Marcus’s interest was piqued. “Her name’s Sara Nicholson. Now that you’re here, she really does have hope.”
He grinned. “I’ve decided. From now on, Madelyn is my plaything.”
Madelyn instantly understood what he meant. Her expression unchanged, she looked up at the man who’d brought her. “Where will I be staying?”
The man glanced at Sara. “You two will bunk together.”
With that, he left.
Madelyn walked over to Sara. “Take me to the room now. Thanks.”
Marcus’s eyes darkened with malice as he was ignored.
One of his lackeys leaned in and asked, “Marcus, want me to take care of her?”
Marcus sneered. “No rush. We’ve got all the time in the world.”
Sara was safe, as Marcus had set his sights on Madelyn. But he never expected her to be such a formidable fighter. Once she confirmed the Solemnity Guild’s no–killing rule, she fought back every time–always targeting Marcus and ignoring everyone else.
She went from being covered in wounds to beating Marcus and his gang into submission, growing faster than anyone else.
Marcus set his sights back on Sara.
Sara turned to Madelyn, pleading, “Madelyn, could y
you protect me?
“My brother’s rich. Once we get out, I’ll give you all the money you want.”
Madelyn met her gaze. “Do you really think we can get out of here?”
Sara fell silent, the light in her eyes instantly dimming.
Madelyn gently patted her head. “Sara, as long as you’re stronger than them, they can’t hurt you.”
Perhaps it was the warmth she felt from Madelyn, but from then on, Sara became her little shadow.
Two years later, it was their turn to join the team on a supply run.
The team returned. But Madelyn and Sara never made it back.
Marcus wanted Madelyn dead, yet it was Sara who perished.
Madelyn tried to save her with acupuncture needles but failed.
Sara was her first acupuncture patient.
After that, her needles became lethal weapons. She never healed anyone with them again.
Aria turned off the hot water. As the steam cleared, cold, damp air rushed over her, stinging her skin like countless tiny needles,
Sara died in the bitter cold of winter.
She stood there for ten minutes, numb, then numbly put on her clothes, dried her hair, swallowed a pill, and collapsed onto the bed, drifting into sleep.
The rusted, broken lock gave way as the two men pushed the door open and entered.
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10:59 Thu, 12 Jun () DU
Chapter 260
One of them, looking anxious, whispered, “Hurry. Find it fast.”
The traditional medicine shop was small. They rummaged through every drawer and cabinet, but came up empty handed.
One man spotted heavy dust beneath a chest of drawers, his eyes narrowing. “Move this cabinet.”
Once they shifted it aside, they found torn wallpaper and, behind it, a hidden hole in the wall.
The hole was empty, though it was clear something had once been kept there.
“Must have been taken,” one muttered.
After a moment’s thought, the other said, “The villagers said Aria learned medicine from Dr. Todd as a child. Could it be her?”
“Let’s check her place first.”
“Aria won’t be easy to deal with. This needs careful planning.”
At eight at night, Aria woke to find Owen asleep on the couch.
‘Why is he sleeping here?‘ Aria wondered.
She fetched a blanket from the cabinet and moved to cover him.
Just as she let go, Owen’s eyes suddenly opened, and he caught her wrist.
His hair was a bit long and tousled, a few strands dangling over his forehead. The sharp alertness in his newly awakened eyes instantly melted into soft warmth when he saw her.
“You’re awake,” Owen murmured softly.
His voice was hoarse with sleep, carrying a lazy, deep timbre.
They were so close that his words seemed to brush by her ear.
For no reason, Aria’s heart skipped a beat.
AD
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