Page 135 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

Furrowing his brow, Mikhail swept her hand aside, avoiding contact with her fingers. She tried to push him off, but he pinned her with his thighs and then leaned towards her neck, brushing his nose against her heated skin.

The lower part of her abdomen contracted in response to the growl that escaped his throat.

In an instant, he rose and offered her his hand. Herheart pounded for more than one reason as she stared at the outstretched palm. Was he truly willing to touch her, despite what she had done to him?

Amelia sat up, fists clenched, waiting for Mikhail to realise how absurd his actions were.

“You managed to summon it. Now stop it,” he said in a stern tone, his hand still extended between them.

She frowned at the red stain on his shirt.

Mikhail finally dropped the chivalrous gesture and pulled his T-shirt over his head. Amelia scanned the marked lines on his chest and abdomen. Above the four healed wounds left by his former fiancée, a new flare was visible. A dark, reddish spot, the size of her palm, with a bleeding crimson centre and an outer ring verging on black.

She stood up with a frown. “It needs to be cleaned.”

Mikhail showed no sign of pain, but it was impossible for it not to hurt.“I’ll clean it,” he said. “I’m only showing it to you so you know what you’re capable of. Now, I want you to take my hand and make sure I don’t lose my fingers.”

Amelia raised her hand before her face, and the black matter came alive once more.“Mikhail, I don’t think—”

“Controlled power is a weapon. Uncontrolled is a ticking time bomb, ready to explode in your hands at any moment. In your case, quite literally.” He pointed towards her fingers. “Did you use magic?”

“If I did, I didn’t realise…”

“Then what did you do?”

She remained silent for several long moments before finally admitting,“I wanted to hurt you.”

He nodded.“All right.”

“Just ‘all right’?”

“Take my hand.”

She did, repeating to herself that she would not hurthim.This time, shedid not wantto hurt him. Their fingers intertwined, her hand resting in his, and Amelia’s heart clenched with the feeling of being at home.

It didn’t last.

“Well done. You managed.” Mikhail smiled.And then withdrew his hand. Not ot out of pain, but because there was no longer a reason to hold on.

50

Kathrine

Kathrine’s lungs expanded with each breath, her weary muscles propelling her forward across the sea. She found herself beneath the stars of a strange sky. In the distance, a fire burned, casting light on the people gathered on the beach.

The sea reallywasa gateway to Antambazi. Few believed it. Most who dared to test it returned as corpses – or not at all. But she’d made it. Alive, breathing, and somewhere entirely unfamiliar. Her urgency increased as she neared the shore.

Sevar had tried to kill her…

Her feet touched the seabed. She’d long since discarded her shoes, but the Chosen’s attire still clung to her reptilian form. When the crash of the waves blended with beachside music, she transformed into her human shape.

A few metres from shore, the moonlight illuminated her figure as she emerged from the water, yet no one noticed. She brushed back her wet, short hair. She was alive and intended to live long enough to witness the demise of those whohad failedto end her.

Her feet found firm ground on the shore, and she surveyed the cove where she’d landed. On one side, a low hill rose, its summit gleaming with lights. Her gaze traced the wooden staircase leading up to them.

She approached two young men by the fire and raised her voice over the music. “Where are we?” The two exchanged glances. “What’s this beach?”

“Coral?” one of them answered, raising an eyebrow.