Page 114 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

Mikhail had gone back into the forest, hiding her in the building. It made her feel even more useless than he had described during their fight after her attempted escape.

Would he think the same about her if he knew about her dreams? Every time she meant to tell him, something interrupted her – the throwing up, his sudden distancing, what happened in the forest.

How would he react when he discovered that she had seen him in his weakest moments? A proud man like him… probably not too well.

She pictured him in the forest, wishing she could help. He had saved her, after all…

Before she could decide on a course of action, she collapsed on the floor.

Her feet dug into deep snow. The ice-cold wind was blowing in her cheeks.

Thump, thump.

Amelia found herself back in the woods.

Thump, thump.

She looked down, placing a hand over her chest. She was wearing the same clothes as earlier but without the jacket.

Thump, thump.

It was the rhythmical pulsing of her own heart. The bare tree branches shook to her left, letting the snow fall from them.

Mikhail appeared from behind the tree. He still had on the clothes he’d put on in the closet after his transformation.

Amelia approached him. “How did we end up here?” she asked him.

He didn’t pay her any attention.

“Mikhail!” she screamed. He didn’t react, as he disappeared into the trees. She chased after him. “Mikhail!”

He stopped, pulled out his phone, and called someone, oblivious to her presence. “Anything?”

Amelia heard the voice on the other end of the line, clear as day.

“No. Whoever it was, they’re long gone.”

“Amelia?” Mikhail’s voice roused her. He was sitting beside her in bed. “Are you all right? I found you passed out on the floor in front of your room.”

“Yes.” She was actually feeling…well. “Did you find him? I mean, the creature?”

His eyes narrowed on her. “Did you faint?”

“No.” Amelia sat up straight. “Please, tell me what happened in the forest.”

“Everything’s okay,” he replied, studying her features as if searching for any signs of illness.

“Did you find him?” she asked again.

“No. It was probably an animal.”

“It was not an animal.”

It was something far more threatening than an animal and she had no idea why Mikhail was lying to her.

“What did you feel in the forest?” he asked. “When you sensed the danger?”

She hugged her knees. “I had physical symptoms, not very pronounced, but still…”

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