Page 30 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts (Hospital for Immortal Creatures #3)

Mikhail

Mikhail Korovin – heir to a prominent manticore lineage, son of one of the Tribunal’s founders, creator of the Hospital for Immortal Creatures, and chairman of the Council of Twenty – awoke to excruciating pain coursing through his body.

The last time he’d felt so shattered was in the eighteenth century, when he’d regained consciousness in a stranger’s house after Valeria had attempted to murder him.

He clenched his teeth. After all these years, the nymph’s betrayal still burned like a slow, unrelenting fire. The swift death he’d granted her had been a mercy.

Darkness blurred his sight, quickening his pulse with a dread of more poison to come. His lungs grew heavy… Another memory. This time, from Antambazi.

He was aware he was no longer a prisoner in the reptilian realm, but that still didn’t answer the pressing question of where, in the name of Hell, he was now.

Sitting up in bed, he tried to piece together how he’d ended up in this room.

He took in his surroundings. The plaster on the walls was crumbling, scattering debris onto a wooden floor worn by time.

Pale light seeped through the panes of a peeling window frame, casting a faint glow on the layers of dust coating the sparse furniture: a wooden chest and a chair with a frayed cushion.

A grimy, cracked mirror clung to the opposite wall.

In the corner above the bed, a massive spider loomed, poised to descend on his head.

Mikhail threw back the blanket, unsurprised by his nakedness. Before shackling him, the Queen had stripped him of his clothes. Yet he had no memory of how he’d freed himself from the chains, nor how he’d ended up in this room.

Once again, darkness pressed in. Fear. His heart raced at the recollection of the poison coursing through the tubes in his neck, spreading through his veins, killing him in slow agony.

No . Regaining his composure, he stood and walked to the window. A towering mountain stretched before him, bathed in the rays of the midday sun. It wasn’t the Vitosha Mountain. From what he’d glimpsed during his captivity, it wasn’t Antambazi either.

He approached the mirror to examine his reflection.

Tangled, light-brown locks framed his bearded jawline.

Judging by the length of his hair, he hadn’t been unconscious for long.

He traced his gaunt cheeks and hollow cheekbones before focusing on the vile marks on his body.

The four scars, immortalising the greatest loss of his life, were still there.

A fresh wave of anger surged through him.

He made his way to the wooden chest against the wall. Inside, he found folded clothes, presumably for his use. Scowling at the topmost item – a woman’s coat – he dug deeper until he pulled out a T-shirt and jeans that would fit him. He put them on and, finding no shoes, strode barefoot to the door.

First, he would figure out where he was. Then, he would reclaim the Hospital.

And after that, he intended to visit Antambazi.

***

Viktor

Viktor stormed down the hall towards Mikhail’s room, frustration stiffening his muscles.

He was still struggling to accept that he’d ended up in a cabin in the middle of the Strandzha Mountains thanks to Alex and her new friend .

After she’d drugged him, no less. It was a miracle Viktor hadn’t exploded.

Later , he promised himself. Right now, his priority was ensuring Mikhail’s well-being.

Last time he’d checked, there had been no signs of improvement.

As he climbed the stairs to the second floor, Mikhail was stepping out of his room, looking strong enough to have dressed himself.

“My friend, I’m so glad you’ve regained consciousness!” Viktor enveloped him in a firm embrace. The worry he’d endured over Mikhail’s health had been sheer torment. For a fleeting moment, he’d allowed the dreadful possibility that the manticore might never wake.

Mikhail stepped back, his eyes narrowing. “Was it you who rescued me from the reptilians?”

Viktor’s beast raged at the mere memory of recent events.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t do much for you, and I’m not entirely sure what happened.

When we found you and Amelia, you were both unconscious after what appeared to be a crash while escaping Antambazi.

Amelia lost a lot of blood, but don’t worry.

She’s recovering. She hasn’t woken up yet, but I see no medical reason why she won’t regain consciousness soon – aside from sheer exhaustion, of course. ”

Mikhail rubbed his scalp. “So, I crashed? I must have hit my head. That explains why I can’t remember how I got out. Where did you find me?”

“In the mountains near Antambazi.”

“And what is this place?” Mikhail gestured down the corridor.

Viktor followed the movement of his hand. The two-storey cabin wasn’t ideal, but it had running water and seemed safe. “It’s an abandoned lodge in the Strandzha Mountains. We’re hiding out here temporarily while you and Amelia stabilise. Then, we’ll figure out what to do.”

A puzzled frown marred Mikhail’s brow. “What’s the situation at the Hospital?”

Victor’s chest tightened. “It’s still under siege. Healing continues, and the inhabitants are holding on…” He hesitated. The truth was, he’d barely held himself together to avoid transforming. Despite his anger towards Alex for her behaviour, her actions had, in fact, protected him.

“Where are Constantine, Zacharia, and Nyavolski?” Mikhail asked.

