Page 88 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts (Hospital for Immortal Creatures #3)

Amelia

It felt like hours, but in reality, it had all happened within seconds.

Viktor appeared to be winning. As he rained punch after punch onto the masked man’s face, Amelia’s concern for him deepened.

Such relentless aggression couldn’t fail to push him towards Vaka Hara .

She expected he’d transform into the wolf – a creature she’d only heard of from Mikhail.

A bloodthirsty beast, fuelled by years of repressed rage.

Then Mikhail, Presiyan, and the others burst through the central gate, and for a heartbeat, Amelia dared to hope that the grim fate she’d been expecting might be averted. She began struggling more furiously against the ropes binding her wrists.

From the rear of the twenty-storey Hospital, hundreds of black wings erupted, obscuring the moon.

Their piercing cries were deafening; the sound of their beating wings had Amelia’s stomach churning.

This time, there was no necrosis to defeat them.

They descended into the courtyard and launched themselves at Mikhail and the others.

Amelia’s gaze snapped back to Viktor. It was harder to see him through the maelstrom of wings and bodies whirling around her and the Queen. A brief lull in the chaos allowed her a glimpse, and her blood ran cold at the sight of his enormous attacker – in full wolf form now – looming over Viktor.

Viktor will be fin e. He has to be.

The wolf’s jaws clamped down on his throat.

Amelia screamed, “Viktor!”

The vile creature spat out red tissue torn from Viktor’s neck.

“NO!”

The curtain of wings shifted again, blocking her view. Tears streamed down her face in heavy rivulets. She tried to get to her feet, but the ropes binding her ankles wouldn’t allow it. So, she began crawling on her knees.

A rough hand grabbed her shoulder, yanking her off her feet. Amelia stumbled forward.

“Enough theatrics!” the Queen snapped, forcing her back onto her knees.

Sevar’s clawed fingers pinned her into place once more, while the ayradjakli approached, arms crossed. He tapped his foot as if tearing out her heart and unleashing war on Earth was just another tedious task on his list.

“I’ll destroy you!” Amelia shouted.

The Queen pursed her lips. “In another life, dear.”

Amelia screamed again. The weight in her chest grew into something black, spreading through her veins, her muscles, her very cells. Viktor was dead. Viktor, the kindest soul in the world. Viktor, who had always been so much more than appearances suggested.

She struggled to untie the ropes with her fingers, but no matter how fiercely she fought, the magic that had aided her before refused to manifest. Desperation filled her as she cast a glance at the circle of harpies surrounding them.

The Queen pressed the knife against Amelia’s chest. The necklace around her neck glimmered, a cruel reminder of yet another loss.

“Please…” Amelia whispered to the twin serpents.

The Queen raised an eyebrow, assuming the plea was directed at her.

The ropes fell from Amelia’s wrists just as a burning sensation accompanied the flow of black energy from her fingertips. She swung her freed hand, knocking the knife from the Queen’s grip.

While the Queen scrambled to find the fallen blade, Amelia swivelled around to Sevar. But he was quick enough to leap back. She burned away the ropes at her ankles and lunged at the Queen. She would torment her until agonised screams spilt from her lips, then leave her to rot slowly.

The harpies screeched like crows overhead.

“Stay out of this!” the Queen commanded them.

Amelia struck, just as Mikhail had taught her – but the Queen moved with incredible speed. She dodged every blow, holding the watch firmly in one hand. No matter how Amelia tried to corner her, to make her drop it, the Queen evaded her with uncanny ease.

Before Amelia could react, the Queen seized her arm and twisted her wrist, sending a sharp pain through her. Amelia’s eyes traced her opponent’s hands. The contact left no mark on the gloves.

“The mirror protects me from magic,” the Queen hissed. “Did you forget, little witch? Sevar, hand me the knife!”

She wrenched Amelia’s arm behind her back and immobilised her. Amelia’s back hit the Queen’s body with the force of colliding with a boulder. She struggled, but the Queen was stronger than anything she had ever faced.

“Hurry, Sevar! The solstice will end before I even begin!”

“Actually, I think I’ll be leaving,” Sevar said.

The Queen froze behind Amelia. “What are you saying?”

Sevar stepped towards the knife lying in the grass, picked it up, and wiped it on his palm.

“Give me the knife, Sevar!” The Queen’s words whipped past Amelia’s ear.

He slid the knife into his jacket and shook his head.

