Page 16 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

Lifting her chin, she asked, “What would it take to get you to hear the Queen out?”

The necromancer looked her up and down, as if weighing his options. “How about we go to her, and you’ll find out.”

“You’re ready to listen to her?”

“I am, yes. It’s time you told me what you want from me.”

With a few quick steps, Kathrine reached for the light switch. The dim glow illuminated the necromancer’s face. In the dark, she’d only glimpsed the outline of his features. In the light, she saw the true darkness lurking within him.

He was known for being handsome, but with his messy black beard, dusty clothes, and unsettling presence, he was a shadow of his former self.

“I’m losing patience, tigress.”

Kathrine reached for her holster again, this time drawing her weapon. “After you, then.” She gestured towards the corridor.

The necromancer glanced at her gun with disdain. “If I wanted to escape, I’d have done it long ago.” He raised his hand, revealing a pin clenched between his fingers. “I always carry one. Maybe if you hadn’t been so shy when searching me, you’d have found it.”

He had unlocked his shackles with a pin. Kathrine grimaced. Shehadsearched him thoroughly. No way she’d missed something so important…

9

Amelia

After a night of restless tossing, Amelia pulled the letter from beneath her pillow and reread it. Again. Then, she turned to the last page, for the words that had shattered her.

I suppose I owe you an explanation for what is happening between you and Mikhail Korovin.

The ring has been in his family for generations – his bloodline traces back to its original owner. This means the ring recognises him as its rightful bearer, and even the Queen would have struggled to take it by force.

When I foresaw that he would fall in love with you, I realised you were the safest way to separate him from it.

As I mentioned, Mikhail carries the ring’s energy in his blood, and the Sacreds and the Oracle will always be drawn to each other. That connection may have been why he fell for you. And now that the ring is no longer his, the attraction between you may fade.

But Mikhail is not the sole heir. Someone else was bound to seek the ring. At the Hospital, it was in grave danger. However strange it may seem, for now, Antambazi is the safest place for it.

The Queen knows about Mikhail’s lineage, but she doesn’t know about you. You are also an heir to one of the Sacreds – Renenutet’s Necklace, the most witch-like artefact. As of 1950, the Queen does not yet possess it.

If I am not mistaken, a trace of the first witch’s blood flows in you. That is why the necklace will not reveal itself to me. It iswaiting for you.

When you find it, remember what I warned you about. The dark energy is growing – I saw it again last night. This time, it was stronger.

Just keep that in mind.

G.

Later, when Amelia took her seat opposite the Queen, her attention lingered on the chain with the ring.

Her thoughts drifted back to what she’d read in the letter. Mikhail being a direct heir to the ring wasn’t a surprise. But she, an heir to one of the Sacreds? The seven relics were tied to the seven immortal species, and she didn’t belong to any of them.

The letter had been written years before Amelia’s birth, and Gea had admitted her visions weren’t always definitive. Perhaps she hadn’t foreseen that Amelia would be born into a human family, as a human.

Her stomach twisted with pain at the thought of the other part of the letter. She refused to believe that her connection with Mikhail was artificial – her feelings hadn’t diminished in the slightest since the ring was taken. But… a small, nagging voice had settled in her mind, whispering,What if Mikhail, wherever he is now, has suddenly woken from the magic of our false attraction and is cursing himself for giving up the ring for my freedom?

“How was your day, dear?” the Queen asked, just as one of the Chosen trainees entered and served them cooked meat.

“I walked through the gardens. The view of the black waters is impressive.” Following the Mother of Reptilians, Amelia unfolded her red napkin and placed it on her lap. Not that she had any chance of staining her white blouse or grey trousers, given that she didn’t consume food, but she’d learned that her companion valued etiquette.

“It is, indeed. The young creatures love spending timethere. Unfortunately, the years often take away our ability to appreciate nature,” the Queen remarked, tasting a piece of her meat. “Did you know that even if you don’t have a physiological need for meat, eating it regularly can enhance your abilities?”