“Why should we deliberate at all?” Elder Lan finally spoke, and the attention of the room swung toward the previously silent vampire. “Why shouldn’t it remain with Lu’s monks? I’m sure they are taking good care of it.”

More nods were seen among the Elders, and Lorenzo pursed his lips.

Beatrice didn’t like the idea. They needed to find out more about the book, and currently, it was being held at a monastery of unknown location, and they couldn’t even examine it. If they were ever going to find out what the secret of Geber’s elixir was, they needed the manuscript.

“What is this book that we deliberate over? What makes it so valuable that it warrants the time of the council?” Iron Crutch Li asked.

Lorenzo stepped forward, confident again. “It is an unfinished manuscript of the alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan, or Geber, as he is known in the West. It is not among his published works, but Geber was an acquaintance of Andreas, and it was given to him for safekeeping. It had… sentimental value to my grand-sire.”

Beatrice asked. “Is that true?”

Giovanni shook his head. “I have no idea. It’s possible, but my father had little regard for alchemy when I knew him. He considered it more superstition than science.”

“This claim seems very straightforward to me,” Lorenzo’s ally, Zhongli, said. “The book is clearly Lorenzo’s.”

“Of course it is,” Beatrice muttered.

Elder Han spoke. “This book may have been intended for Andreas’s son, but he forfeited his rights by not pursuing the manuscript when it was lost. I see no claim here by Giovanni Vecchio.”

“I see no claim here by Lorenzo,” the Immortal Woman spoke up. “Can we not honor the intentions of the great Andreas and give his property to his only child? Let this conflict be between sire and child. The book belongs to Vecchio.”

At that point, whispers began to circulate the room, and Beatrice looked around. The hall seemed to be split exactly as Tenzin had predicted, and Beatrice’s eyes sought out the one elder that no one seemed to be able to predict. When she found Lan, the enigmatic vampire was looking straight at her. Lan scanned the crowd, propped herself up on her knees, and addressed the gathering of immortals.

“Brothers and sisters,” Lan said with a smile. “I feel at a disadvantage after my travels. It seems that so much has passed in my absence. May I be permitted to ask a few questions?”

Lu Dongbin leaned forward and nodded to Lan. “Of course, Elder Lan. The hall is yours.”

“Oh good!” Lan clapped and grinned. “Dr. Vecchio, did you send your son into the world with wealth?”

“Yes,” Giovanni answered respectfully. “I sent him with half of my gold, and I gave him property in our homeland, as well. It is what my own sire would have wanted.”

“You honor your father, Dr. Vecchio. And did you send him with any of your father’s library?”

“It was my own son that had the care of my father’s books when he was human,” Giovanni said.

Careful, careful, careful. Beatrice’s heart raced.

“After my father’s home had been raided, and Andros died in the fires, Lorenzo gave me the grave news that my father’s property near Ferrara had also been ransacked by brigands and the majority of the library lost. Rumors abounded for many years that this piece or that had survived, but there was little fact. My own business now centers on finding lost books and antiquities, in part to find what I can of my father’s collection. But I had no knowledge of this manuscript until a few years ago. I have been searching for it since I learned of it.”

“So you were searching for it?”

“Yes, Elder Lan.”

“And found it here?”

“In the stewardship of Elder Lu’s monks.” Giovanni nodded at Lu. “I have full confidence they have handled it with care and respect.”

“And do you ask for it to be returned now?”

Giovanni paused, as if considering. “Though I would prefer that the book return to my own library, I ask only to be able to examine it. I am willing to leave the book in the care of Lu’s monks if that is what the council desires.”

It wasn’t the ideal outcome, but if they were allowed to examine the manuscript more carefully, Beatrice realized that Giovanni would probably be able to memorize it enough for their purposes.

“Lorenzo?” Lan turned to Giovanni’s son.

“Yes, Elder Lan?” Lorenzo stepped forward with an ingratiating smile.

“How many children have you sired?”

Beatrice blinked at the unexpected question.

“What does that have to do with anything?” she whispered to Stephen.

“Canny vampire,” Baojia murmured.

“Why?”

“The Eight Immortals have been outspoken against those who sire many children, Beatrice.” Giovanni looked at her with a subtle smile. “They consider it irresponsible and unwise.”

“Oh.”

Lorenzo didn’t look pleased. He looked nervous. “I… I have had the joy of siring many children in my life, Elder Lan. I cannot give you an exact number at this time.”

“Or he doesn’t want to,” Baojia said.

“You have sired so many children that you can’t remember the number?” Lan said with a raised eyebrow. “That is… unusual.”

“Is it?” Beatrice whispered.