Page 7 of Anatomy of the Immortal Species

“Mikhail Korovin owns a ring with an engraved golden lion,” Ana said. “I want you to return to him and take the ring.”

Amelia’s heart somersaulted at the mere mention of him. “No.” There was no way she was going back to Mikhail, let alone to steal from him. He might not care for her aside from her Oracle abilities, but she was not a thief.

“With this ring, I can overpower my sister’s manticore strength. It will weaken her enough for me to prevail—”

“I said no!” Amelia’s voice shook, but she stood her ground.

Though they were of similar height, Ana’s high heels made her loom several inches taller. She looked down at Amelia, her eyes narrowing. “Does it bother you to take something from Mikhail, Amelia? Are you afraid of provoking his wrath? Are you afraid he will hate you?”

“I have nothing to do with Mikhail Korovin and I don’t want to!”Nothing to do.Amelia’s voice wavered at the surging, unbidden memory – Mikhail’s hands wrapped around her, tracing the curves of her body, igniting sensations she had tried to forget.

Her cheeks burned, but she kept her composure.

It was time to go. She turned her back on Ana and started to walk away.

She had only taken a few steps when Ana cooed from behind her, “Nothing to do with him? Then you wouldn’t suffer if anything happened to him? You wouldn’t even blink… if I demolished his precious Hospital?”

The blood drained from Amelia’s face. She clenched her fists, spinning around to face Ana. “I thought you cared about the species? Why would you destroy the Hospital?”

Ana’s angelic mask cracked, revealing a hard-edged determination. “Because I’m prepared to sacrifice a few lives to save millions. You already know there is no victory without sacrifice.”

Amelia’s breath hitched.There is no victory without sacrifice.Mikhail followed the same ruthless principle in his quest to save the immortal species – manipulating, kidnapping, killing… He would do anything to achieve his goals.

“If it’s for the greater good, why don’t you just ask him for the ring yourself?”

Ana smiled, but the menace in her eyes remained. “He would never voluntarily give it up. Despite not comprehending the worth of the object he owns, he knows one thing – that his father gifted it to him. Because of that, he’ll never surrender it to anyone else.”

“Maybe he would, if you explained…”

“Amelia, do you know that Mikhail lost his family because of his fiancée?” Amelia nodded. “And you know she was a nymph? Do you then think he would trust me, Mother of Nymphs, especially given the way modern-day stories depict my character? He is a confused man with a terrible trauma from the past, which to this day dictates every single move he makes.”

An icy shiver ran down Amelia’s spine. Ana was right. For days, she had believed that Mikhail had channelled his suffering into a noble cause – a quest to save the immortal species. But she had been wrong.

Ana’s gaze drifted somewhere into the distance. Amelia turned, noticing a young couple – a man and woman – walking towards them, laughing and absorbed in conversation. Suddenly, the man’s hand shot to his throat, his other hand clawing at the air. His lips parted and his tongue protruded, his eyes bulging in terror.

Amelia’s body tensed, ready to rush to his aid, but Ana’s next words froze her in place. “Shall I let him die, Amelia?” Ana’s predatory gaze was locked on the man, and her lips were whispering an inaudible…spell?

“Areyoudoing this?” Amelia shouted.

“I am only making him believe he is suffocating. And when thebrain believes in something, the body obediently follows…”

“Stop it!”

A moment later, the man’s breathing returned to normal, and his girlfriend offered a prayer of thanks. Another moment passed, and the couple was laughing again, as if nothing had occurred.

“What the hell just happened?” Amelia demanded.

“I made them forget,” Ana replied with a casual wave of her hand. “And that is a minuscule part of my abilities.”

“Why don’t you just use your magic to get the ring?”

“Because if I do, the collateral damage will be significant. It would reach my sister’s ears and make her aware of my plans. Yet, if I don’t get that ring soon, I will do exactly what you suggest – the next throat I wrap my fingers around will be Mikhail’s. And that will be only the beginning.”

Amelia straightened her shoulders, trying to steady herself against the rising tide of fear. She couldn’t allow this woman to blackmail her. Mikhail was not her responsibility. Surely, he could handle Ana on his own. But…

Her mind flashed back to the last words she had spoken to Mikhail.You will lose your life in this war– the message the Creator had forced her to deliver after her transformation into the Oracle.

“Well, Amelia, do you still question my willingness to do anything to get that ring?”