Page 109 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

“Yes, that’s the one.” She cleared her throat and lowered her voice, scanning their surroundings for eavesdroppers. “When the quiz starts, you’ll approach her, charm her, and lead her into the forest. I’ll follow and take the necklace.”

Mikhail arched an eyebrow. In the past, persuading a woman to join him in the dark had been child’s play. These days, he found more satisfaction in rebuffing advances.

“Got a better idea?” Amelia asked, placing her hands on her hips.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the witch once again eyeing him, her intent unmistakable. He recalled what Presiyan had said about his face. “I’m not convinced it’ll work. In case you haven’t noticed, I look like someone who drowns kittens for fun.”

Amelia’s laughter rang out, catching the attention of a few nearby people. “That’s why I made sure she knows you’re funny,” she whispered. “Funny men attract women – even ones who look like kitten-drowners. And anyway, whileweknow your sense of humour is worse than a mushroom’s,shedoesn’t need to.”

“What kind of humour does a mushroom have?” he asked.

“None.”

Feigning laughter, he shook his head. “Very amusing…”

“And still better than yours.”

She was correct. His lips curved into the barest smile.

He could remember the last time he’d been in excruciating pain, the last time he’d felt uncontrollable rage, and even the last time guilt had consumed him. But he couldn’t recall the last time he’d genuinely laughed. Until now.

Despite being trapped in a game, in a place frozen in time, with a woman connected to a complicated past with him, he’d laughed more in the last few minutes than he had in years – and not all of it had been fake.

Unsettled, he turned his attention back to Zara.

41

Amelia

Using a spell, Balian conjured a scoreboard of intertwining, multicoloured hues that would track the quiz results. Around fifty participants lined up behind a long wooden table on one side of the lake.

Amelia observed the young competitors, realising how ridiculous she and Mikhail would have appeared if they’d joined the game. Every single participant was visibly underage.

Balian announced the start of the quiz with a series of thunderous sounds. Amelia glanced over her shoulder, hoping to spot Mikhail in the crowd, but the solid wall of spectators blocked her view.

She prayed their plan would work because she couldn’t bear the necklace on that witch’s neck any longer. It was hers. She felt it. Knew it. Craved it.

Meanwhile, she half-listened to Balian’s introductory speech. When he posed the first question – “What is the process called where a young immortal is introduced to witchcraft?” – Amelia started weaving her way backwards through the crowd. She’d given Mikhail enough time to establish contact with the witch.

“Initiation!” someone replied, just as Amelia spotted Mikhail and the witch on the far side of the lake. They stood apart from the others, like mere spectators watching from the fringes.

“Correct!” Balian shouted jubilantly. Did he have any idea that the woman he was cheating with was now preparing to cheat on him with another man?

“Next question! What is the most sacred food on the witch’s table?”

“Pears!” someone guessed.

Amelia hardly registered the answer as the witch headed towards the forest. Mikhail followed.

“Apples!” another voice cried.

“Correct! Now let’s see… What is the greatest weakness of the witching kind?”

Mikhail and the witch melted into the shadows of the woods. Amelia’s heart skipped a beat. This was part of the plan, but she couldn’t suppress the surge of jealousy rising within her. Until that moment, she’d been pushing the thought to the back of her mind, but it didn’t change the facts: Mikhail was about to kiss another woman.

And he wouldn’t kissherever again.

“Greed!” someone answered.