Page 61 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

“He remembers everything else, but not Amelia.”

“I’ve heard of cases like this!” Alex said. “If a memory is too traumatic, the brain can erase it…”

“Now it all makes sense!” Mikhail stepped back from the bed, rubbing his chin.

Viktor felt a glimmer of hope. “Do you remember her?”

The manticore’s gaze returned to Amelia’s sleeping face. “She enchanted me, then made me forget her so I wouldn’t hold her accountable. That explains why you all remember her, and I don’t. She must have been in my life, and using powerful magic at that, because there’s no other explanation for me allowing her so close to me, let alone giving her the ring.”

A string of curses rose to Viktor’s tongue, but he suppressed them. “And if that’s true, why did we find you two together? Why would she run with you?”

“How should I know?” Mikhail shrugged. “Maybe Ikidnapped her for revenge. Maybe it’s one of the Queen’s tricks.” To Alex, he said, “Keep an eye on her. And don’t let her leave the lodge under any circumstances.”

24

Kathrine

Kathrine regained consciousness in the infirmary. Her engagement ring was on the bedside table, next to a card and a bouquet of annies. She would have been much happier if her fiancé had occupied the empty chair beside her bed, but he was overwhelmed with his duties to the Queen.

She turned over the card to read its contents.Get well soon, Commander!Lina and Kristo had signed below it. Kathrine relaxed slightly, reassured that Kristo was safe.

But another weight settled in her chest. Despite her usual discipline, which left no room for emotional introspection, she couldn’t ignore the sting of disappointment. Was Sevarthatbusy, he couldn’t even be bothered to check on her?

The bitterness brewing inside her soon gave way to anger as the recent events resurfaced. That damned vampire had shot her in the lung! It was fortunate she had the Chosen’s quick regeneration. Such a wound would have killed any ordinary reptilian.

Her thoughts shifted to the necromancer and the Oracle. She recalled the determined expression on the unfamiliar vampire’s face and the satisfaction written all over the necromancer’s features. Kathrine pursed her lips in displeasure. It seemed that once she allowed herself to open Pandora’s box of emotions, it became impossible to close it again. Now, reflecting on the brief exchange between the necromancer and the vampire, an unwelcome wave of jealousy washed over her. Was that the woman he had accused her of supposedly killing?

The door creaked, and she stirred, expecting Sevar’s dark figure. Instead, it was a healer.

“You’re awake, Madame Dawalis! This is excellent news. The Queen wishes to see you in her chambers at your earliest convenience.”

The enthusiasm in his voice made her want to throttle him. Her fiancé clearly didn’t care whether she was awake – why should this stranger be so delighted by her improvement?

***

Kathrine

After she arrived at the Queen’s chamber, Sevar filled her in on the recent events. Kathrine learned that four days had passed since the necromancer, the Oracle, and the manticore had all slipped away. Sevar had suffered physical injuries while pursuing the necromancer, though he had already recovered. The Queen had been trapped in her vehicle but had extracted herself with the aid of the Sacreds.

“I cannot fathom how they reached the portals unnoticed!” Sevar paced around the hall. “They killed Advisor Troev and stole his car, yet no one can explain how they passed the guards outside the necromancer’s door. Nobody remembers seeing them! How is that possible?” His gaze narrowed on Kathrine. “Who was stationed outside his room?”

A lump formed in her throat as it dawned on her. Instead of siding with her in this predicament, Sevar would cover his own ass by finding fault withhercommand. This explained why he hadn’t been by her bed when she’d woken up.

Kathrine remained silent. After all, Sevar already knew the answer. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been throwing the question at her.

A tense pause followed.

“Who was stationed outside his door, Kathrine?” the Queen ended up asking.

Kathrine’s insides twisted. Yet, there was no way around it. “Lina,” she admitted. “I didn’t take her into the field because she’s been… under a lot of stress lately. She was stationed there with one of the recruits.”

The Queen received this information with a neutral expression.

Sevar resumed his relentless pacing. “They had inside help! Lina let them go. Why else would she persist with this absurd claim that they never passed her? As if a necromancer could leap out of a window!”

Kathrine leaned against the wall, folding her arms across her chest. It was clear they’d had inside assistance, but she couldn’t imagine Lina being complicit. Yes, stress had taken a toll on the guard. Even so, that wasn’t enough motive for her to commit such a reckless act.

“No one in the palace saw them. Nor in the laboratory,” she pointed out.