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Placing it under the microscope, Lucienne peered through the lenses. Numerous wires marked the surface of the Eye. Everyone else looked at the beta computers that streamed the visual she was seeing through the lenses.

“It’s so thin, and yet it comprises the most complicated designs,” a chubby scientist said in awe. “How could millions of wires be engineered into such a tiny chip?”

As he spoke, the wires on the chip started throbbing like veins, shifting, merging, and transforming into a brain.

“It’s communicating,” another scientist called excitedly.

Lucienne watched rows of strange numbers, symbols, and alien characters tumble in succession by the window of the Eye. A strange light brightened her eyes as a sense of knowing surged through her, but at the fringe of great discovery, it slipped off her mind like a fading light at dawn.

“It fired numbers,” Ziyi called.

“Record them,” Lucienne ordered.

Ziyi’s fingers flew over the control panel.

“If we can figure out these astronomical numbers, the human race will make a quantum leap beyond our wildest dreams.” The chubby scientist entered data as he continued monitoring one of the betas, which suddenly beeped an alarm.

“The data has surpassed the capacity of all our quantum betas,” Ziyi said, her dark brown eyes widening. “It’s taking control of the computers!”

“Shut them down!” Vladimir called.

“Not yet,” Lucienne countered, watching the alien characters vanish from the Eye, except for three looping symbols. Just as she began to realize something was wrong, the betas erupted in smoke and electric sparks flew all over the lab.

“Lucia, you must restrain the Eye of Time!” Vladimir said.

Spellbound, Lucienne stared at the symbols flashing out of the Eye, faster and faster, until they became a stream of light.

The lab blacked out.

“It’s telepathy,” Lucienne called out in amazement, oblivious to the guards’ rushing footsteps, the scientists’ whining, and someone, probably Kian, barking orders. She was unable to tear her gaze from the Eye, bathed in magic mint light.

“Lucienne Lam!” Kian growled. “It’s going to destroy the lab!”

“What do you want?” Lucienne whispered to the Eye of Time. “Talk to me. I’m the Siren. I was born to—”

A skeletal bolt of lightning blasted from the Eye, blinding everyone.

Kian and Vladimir threw themselves toward Lucienne at the same time; Vladimir—already on his way to break her trance—knocked her to the side, out of the path of the blasted microscope.

A lens hurled toward them. The edge of the glass skittered by the side of Vladimir’s left eyebrow, tearing a gash in his old scar.

They crashed to the floor, Vladimir shielding her, his hot blood dripping on her face.

“Lucia, are you hurt?” Kian was beside them in a second.

“Vlad is bleeding,” Lucienne touched his eyebrow, shouting, “Medic!”

Vladimir shot up immediately, as did Lucienne .

The locket stayed intact on the blackened microscope. Relieved, Lucienne released the pin and heard the Eye screaming as the Twilight Water sucked it back into its prison.

Military flashlights shone through the smoke that hovered over the equipment and charred desks. Orlando and his soldiers extinguished the remaining fires.

Lucienne turned to Vladimir, her shaking hand on his arm. “Vlad,” she said, “if you were even half a second late—” She stopped. She knew she’d have lost her eye.

“I got you covered.” Vladimir pulled her into his arms. His heart drummed as fast as hers. Blood dripped from the open wound above his eyebrow, but he ignored it. He held a trembling Lucienne tighter, whispering in her ear. “I’ll always have you covered, lásko.” Lásko meant love in Czech.

Kian clasped his hands. “All right, kids,” he grunted. “Split it up. Time to patch up Blazek, if you don’t want him all scarred and ugly.”

Vladimir growled, but Lucienne pulled back from his embrace. “Kian’s right,” she said. “Let’s get you fixed.”

“Me, ugly?” Vladimir glared at Kian. “That could never happen. I’m the best looking man around here.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Kian stalked away, barking more orders to the men.

Lucienne retrieved a medical kit from a young nurse. “I’ll look after him,” she told the nurse. “You check on anyone else who might be hurt.”

The entire time, Vladimir never took his eyes off Lucienne. She felt her cheeks flaming but pretended not to notice his gaze. She knew he desperately wanted to reignite their smoldering passion now that they had secured the Eye of Time.

Lucienne, however, was more reserved. One of them needed to keep a cool head. The ban on kissing separated them like a deep, cold river. She’d have to be the one to hold back, but for how long? How long before her control slipped again?

High heels clacking, Ziyi joined them, eyeing Vladimir’s forehead. Lucienne was stitching him up with a pen-sized laser, which also sterilized the wound. “There’s no need to rush,” Vladimir said as Lucienne wrapped it up and put an antiseptic bandage on him.

“Enjoy being pampered, prince?” Ziyi asked. “Now you’ll have another nice souvenir to brag about.”

“That was a cruel thing to say, Ziyi,” Lucienne said. Both his scars reminded her how she had wounded him.

“Ziyi just can’t understand the burden of beauty,” Vladimir said, his eyes staying on Lucienne’s face.

Ziyi hissed. “I have standards, and few men can measure up.” Then she turned to Lucienne, showing a small line of redness on her pinkie. “I had a paper cut.”

Vladimir looked incredulous. “You came all the way here to disturb us just to show Lucia a paper cut?”

“Paper cuts hurt.” Lucienne snatched a Band-Aid from the medic kit, peeled the cover, and wrapped it around Ziyi’s pinkie. “Now you’re as good as new.”

“Thanks.” Ziyi flashed Vladimir a gloating smile and handed Lucienne a piece of paper. “I copied the last data before betas went down.”

Lucienne took the paper. Much of it was covered with scratches of combination numbers, alien characters, and a formula.

They were beyond valuable. Kian and Vladimir would not let her test the Eye again without some extreme precautions.

The rest of the data was unsalvageable. The Eye of Time’s message was clear—it would not cooperate.

Lucienne folded the paper and inserted it in the pocket of her jeans. “Well done, Ziyi.” She hugged the girl.

“I just can’t disappoint you.” Ziyi beamed. “No matter how hard I try. ”

“You’ve failed again to achieve a disappointment,” said Lucienne fondly. “Now go get Dragonfly back online.”

“You got it,” Ziyi said, springing away.

A sudden silence developed between Lucienne and Vladimir.

He reached to tuck a lock of stray hair behind her ear.

His fingertips casually caressed her skin, sending her a warm, lavish feeling.

She tried to hold still and not shiver. The heat had never truly faded between them.

It was only repressed. Once the wild fire was reignited, it would burn them and everything in their path to ashes.

Tentatively, Lucienne peeked into Vladimir’s hazel eyes.

The fire, full of desire and tenderness, had rekindled in him, but at its core, she spotted vulnerability.

Lucienne parted her lips. If she stoked the flames too much, she’d end up incinerated; but if she camped by the fire for too long, it would go out.

Either way, she stood a big chance of losing him.

She needed to find the path to Eterne now.

“You’re good to go, Vladimir.” She put on one of her polite smiles.

“Thanks for saving me again.” She turned to check on her lab scientists.

“My pleasure, m’ lady,” Vladimir said.

Lucienne could feel his frustrated gaze, restless and unwavering, searing after her.