I stood in the corner while the medical team fought to pull Lucian back from death.

At last, Dr. Hartwell removed his mask.

Exhaustion marked his face.

“His will to live is extremely weak,” he told Miles. “Put plainly, he doesn’t want to live. He doesn’t want to wake. We’ve stabilized him this time, but if that continues, I doubt he’ll last three days.”

I looked at the man on the bed.

Eyes closed.

So still.

Without the equipment showing his pulse, he might already have been dead.

Miles turned and drove his fist into the wall.

“It’s her fault.”

His usual restraint was gone.

“Stella tortured him when she was alive. Now she’s dead, and she still won’t let him go. What was so special about her?”

What was?

Pain pierced my chest.

Lucian, what was so special about me?

Enough to love this much?

“And who is this?”

Dr. Hartwell had finally noticed me.

“Nora Bennett. I’m also… a doctor.”

The lie made me uneasy.

“So young?”

Miles gave a cold laugh.

“You don’t recognize her? She claims to be Dr. Wren’s student. One of your own colleagues.”

Dr. Hartwell had studied with the Healing Sage?

I hadn’t expected that.

Guards already blocked the door behind me.

“Have a good look, Doctor,” Miles said. “Is she really your teacher’s younger student?”

If he said no, leaving wouldn’t be easy.

Dorian wouldn’t risk an open confrontation to protect me.

While Lucian was unconscious, Miles spoke for him.

My heart sank.

I couldn’t reveal the truth.

Even if I could, they would think I was mad.

Who would believe a dead woman had returned in another body?

Dr. Hartwell came closer.

His frown deepened as he studied me.

I began to accept it.

Nora had already died. Before coming here, I had at least paid back part of what I owed her by punishing her adoptive parents.

If this was where I ended, I would be with Lucian.

I gave him one last look.

Perhaps that wasn’t the worst ending.

“She is!” Dr. Hartwell said suddenly.

I stared.

Miles had been reaching for his gun.

He stared, too.

Before I could react, the doctor caught my shoulders.

“It’s been so long. You’ve changed.”

What was happening?

Then I saw a thin red glow curling above his head.

I knew that light.

Flora.

The room twisted.

Everyone vanished.

She appeared before me in another space.

“Aren’t you bound to that tree? How are you in Northbridge?”

She smiled.

“I am bound to it. But using my three spirit essences made a contract between us. Now you repay me.”

She leaned close and touched this unfamiliar face with cold fingers.

“And congratulations. The spiritual merit Tessa left you let your soul enter this body.”

So that was it.

Not luck.

Tessa had given up her chance at another life and left it to me.

Flora caught my chin and looked into my eyes.

“It’s time to fulfill the contract.”

“What do you want?”

She laughed.

“You’re no use to me. You aren’t the one I want.”

Her smile widened.

“Lucian is.”