Page 15 of Anatomy of the Immortal Species

The deep vibrations of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. He took a step closer, his eyes scrutinising her face with a penetrating gaze.

“I thought I’d find you at the graduation ceremony,” he said.

Amelia inhaled deeply, catching his familiar, intoxicating scent – something masculine with a fresh, almost enigmatic undertone.

His words penetrated the sudden haze in her mind, and she frowned, trying to mask the tremble in her voice. “Graduation ceremony?”

“The ceremony where you would have received your medical diploma was earlier today,” Mikhail said smoothly. “Had you attended.”

“I never graduated, Mikhail.” Her voice wavered.

His eyes gleamed. “Are you certain about that?”

“I didn’t go to my last exam.”

Mikhail’s smile widened. “You did. As far as I recall, you performed admirably in the OR. You’ve graduated, Amelia.”

His words struck her with a disorienting force. She had been so focused on her inner turmoil and the shadowy reality of her life that she had not considered that someone – especially someone like Mikhail – might have been keeping tabs on her progress.

She glanced over her shoulder towards the boulevard that passed by the cemetery. Those damned goosebumps along her body refused to go away. Was Mikhail’s effect on her senses thisstrong?

“The graduation is a little compensation of sorts, for the fact that I impeded your attendance at that exam. This no longer matters, because you did it. You are officially a doctor.”

“You mean you forced someone to give me a medical diploma?” she asked in a bitter voice.

He shrugged, no trace of remorse on his features. “You’ve earned it.”

Amelia couldn’t find the enthusiasm in herself that she always imagined she’d feel when she finished her education. “Why do I need a diploma if I can’t practice?”

“You could, but you have to change your workplace frequently, to avoid people noticing you don’t age. You wouldn’t have to worry about that if you came to the Hospital with me.”

Mikhail’s jaw tightened. Evidently, her answer intrigued him more than he wanted to show.

“Work there?” She remembered how she’d asked him once to join his surgical team and he’d refused, deeming her weak. If anything, his offer was more proof that he only wanted her for her Oracle abilities.

“If you wish. But I meant to come back toliveat the Hospital.”

Of course. Amelia tried to make sense of the offer in silence.

“Where were you these past few weeks?” Mikhail asked.

She had no desire to share the unpleasant days she’d had after leaving the Hospital. The only possessions she’d had to her name had been her personal ID, debit card, a few loose banknotes, a key for the apartment she would never set foot in again, her student ID, and a phone whose battery had long died. Zacharia, Mikhail’s head of security, had given her a few debit cards along with the passcodes for each one – compensation, she supposed, for the hardships she’d endured with them. Amelia had withdrawn the money instantly and had been surviving on it to this day, switching every few days between cheap hotels.

When moments had passed without her giving him an answer, Mikhail continued, “Amelia, let me help you. Before you deny me, you should know I’m not here because you are the Oracle. I had begun to realise that you were in the process of transforming and intended to come to you, but you beat me to it when you appeared at the Council gathering.”

Amelia inhaled a gust of the frigid air. She had known this meeting would eventually take place. Mikhail had spent years seeking the previous Oracle’s counsel, convinced she would reveal the truth behind the impaired regeneration. Now, he was going to ask the same of Amelia.

“I know it’s difficult to master your gift. This is not the first time in history when the Oracle’s powers are transferred. Every new Oracle suffers until they unlock the full potential of their abilities. The process of mastering those skills is long and tiresome. Your body still hasn’t fully completed its transformation into the immortal form. You have yet to feel unusual sensations. Surely, you are quite confused.”

So, he knew. He was aware her visions were worthless.

The information about the previous oracles eased the tension in her muscles somewhat because it proved the problem with her abilities was not entirely her fault.

Mikhail stepped closer, forcing her to face him. The hypnotising green of his eyes made it hard for her to look away. He spoke softly, “I found out who is responsible for the murders at the Hospital. It was Elisanda. She was fixated on getting my position in the Council, the Hospital, and the building. She believed she might get there by murdering on behalf of her allies, some creatures called reptilians. The eighth species, apparently. It seems they know how to overcome the regeneration decline and they may have even caused it. I still don’t understand all of it, but I will gather all the pieces eventually.”

Elisanda. Reptilians.

Ana hadn’t lied, after all.