Page 65 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

Amelia

Back in her room, Amelia sank to the floor, her knees drawn up, her head resting against the bed frame. Viktor had assured her that Mikhail’s condition was temporary, but the lycanthrope was unaware of Gea’s letter, which stated that the Oracle and the Sacreds were connected, and passing the ring might sever the bond between her and Mikhail.

The bond, not his entire memory of her, for goodness’ sake! But if that’s what had happened…

She needed to pull herself together.

She allowed herself five minutes to wallow in self-pity. Her responsibilities were far too great to indulge any longer.

When the time was up, she stood. As she opened her door, she wasn’t surprised to find Viktor waiting in the corridor, full of sympathy. “Amelia, I’m sorry. I can only imagine how you must feel after what you’ve been through.”

The sorrow in his voice reminded her of the condolences she’d received after losing her family. She was no longer that broken girl who’d lost everything overnight. This world – ruthless as it was – she belonged in it. And she had something to fight for. But first, she had to make sense of what had happened.

“Tell me exactly how you found us,” she said.

“I know you’re worried about him.” Viktor’s fingers fiddled with the hem of his grey T-shirt. “I am, too, but I suspect his condition results from psychological trauma.”

Recalling the tubes and what the reptilian had told her, Amelia silently agreed with his assessment. How significant a role the Queen’s death-revival game had played in Mikhail’s amnesia, however, was questionable. “Take me through it, Viktor, please. How did you and Alex get here?”

Viktor sat on the edge of the bed, his palms resting on his knees. “After the siege, we endured two gruelling weeks. The entire building was crawling with reptilians and humans, and then the Tribunal guards joined them.”

A fire ignited in her chest. “So, Presiyan really is a traitor.”

“Unfortunately.” Viktor’s resigned tone reflected the turmoil in his expression. “I nearly lost control during the siege – not like centuries ago, but maybe close. If the guards had suspected I was on the verge of Vaka Hara, they’d have shot me just as they did the other creatures who lost control.”

“Viktor, I’m sorry for what you’ve been through…”

He shook his head. “I should have been more responsible.”

A lump formed in Amelia’s throat. She understood the source of Viktor’s fragile balance with his animal half. His tendency to surrender to the beast within was a cruel testamentto his past wounds. He’d lost his family to the Kreiss Hunters – and General Petrov, their copycat, was a constant reminder in the present.

General Petrov…

God! How come she hadn’t figured it out sooner? The pervert had been killed in the Hospital, and Viktor had been there the entire time.

Amelia worried about Viktor’s state but could never judge him. She had just one question. “How did you send me the heart in Antambazi?”

His hand twitched beneath hers. “What are you talking about, Amelia?”

“Petrov’s heart, wasn’t it? The one that helped us escape Antambazi and…”

The uncertainty in Viktor’s expression caused her to reconsider.

She enclosed his hands in hers. “A riot broke out at the Hospital. Petrov was killed – torn apart.”

For a moment, Viktor seemed to hold his breath. “There were disturbances at the Hospital four days ago,” he said at last. “But I was unconscious. Alex suspected I was close to Vaka Hara and injected me with a sedative before any of the guards noticed. She woke me during the riot, and we escaped immediately, but…” He hesitated. “Petrov was killed?”

“Someone killed him in the chaos of the riot,” she confirmed.

Suspicion lingered on Viktor’s face. “Are you sure?”

For the first time, Amelia wasn’t repulsed by what she’d been forced to consume. “I suspect I ate half ofhisheart. I’ll explain another time, but now I need to know what happened after Alex woke you during the riot.”

A pause stretched before he answered. “She told me we had to use the chaos to escape. And she wasn’t alone. A man was with her…”

Amelia pressed her lips together. “Callan?”

Viktor nodded. “He somehow got us out without the guards noticing, and we ran away by car. Headed east. I didn’t understand much, still groggy from the sedatives, but Alex kept assuring me we were safe. We arrived at this cabin, which Callan had secured for us beforehand. That’s when he and Alex filled me in.”