan was with becoming the most powerful ruler of the East and ending the fae, no matter the costs.” I dipped my head. “Actually, I think he was always like that. Guess I didn’t notice or care before.” Because I also believed fae were soulless and should be killed. I was another mindless minion Istvan had been grooming into a soldier. Not much different from the living corpses in Killian’s cells.
“Fuck,” he hissed, his hand running over his dark mop, with silver sprinkled through it. “Fuck!” He started pacing behind his desk. “This is so much worse than I thought.” He paused, taking a breath before he pushed a button on his phone. “Bring in the Novikov file,” he spoke into the speaker.
“Yes, sir.”
Only about thirty seconds later, Oskar, the man who brought his tea the day I arrived, came in carrying a file and placed it on the desk.
“Here you go, Kaptain.”
“Thank you.” Mykel nodded as the man left the room. “At least fifteen years ago, talk was going around about a ‘fae-like nectar’ that was found, which caught my notice.”
Nectar...The word dropped into my stomach like cement.
“It was said to be the only thing left after the barrier fell, which could give humans fae-like qualities: infinite life, no diseases or sickness, harder to kill... basically turning a human to ‘fae’ without any consequences.” Mykel shifted on his feet. Something about his demeanor told me there was more to his story. “That was when I noticed Dr. Novikov’s research. He was one of them leading the charge to find it. Many of us thought he had.”
“What happened to him?”
Mykel flipped the folder open, pushing it out for us to see. Both Ash and Warwick moved in, all of us peering down at the paper.
On top was an old, grainy newspaper clipping with a picture of an older man, dated over fifteen years ago. The headline stated:
Dr. Novikov Goes Missing
After He Is Said to Have Found the Nectar of The Gods.
Dr. Novikov, a well-known scientist and partner of Dr. Rapava, has disappeared in China after claims of finding the fae nectar, which is said to give humans fae qualities. This nectar is reported to make humans stronger and faster and end disease, sickness, and aging. For a long time, the idea of fae food was considered a myth, which died when the barrier between the Otherworld and Earth fell. But before his disappearance, Dr. Novikov claimed he had found the last known object to give humans eternal life, along with strength and power similar to a fae’s.
The clipping was cut, leaving out the rest of the article, but it was all I needed to read. A memory slunk in—the night of Caden’s engagement, when he declared he loved me.
“They haveSergiuset to marry some leader’s daughter in China, which is a huge blow to Father since they have some object or substance my father wants. Some special nectar.”
China. Nectar.
“Holy shit.” My gaze rose until I met my uncle’s. “Then Romania is after this too.”
“Romania?” Mykel’s eyes widened. I felt the guys stir behind me.
“What the hell are you talking about, Kovacs?” Warwick grunted.
“The man I was being forced to marry before I was put in prison was Prime Minister Lazar’s son, Sergiu.” I swallowed. “Because I could no longer fulfill that duty, I guess they moved on to the leader of China’s daughter. Caden hinted it was a blow to Istvan because the Chinese found the possible whereabouts of some special nectar.’” I did air quotes, mimicking Caden’s words.
A slow roguish smile curled Mykel’s mouth. “Romania is going to be greatly disappointed with that marriage.”
“What do you mean?”
“China doesn’t have the nectar. All traces of it disappeared from that area when Dr. Novikov did. It was said he moved it into hiding or someone killed him and took it.”
“What?” I blinked. “Where is it now? Do you know?”
