Page 165 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

“As if I’d tell you!”

“So, there is a pinch of truth in the eighth species story. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have tried this hard to convince us of the opposite at the last meeting.”

Elisanda’s eyes flashed. “I guess you’re not as dumb as she thinks you are! And still, you’re a dead man.”

“Who is she?”

“You don’t actually believe I’ll tell you, right?” The nymph straightened and lifted her chin, as if ready to walk out.

“Maybe I should let every member of the Council try out their particular methods of extracting information on you, until you break? You’re not a favourite among the witches and after I tell them what you’ve done, I doubt you’ll have any admirers left.”

“The Council! I was supposed to lead the Council! These spineless creatures deserve a stronger leader. A queen to guide them to excellence. Not you!”

Mikhail shrugged. “You’re right. I’ve never been fit to be queen.”

“You think it’s funny, don’t you? Soon it won’t be as funny, manticore.”

“All right, Elisa. You said you should be the leader of the Council. Is that what they promised you?”

“The Council, the Hospital, the building! I will be head of it all!”

“And where will I be?”

“You’ll be dead.” The nymph radiated pure hatred. “You should already be dead. They said you’d be dead right after Kaliope Gazis’ murder!”

“I should, I should… I guess your friends aren’t as powerful. Tell me, what are they fighting for? The Hospital?”

“Your dear Hospital is a drop in the sea. Do you think that someone like her would be impressed by your little building? She will take something far greater.”

“Like what?”

Elisanda smiled. “This entire planet, you wretch! Only, you won’t be here to see it!” She screamed and threw herself at him. Her long black nails aimed for his face but Mikhail had been prepared for that from the beginning.

Without the element of surprise, the nymph wasn’t a threat. He grabbed her wrists and twisted until she stopped fighting.

“I hate you!” Elisanda hissed.

“Yeah, I figured that one out on my own.”

He headed for the door, dragging the squirming nymph across the expensive rug.

51

The night sky above Sofia burst into a spectacle of lights, shaping whimsical figures that disappeared within seconds, as if devoured by darkness. This time, the fireworks would last longer. It was New Year’s Eve.

Mikhail had always considered the human habit of celebrating each year’s end ridiculous. This was yet another useless attempt to control time. Or maybe one more occasion to get drunk.

But tonight… How he wanted to go to the city and join one of these elated crowds! To drink himself numb until he couldn’t feel anything any longer. Then, perhaps, his mind would erase the memory of all his past mistakes.

The new year was a chance to make things right, wasn’t it? It was a time of change, promises, and inspiration. A time of shedding all the dirty clothes, bathing oneself in alcohol, and awakening brand new for the days to come.

Mikhail had lived through many New Year’s eves to know bad habits didn’t go away with the “fresh start.” And if the average human, led by naïveté, easily fell prey to such beliefs, Mikhail was too old and jaded to believe even for a moment that he could ever change.

He wanted to blame the animal for everything. To say that it wasn’t him, but it who had found perverted pleasure from the physical and verbal torture he had put Amelia through. But it had been him. Only him.

The days after the Hospital’s creation hadn’t changed him. What had happened with Amelia had proven that. The previous Oracle had trusted him with caring for her during her transformation, and what had he done? Abducted, threatened, horrified, seduced, and lied to her, all the while convincing himself that he was doing it for the greater good.

No wonder Amelia had disappeared after leaving the Hospital. Zacharia had driven her to the city and after that, Mikhail had been unable to track her down. Deep inside, he sensed she was not in danger but was hiding somewhere. From everything. From him. She would never look at him the way she had before. Maybe she would never look at him again, period.

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