“Nyavolski and Helena are at the Hospital, but I haven’t heard anything from Constantine or Zacharia.”

“Who else is here?” Mikhail asked.

“It’s just me, you, Amelia, and Alex for now…”

“Where’s your boy?” Mikhail meant Grigor, Victor’s adopted son, and Alex’s twin.

“He wasn’t at the Hospital during the siege. I hope he took off long ago and is enjoying himself somewhere.” Viktor forced a smile. In truth, he was worried about the boy, but pushed the thought aside and changed the subject. “I assume you’re eager to see Amelia?”

Viktor hadn’t figured out how to tell Mikhail what had happened.

He was already furious with himself, and Mikhail would no doubt itch to tear someone’s head off.

If Viktor had a single safe place to hide Alex, he’d have sent her there the second she’d explained everything.

He couldn’t deny her role in saving them all, but she could have warned him she was going to drug him and do that to Amelia…

He hoped Mikhail would be more understanding if he first saw that Amelia’s life wasn’t in danger and then learned what had befallen her.

“Let’s go straight to Amelia,” Viktor suggested, starting for her door.

Mikhail didn’t follow him. “Who’s Amelia?”

Viktor spun around. He’d expected the news to twist Mikhail’s face with concern – or, more likely, to provoke uncontrollable rage towards those responsible, along with a desperate need to reach her.

Mikhail’s expression only radiated cool detachment, tinged with confusion. Which meant something was very wrong.

“‘Who’s Amelia’?” Viktor repeated incredulously.

“Don’t you know? You’ve mentioned the name several times.”

“No, I mean, are you seriously asking me, ‘Who’s Amelia’?”

Mikhail’s face remained impassive. This was not good.

“Amelia. Your partner Amelia!”

“Partner?” Mikhail spat the word as though it left a bitter taste.

Viktor spread his hands. “Your beloved! Your companion! Call her what you like!”

Mikhail’s lips pressed into a thin line. “My friend, have you lost your mind? Or perhaps you’ve forgotten my past? I would never bind myself to anyone again. If someone convinced you I have, then they clearly don’t know me at all.”

“I believe her because I’ve seen you together. Anyone who’s witnessed your interactions knows that you’re not just bonded, you’re utterly consumed by her.”

Mikhail’s eyebrows shot up. “Bullshit. That reeks of magic, Viktor.”

“What kind of magic?”

“An illusion designed to trick you into believing I’d fall under the influence of a woman. More absurdly – that I’d trust a woman again. And to the point of being ‘consumed’ by her? Really?”

“If it’s an illusion, then how do you explain the new Oracle?”

“A new Oracle?”

“Yes! Amelia.”

Mikhail shook his head. “The Oracle died at the Hospital. There is no Oracle anymore.”

“You’re wrong! Amelia is … Fine, wait! The Oracle sent you to help Amelia. You must remember that.”

“I wasn’t helping any Amelia.”

Viktor gaped at him. “Then who were you helping? Who did the Oracle send you to, after ten years of silence?”

“If you’re referring to the first time in a decade the Oracle spoke to me, she said someone would ‘need help.’ But when I got to the address, no one was there.”

Victor struggled to maintain his composure. “And how do you explain the siege at the Hospital? How did your ring end up in the Queen’s hands?”

Mikhail’s expression hardened. “My ring is in the Queen’s possession because I was a fool. I should have hidden it somewhere safe years ago instead of leaving it in the Hospital’s corridor. It couldn’t have been difficult for the reptilians to find it when they’d searched the building.”

Viktor clenched his fists, resisting the urge to punch the wall. “No, Mikhail. Amelia gave the ring to the Queen, probably because you entrusted it to her. I’m not privy to the exact circumstances, but I assume you had some kind of plan—”

“What?” Mikhail’s voice lowered. “That woman’s the reason I lost the ring?”

“That’s how it appeared, but I assumed you’d agreed on something beforehand…”

“Take me to her!”

Viktor led him down the corridor, uneasy about the shift in Mikhail’s thoughts. Viktor himself didn’t understand what had transpired during their escape from Antambazi, but he’d never once thought of Amelia as a traitor.

He paused at the door, knocked, and entered the room. As instructed, Alex was by Amelia’s bedside, watching for any changes in her condition.

“He’s awake!” Alex exclaimed.

“Hello, pup.” Mikhail nodded before stepping up to the bed.

Amelia lay on her side, blonde hair splayed across her cheek, almost obscuring her face.

The manticore wrinkled his nose and turned to Alex. “Do you know who this woman is?”

The girl’s brown eyes widened. “Amelia, of course.”

“And what is she to me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do I have any connection to her?”

“Uh… You’re… dating?”

Mikhail snorted.

Alex searched Viktor’s features for help. He held his hands up in defeat. “Partial amnesia, perhaps?”

“Amnesia?” Alex echoed.

“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 I kidnapped 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.”