Page 49 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

“There are two mountain paths that are maintained all year round. Of course, only immortals can find them. A human like you would get lost immediately.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe all of this exists. And I’m even more confused as to what I’m doing here. The Oracle must have it wrong.”

Mikhail guided her down a path with benches. “They say she’s never wrong.” The conviction in his words was like a rock she was struggling to break, to no avail.

Amelia pursed her lips. “Why don’t we just go to her and ask?”

“Right now, she’s not fit to answer questions.”

“You keep her locked up in a room, too?”

Mikhail stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. “Of course not. She’s ill.”

‘My body hasn’t been in great shape lately,’ had said the voice in her head, which had introduced itself as the Oracle. The realisation that it was probably the same Oracle Mikhail was referring to, made her tremble inwardly. The Oracle was not only responsible for her being there, but moreover, she was now communicating with her…telepathically?

“How ill?” she asked.

“She’s in a coma. After someone tried to kill her.”

“Oh.”

“Yes. Probably because she led me to you.”

“But how is that possible, when I know nothing about”—Amelia gestured to the courtyard and the building behind them—“any of this!”

Mikhail took his time to peer deeply into her eyes, before he said, “When I asked her what to do to help the immortal species, the Oracle sent me to the place where I found you, saying that someone would need assistance. She never mentioned you by name.”

Hope rose in her chest. “So she may not have meant me!”

“It’s possible.” His shrug didn’t suggest he was reconsidering the possibility, though.

“Clearly, there’s been a mistake. You can’t keep me here because of a simple coincidence.”

He nodded his chin at her. “But if it isn’t a coincidence, then whoever made an attempt on the Oracle’s life will probably go after you next. So, until we’re perfectly convinced that you have nothing to do with the immortal world, you’re staying here.”

Amelia’s hope was shattered. Mikhail might not be insane, but he was definitely deluded. Case in point, he wasn’t even wearing a jacket in the freezing cold! Her best course of action for now seemed to be acceptance, so she changed the subject. “What’s the Tribunal? Dave keeps mentioning it.”

“A group of creatures that strives to maintain order in our world.”

“Why does Dave hate them?”

“He’s just repeating what his mother taught him. Most creatures aren’t happy with the Tribunal because nobody enjoys having to abide by their laws. But thanks to them, Dave’s mother’s assaulter was apprehended and convicted.”

The wind carried over the sound of cheerful laughter.

“The young ones find the courtyard particularly romantic at night.” Mikhail pointed to the gazebo in the distance.

“How do you maintain all of this? Surely it costs a lot of money and effort.”

“An immortal existence has its perks. Over the years, I’ve managed to save up enough, and make a lot of friends who help me. And besides, our services are not free. Every patient pays as much as they can and every member of staff receives compensation. Money is earned in the immortal world, same as it is in the human one.”

“You say, ‘over the years.’ How many, exactly?”

Mikhail hesitated before answering, “Four hundred and three.”

Amelia gaped again. She was getting used to the idea of him not being human, but she still thought of him as a thirty-five-year-old male. With the capacity to live forever. Not as someone who had already lived forever. She forced her jaw shut. “It barely shows…”

A tiny crease appeared in the middle of his brow. “It’s not that long, really.”

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