The return flight to the Ebony Tower took place in the early hours of the morning, with Jin's private jet cutting through the pre-dawn darkness while I reviewed my notes one final time. Paul's urgent message had been brief but intriguing—he wanted to discuss "additional theoretical implications" of my paper and was prepared to work through the night if necessary.
"He sounded excited," Jin observed as he scrolled through messages on his phone. "Either that, or completely unhinged. With necromantic researchers, it can be difficult to tell the difference."
I couldn't argue with that assessment. Paul's reputation for obsessive dedication to theoretical advancement was well-established, and discovering a revolutionary new approach to Ancient Undead creation had probably triggered every research instinct he possessed.
