Adrian Cole sat in silence long after the surge of power had faded. The ring, small and unassuming, rested in his palm like a burden too heavy for one man to bear. Knowledge still burned hot inside his mind–martial arts techniques that could shatter mountains, alchemy that defied natural law, medicine that could cut through mysteries no physician alive could solve.
And yet… his past remained sealed.
He clenched his jaw, his pulse hammering. This isn’t memory loss. This isn’t an accident.
He could feel it now, as clearly as the blood running through his veins–an invisible seal wrapped tight around his soul. A deliberate lock. A cage meant to keep him blind. Whoever had done this hadn’t just stolen his past–they had taken his mother’s final truth from him. 1
Grinding his teeth, Adrian pressed both hands against the table. For a moment, the grief nearly drowned him. He could see her faintly in his mind’s eye–his mother’s smile, warm and fleeting, a fragment he couldn’t hold on to. The harder he reached for her, the faster she slipped away.
He slammed his fist against the wood, the echo ringing through the room. “So this is it… You didn’t just leave me, Mother. You left me chained.”
The ring pulsed faintly in response, as if echoing his rage.
Then the vision came again–the five herbs. Their forms, their colors, even their scents etched with unnatural clarity into his mind. He knew them as if he had studied them for a lifetime.
Only together, in precise proportion, could they break the seal on his memories.
Adrian exhaled slowly, his fury cooling into iron resolve. I will find them. I will break these chains. And when I do -I’ll uncover the truth of your death, Mother. No matter who stands in my way.
The door clicked open, drawing him back. Catherine Moretti was waiting in the hall. She had been leaning against the wall, arms crossed, but when Adrian stepped out, her posture straightened. Her sharp eyes softened at the storm she saw in his expression.
“What happened in there?” she asked.
Adrian shook his head. “Nothing that concerns the others.”
But Catherine didn’t move. She studied him for a long moment, her voice dropping lower, carrying something gentler. “Adrian… whatever it is you’re holding inside, you don’t have to carry it alone. If you ever need help, come to me. You know I’ll stand by you.”
Her words pressed against the walls he’d built around himself. For a long moment, he said nothing, torn between silence and the urge to share what weighed on him. Finally, his lips parted.
“There are five rare herbs I need,” he said carefully. “Without them, I can’t… move forward.”
Catherine blinked, startled. “Herbs?”
He nodded. “Not common ones. Most physicians wouldn’t even know their names. They’re… elusive. Dangerous to seek. But without them, I can’t unlock what I’ve lost.”
Her gaze lingered on him, searching his face, then softened with a faint, almost relieved smile. “You might be in Juck. My grandfather… he’s studied medicine his entire life. If anyone can recognize them, or know where to begin searching–it’s him.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Your grandfather?”
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Before she could answer, a sharp vibration buzzed through the silence–her phone. Catherine frowned, pulling it out quickly.
Adrian watched the color drain from her face as she listened Her grip on the phone trembled. When she ended the call, her hands hung at her sides, knuckles white.
“What is it?” Adrian asked, his tone clipped.
Catherine’s eyes shone with worry. “It’s my grandfather. His condition suddenly worsened… I need to return home immediately.”
Adrian’s gaze sharpened. “Condition?”
She nodded quickly. “He’s been ill for months. We’ve sought out the most renowned doctors, but no one can even name the illness. One claimed he could stabilize it, but it was useless. He keeps… slipping away.” Her voice broke faintly at the last words, though she forced herself steady.
Adrian’s jaw tightened. The torrent of medical knowledge still burned fresh in his mind, as if the ring itself demanded he act. “I’ll go with you.”
Catherine froze, her eyes widening. “You? Adrian, this isn’t something you can-”
“I can.” His tone cut clean through her protest. Firm. Unshakable.
Her lips parted, disbelief flashing across her features. Then a fragile, desperate hope began to kindle in her eyes.
Her hands curled into fists at her sides, and when she finally spoke, her voice trembled with both fear and fragile hope. “If you can save him, Adrian… I’ll owe you everything. Everything.”
His gaze held hers, steady as stone. “I don’t need your debt. Just your trust.”
Her eyes shone, wet at the edges, though she refused to let the tears fall. Slowly, she nodded, each word drawn from her chest like a vow. “Then come. We leave tonight.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
