The Million-Dollar Heart

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.

the next body, this time

Vivienne immediately frowned.

phalanges were delicate, belonging to a

Certainly not Abigail.

clenched in an unusual posture, as if gripped by immense fear before death. Vivienne inspected closer, her brows knitting together, "She must have been holding something."

was holding something small,

put on gloves, attempting to pry open the

"Let me."

touching the body, Vivienne flicked a silver needle into the elbow's marrow through the cloth, then easily opened the clenched hand with tweezers. Inside was a

Vivienne and Percival recognized it

other than it being

securing the fragment on a tray,

did this end up

Vivienne remained silent.

from

attacker's clothing, accidentally grabbing the

DNA was

corresponding genetic profile could be

the fragment

about the Millennia Aegis fragment, say

order, Draven

have anticipated that her desperately sought Millennia Aegis, once incomplete, would render the whole armor effectively useless, reduced to mere decoration. Vivienne wondered how Abigail would react to this

current whereabouts, Vivienne wouldn't foolishly

questions surrounding this body; even if she checked recent missing persons reports, Abigail could easily hide her tracks if

folk to recover, the search

a person untraceable in genetic databases could only mean one

for someone capable of changing their appearance with special abilities, better to wait for her to take the bait. The bodies

Delilah's ashes were returned to Cordelia was a form of solace, a true return

Thomas to drive Vivienne home, while he headed to report