Page 184 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

She struggled to untie the ropes with her fingers, but no matter how fiercely she fought, the magic that had aided her before refused to manifest. Desperation filled her as she cast a glance at the circle of harpies surrounding them.

The Queen pressed the knife against Amelia’s chest. The necklace around her neck glimmered, a cruel reminder of yet another loss.

“Please…” Amelia whispered to the twin serpents.

The Queen raised an eyebrow, assuming the plea was directed at her.

The ropes fell from Amelia’s wrists just as a burning sensation accompanied the flow of black energy from herfingertips. She swung her freed hand, knocking the knife from the Queen’s grip.

While the Queen scrambled to find the fallen blade, Amelia swivelled around to Sevar. But he was quick enough to leap back. She burned away the ropes at her ankles and lunged at the Queen. She would torment her until agonised screams spilt from her lips, then leave her to rot slowly.

The harpies screeched like crows overhead.

“Stay out of this!” the Queen commanded them.

Amelia struck, just as Mikhail had taught her – but the Queen moved with incredible speed. She dodged every blow, holding the watch firmly in one hand. No matter how Amelia tried to corner her, to make her drop it, the Queen evaded her with uncanny ease.

Before Amelia could react, the Queen seized her arm and twisted her wrist, sending a sharp pain through her. Amelia’s eyes traced her opponent’s hands. The contact left no mark on the gloves.

“The mirror protects me from magic,” the Queen hissed. “Did you forget, little witch? Sevar, hand me the knife!”

She wrenched Amelia’s arm behind her back and immobilised her. Amelia’s back hit the Queen’s body with the force of colliding with a boulder. She struggled, but the Queen was stronger than anything she had ever faced.

“Hurry, Sevar! The solstice will end before I even begin!”

“Actually, I think I’ll be leaving,” Sevar said.

The Queen froze behind Amelia. “What are you saying?”

Sevar stepped towards the knife lying in the grass, picked it up, and wiped it on his palm.

“Give me the knife, Sevar!” The Queen’s words whipped past Amelia’s ear.

He slid the knife into his jacket and shook his head. “Antambazi will not participate in this war. Nor will the Chosen.If you try to return to Antambazi, it won’t work. All the portals are now warded againsthumanids.” He bared his teeth at Amelia. “Did I risk everything to bring you the Oracle’s letters and the General’s heart, only for you to do nothing?”

The admission stunned Amelia, causing her to forget her struggle against the Queen. The creature the Oracle had trusted? Sevar?Sevar?!

“What have you done?!” the Queen shouted, but Sevar was already turning his back on her. “You won’t get away with this! I’ll deal with you later, traitor!”

A powerful blow sent Amelia sprawling to the ground. She lifted her elbows to shield herself. The Queen knelt above her, gripping a fistful of her hair. “I’ll rip your heart out with my bare hands if I have to!”

She flipped Amelia onto her back, looming over her. Amelia kicked frantically as the Queen’s fist connected with her jaw, snapping her head to the side. For a moment, she caught sight of the ayradjakli.

The Queen yanked off one glove in frustration, while the necklace around her neck pulsed with energy. Amelia faced her again, the spinning purple irises of the ayradjakli haunting her. He would consume her heart.

She remembered his warning: not to seek the Sacreds. Would everything have been different if she had listened to him?

‘If you value life as you know it, you will forget everything I’ve just said. Never envision the necklace, nor any of the Seven Sacreds.’

Were the Sacreds truly related to the seven deadly sins?

‘When it comes to witches from the same coven, their selflessness is legendary. In those cases, the necklace takes on a different meaning – one of generosity, not material but spiritual. It’s no coincidence that the necklace was crafted in the shape of a two-headed snake. Everything has at least twoperspectives. For every sin, there is an equally strong virtue.’

What if the Sacreds were the opposite of sins? What if they were thebalanceto the sins?

Gea’s letter:‘Everything can be seen from at least two perspectives.’

The Sacreds weren’t sins. They were the exact opposite.