The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Abigail had a gift, a rare one that allowed her to read the history etched in bones, beyond the facade of flesh and skin. Her mentor once confessed that even he couldn't unravel the mysteries of Abigail's own skeletal structure. If that was truly the case, then her real age was a mystery, or perhaps, there was another possibility.

Abigail was someone who could alter her own bone structure at will.

Regardless of the scenario.

Any anomaly, and she could spot it.

Percival was well aware of Vivienne's skill in reading bones, yet his grip on his wrist remained reluctant to ease.

Vivienne pursed her lips, willing to compromise further, "How about... Mr. Wolf, you lift the cloth for me? Just exposing a single bone would do, anywhere is fine."

With some reluctance, Percival agreed.

But before he did, he made sure Vivienne wasn't looking.

Approaching the first body, Percival chose an ankle bone, gnawed on by wild animals, exposing stark white bone.

Vivienne was accustomed to such sights, unfazed by the gruesome scene.

Luckily, her nerves held steady, no sign of any nausea despite the grim context.

She snapped back into professional mode in an instant.

Focusing on the bone, she squinted, her mind delving deep.

"This person was in their thirties, showing signs of recent hardships but not a life of constant struggle, a life of thin luck prone to attracting trouble," she deduced. Vivienne frowned slightly, retracting her gaze.

The identity of this person was almost certain.

It was Delilah, who had clung to Abigail during their last encounter, inadvertently saving them.

Vivienne shook her head, "This isn't Abigail."

The unspoken understanding between them meant Percival caught on with just a few words.

Moving to the next body, this time uncovering a hand bone.

Vivienne immediately frowned.

belonging to a young girl

Certainly not Abigail.

was clenched in an unusual posture, as if gripped by immense fear before death. Vivienne inspected closer,

small, it was well-concealed in her

to pry open the tight grip

"Let me."

marrow through the cloth, then easily opened the clenched hand with tweezers. Inside was a

but both Vivienne and Percival recognized

any particular reason other than it being a fragment of the Millennia

expression darkened, securing the fragment on a tray, ensuring

did this

Vivienne remained silent.

this person was likely attacked from behind by Abigail, who then brutally extracted her

the victim must have desperately clutched at her attacker's clothing, accidentally grabbing the already cracked Millennia Aegis

was

the other, no corresponding genetic profile

her eyes at the fragment

called over Draven, instructing, "Release the news about the Millennia Aegis fragment,

order,

sought Millennia Aegis, once incomplete, would render the whole armor effectively useless, reduced to

uncertain of Abigail's current whereabouts, Vivienne wouldn't

even if she checked recent missing persons reports, Abigail could easily hide her

disguise among common folk to recover, the

genetic databases could only mean one

search for someone capable of changing their appearance with special abilities, better to wait for her

were returned to Cordelia was a form of solace, a true return to her

Thomas to drive Vivienne home, while he headed to

developments warranted heightened attention from higher-ups, the pursuit of

faces, one tall and

"Vivienne!"

"Vivienne!"