Page 187 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

“Protects them from what?”

“From everything. From the Higher Powers. From death. Even from the destructive energy of the activated Sacreds.”

A shiver ran through Amelia’s core. That meant… “So, I can activate them and survive?”

Renenutet and Sobek exchanged a glance.

“Of course,” she said, “as long as you charge it with love.”

“Charge it with love?”

“By feeding one of the serpents with love. And having someone else feed the second for you.”

Amelia’s heart sank as she understood the meaning behind Renenutet’s words. “Feed it with… love? As in, someone has to love me?”

“And you, them. A shared, unwavering love. The kind that rules above all else. The kind that compelled my husband to craft the necklace for me. The highest virtue in the world.”

***

Viktor

The final beat of Viktor’s heart marked the end of his earthly existence and lifted the veil that had, for years, obscured his view of life as it truly was. It allowed him to appreciate the gift bestowed upon him.

He had been granted the chance to wander for a thousand years among the secrets and wonders of magical Earth. He had loved, with every fibre of his being, a woman who had returned his love with equal depth and sincerity. He had known the joy of that love.

He had been honoured to contribute to the creation of the Hospital for Immortal Creatures, a sanctuary that had saved thousands of wounded bodies and souls. He had raised two children and nurtured them into compassionate individuals with generous hearts. He had found friends for whom giving his life was a sacrifice worth making. He had experienced an extraordinary range of emotions, each of which had shaped his soul and would strengthen it for the journey that lay ahead.

Now, he observed the Hospital from a distance, as if through a thickening veil of mist. With every breath, the world slipped further away. His friends charged into the courtyard once thebarrier fell, cutting down the harpies with relentless force. Soon, they would find his body – and with it, the grief and fury that always followed loss. Mikhail would feel it the most. They had fought side by side for decades, surviving things others wouldn’t dare imagine. Mikhail was the closest thing he’d had to a brother. And now, he was leaving him behind, too.

His thoughts drifted to Alex and Grigor. His twins. Not by blood, but by every choice he’d made. Alex – clever, fierce, more resilient than she realised – would bear the burden. Grigor, with his quiet strength, would support her. They were adults. Mature enough to face the world without him.

That didn’t make this any easier. But it rendered it bearable.

He was leaving this world with his mission complete.

And beyond, they were waiting for him. All the loved ones he’d lost.

He noticed Rafael first. Was his teacher pleased because Viktor had used the gifted tattoo, or was he just glad to see him again?

All doubts vanished the moment they came into view – his beloved, cradling their child in her arms. Tears welled in his eyes. Gratitude curled his lips into a gentle smile when he saw who stood as a guard beside them. His other half. The part of himself he had suppressed and hated for so long, but had only truly valued once he had lost it.

The wolf watched him with a calm expression, resigned to his fate. For centuries, he had played the role of Viktor’s protector, guided by his primal instinct for self-preservation.

But now, even after being destroyed byMrita Hara, and cast into the Beyond, he seemed to harbour no resentment. His gaze was steady, almost patient, as though he had been awaiting the return of his lost half while safeguarding the most precious treasure of their shared existence – at least until they could all reunite.

Viktor’s chest no longer rose and fell with life, but the weight that had been pressing down on him finally lifted.

***

The ayradjakli did not want to spawn evil, but he was desperate for a humanid heart. Thus, when the Oracle failed to honour their agreement, he fulfilled it as she had wished. If he had more time, he might have explained to her that magic follows the path of least resistance – often the path of the clearest message.

He restored the regeneration of the immortal species. But magic does not deal with subtleties; it operates with precision. Therefore, the Higher Powers reinstated the regeneration of the only immortal species on Earth – those who had never endured even a day under the influence of the Changes.

Ironically, they were the only ones who were already dead.

66

Mikhail