Page 84 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

Alex held up her palm. “It was Amelia. Confirmed!”

Amelia’s chest grew heavy at yet another reminder of her loss. Not wanting to reveal her pain, she shook her head. “The war theory doesn’t explain why the Queen is guardingthe Hospital. It’s not just reptilians and humans… but the Tribunal army is there too…” She shot Mikhail a sidelong glance, expecting his reaction at the mention of the Tribunal.

He pursed his lips but didn’t deny it. So, he’d finally accepted that Presiyan was his traitor. The satisfaction of being proven right again faded into a dull ache in Amelia’s chest. Mikhail had trusted the Tribunal’s leader. The betrayal had to sting.

“Before we escaped, all the healers were gathered and warned about special patients. Could it be the soldiers who will get hurt in the war?” Viktor said.

Again, that word. War.

Mikhail rose to his feet, facing Callan. Even in the presence of such an imposing being as the firstborn, Mikhail commanded immediate attention. “What do you suggest we do about it?”

“Unite,” Callan said. “You want to reclaim the Hospital and resolve the issues with regeneration. I want Ana’s head.”

“Reclaiming the Hospital must take priority,” Mikhail said coldly.

“If you attack the Hospital now, it would be like facing a three-headed dragon with a wooden sword. They outmatch you in both weapons and numbers. I propose to search for the missing Sacreds while gathering a large enough army and arsenal to retake the Hospital. Then we move on to Kamchatka, Antambazi, and the other places where Ana’s forces are scattered.”

Mikhail listened with a sour expression, but finally nodded.

Army, weapons, conquest… Amelia’s insides twisted. “You’re talking about a war that will affect humans, too.”

Mikhail glowered at her. “What do you expect us to do?”

“I don’t know, but…”

“Wars between immortals have been fought before and will be fought again. In the end, history will be rewritten to preserve the secret of the immortal world.”

Viktor clicked his tongue. “Unfortunately, this war was declared long ago, back in 1744.”

“Then we start by taking the Sacreds. The Queen has the Mirror, the Net, the Ring, and the Quartz. We have the Watch,” Callan said, shooting a wink at Amelia. “So—”

A muscle ticked in Mikhail’s jaw. “How did you find the pocket watch?”

Callan turned to him, still with a hint of a smile. “I felt it. I always will because it recognises me as its first owner. It adorned the shelf of an old man in South Korea. How it ended up there, I have no idea.”

Alex’s golden ponytail flicked as she shook her head. “So during those few days you were absent, you were in South Korea?”

“I had to retrieve it, didn’t I? The bond between a Sacred and its holder is stronger than blood. I’ll always feel it unless it’s in the hands of someone the artefact itself deems a worthy owner.”

Viktor’s eyebrows shot up. “What does ‘worthy’ mean? Are you saying the Sacreds choose whom to be loyal to?”

“Of course. They’re living entities with their own intelligence and magic.”

Death.A whisper echoed in Amelia’s ear, making her frown.

Callan’s attention shifted to her. “Have you connected to the gloves and the necklace?”

Death.

Amelia ignored the whisper in her head. “The gloves are in Hell. That’s what the Queen wanted from Constantine – to retrieve them for her.”

“Well, that’s new,” Callan mused.

“And the necklace…”Death. Death. Death. The whisper seemed to echo in her ears. She lowered her head, trying to shake it off.

When she looked up, Mikhail was watching her. “Do youknow where it is?” he asked.

‘If you care even a little for the world you live in, you won’t seek any of the seven Sacreds.’She swallowed the lump in her throat.