“Antambazi will not participate in this war. Nor will the Chosen. If you try to return to Antambazi, it won’t work.

All the portals are now warded against humanids .

” He bared his teeth at Amelia. “Did I risk everything to bring you the Oracle’s letters and the General’s heart, only for you to do nothing? ”

The admission stunned Amelia, causing her to forget her struggle against the Queen. The creature the Oracle had trusted? Sevar? Sevar?!

“What have you done?!” the Queen shouted, but Sevar was already turning his back on her. “You won’t get away with this! I’ll deal with you later, traitor!”

A powerful blow sent Amelia sprawling to the ground. She lifted her elbows to shield herself. The Queen knelt above her, gripping a fistful of her hair. “I’ll rip your heart out with my bare hands if I have to!”

She flipped Amelia onto her back, looming over her. Amelia kicked frantically as the Queen’s fist connected with her jaw, snapping her head to the side. For a moment, she caught sight of the ayradjakli.

The Queen yanked off one glove in frustration, while the necklace around her neck pulsed with energy. Amelia faced her again, the spinning purple irises of the ayradjakli haunting her. He would consume her heart.

She remembered his warning: not to seek the Sacreds. Would everything have been different if she had listened to him?

‘If you value life as you know it, you will forget everything I’ve just said. Never envision the necklace, nor any of the Seven Sacreds.’

Were the Sacreds truly related to the seven deadly sins?

‘When it comes to witches from the same coven, their selflessness is legendary. In those cases, the necklace takes on a different meaning – one of generosity, not material but spiritual. It’s no coincidence that the necklace was crafted in the shape of a two-headed snake.

Everything has at least two perspectives.

For every sin, there is an equally strong virtue. ’

What if the Sacreds were the opposite of sins? What if they were the balance to the sins?

Gea’s letter: ‘Everything can be seen from at least two perspectives.’

The Sacreds weren’t sins. They were the exact opposite.

Virtues.

Her wide eyes swept over the Sacreds adorning the Queen’s body. She had come across the names over and over again while researching the Sacreds, but had never paid them any attention.

Amelia focused on the necklace. She had thought its name was Greed. But in truth, it was its opposite… “Generosity!” she called to it. Was it her imagination, or did it flash in iridescent rainbow light?

The Queen tore Amelia’s blouse open with a quick tug. Amelia’s gaze shifted to the net – Lust. “Chastity!” The Sacred responded with glowing threads, also painted in rainbow hues.

A commotion of flapping wings and screeching harpies caused the Queen to turn her head.

Amelia seized the opportunity to call upon the stone nestled against the Queen’s chest – Envy.

“Kindness!” Its light shifted into a kaleidoscope of colours, though the Queen didn’t notice.

Instead, she faced Amelia with renewed determination.

The mirror hung at the Queen’s waist, hidden from view. Amelia imagined it, summoning it silently – Pride. “Humility!”

The Queen sank her claws between Amelia’s ribs, causing fiery pain. But Amelia refused to be distracted. She focused on the watch. Gluttony—”Temperance!”

The Queen’s fingers pierced her flesh, snapping ribs in the process. Tears ran down Amelia’s cheek as she gritted her teeth and called upon the gloves – Sloth. “Diligence!”

Agonised screams echoed from every direction, but none escaped from Amelia’s lips, even when The Queen’s fingers clenched her heart. The sensation was like plunging into icy water.

Finally, she thought of the ring – Wrath. “Patience.”

A harpy’s lifeless body collapsed onto the grass beside her. Then, Mikhail started sprinting towards her... Too late. The Queen’s fingers tightened around her heart.

Locking eyes with the manticore, Amelia activated the Sacreds.

At that very moment, the Queen tore her heart out.

A surge of energy flooded her body, flowing through her veins and melting the ice inside. The Queen screamed in pain, releasing her grip on Amelia’s heart. It slipped back into its cavity, beating once more.

Amelia shoved the humanid off her and staggered to her feet.

One hand pressed against her chest, blood seeping from the wounds the Queen’s fingers had caused, while the other reached blindly for the Sacreds.

Before she could touch the necklace, it tore itself from the Queen’s neck as if drawn by a magnet.

The other artefacts followed, each finding its place on Amelia’s body, healing her and forming a protective barrier around her.

The net wound across her torso, taking the place of her shredded blouse. The stone and pocket watch settled into her pockets. But the most comforting sensation was the ring sliding onto her thumb beneath the warmth of the gloves.

She’d promised to take it back, and she’d kept her word.