The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne took a delicate sip of her herbal tea, her eyes signaling her mentor to continue. Whether to believe or not, she decided, was up to her to judge.

"Sasha must've mentioned it to you, that artifact has quite a history, tracing back about two centuries. The family in question was of noble military lineage, but due to their overwhelming power, they were eventually decimated under the guise of treason. If any descendants exist, they'd be from a side branch." "But there's a piece of folklore about this family that might just align with the clues you're seeking." "Folklore?" Vivienne looked up, her gaze cool and detached.

Master Finnian's cheeks flushed with a touch of annoyance, his teacup clattering slightly as he set it on the table. "My dear girl, your mentor here has a reputation and dignity to uphold. Would I really concoct a tale just to save a few dollars?" "Don't et, I gave a generous wedding gift, even parting with sof my prized possessions, things your fellow apprentices could only dream of." Vivienne returned to her tea, clearly uninterested in the tangent.

The old man was stretching it. How could she possibly believe a tale spanning two centuries? Besides, she knew the "generous" wedding gift was funded by contributions from her fellow apprentices, and the prized possessions? Merely scalligraphy he'd done himself...

Other than the framing costs, she wondered where the expense was.

"I could return those 'precious' items if you'd like," she retorted.

"You wouldn't dare!" "These aren't things you can just ask back for. Spit three times to ward off bad luck, you ungrateful child. You have no idea of its worth; others would kill for such treasures..." Finnian, flustered and tapping his chest, glared at Vivienne. "Where was I? You'vepletely thrownoff track." Vivienne merely sighed.

Unperturbed, Finnian continued, "Before their downfall, this family was embroiled in scandal due to a marriage. The sole heiress fell ill with a mysterious disease that disfigured her on the eve of her wedding, rendering her a monster in the eyes of the public, craving nothing but human blood." "Countless physicians failed to cure her until one night, a mystic offered a solution - a potion brewed with the blood from a maiden's heart,bined with sacred herbs, promised eternal youth and immortality." "Blood from a maiden's heart?" Vivienne frowned.

"Indeed, while it sounds macabre to us now, such beliefs were not umon in those times." Finnian stroked his beard, adding, "The tale has several versions. Ssay it was all a ruse by the family to avoid marriage and escape royal scrutiny. Others believe the blood was a decoy, that the family had indeed discovered the secret to eternal life but devised this myth to protect themselves from envy and danger. Yet, it seems they couldn't escape their fate." Vivienne narrowed her eyes. A maiden's heart, immortality? Who was Abigail, really? "And the oue?" she probed.

Finnian raised his eyebrows, pushing his teacup towards her. "Pourstea, will you? Can't you see your master is parched?" With a slight pout, Vivienne obliged, their long-standing camaraderie evident even in silence.

After a satisfying sip, Finnian continued, "Rumor has it, after regaining her health, the heiress sought the mystic as her mentor and vanished from the public eye." "That's it?" Vivienne was incredulous.

Finnian nodded, peering into his teacup as if it held the secrets of the universe. "That's it. It's folklore, after all. Were you expecting a soap opera?" Vivienne was at a loss for words.

She knew her mentor could be unreliable, but this was beyond her expectations. These "secrets" were nothing she couldn't find in a d.

Why had she even bothered asking? Collecting her thoughts, she realized she had missed a crucial detail. "So, what was the family's name?" "Oh," Finnian smacked his forehead, "The Murphys." Vivienne stood, ready to leave. Finnian called out, "Leaving so soon? We've barely had a chance to catch up.' " She paused, turning slightly. "Master, have you heard of an ancient warrior lineage with the ability to teleport, accessible only beyond the fifth tier of their power?" Finnian's grip on his cup tightened. "Impossible. You've seen the abilities of the Grimshaws and the Perez. Such powers are the result of generations of dedication and training." Vivienne said nothing.

Finnian's brows knit together. He knew his apprentice well; she wouldn't raise such a topic without cause.

"If true, it must involve forbidden magic, costing the practitioner or their descendants dearly. Such practices, from otten branches.

of ancient families, are rarely spoken of today." "The cost to oneself or descendants?" Vivienne thought of the Wright family. Declan valued his heritage highly; it was unlikely he'd risk it on forbidden magic.

Finnian nodded solemnly. "Yes, the backlash can affect generations, unless powered by a greater force." Vivienne listened intently.

More secrets about Declan awaited her discovery, including the possibility that Abigail's abilities were tied to forbidden magic.

Just before she was about to leave, Vivienne seemed to remember something. With a calm expresshe turned to Finnian and said, "Master, I recall you've got quite the collection of treasures, haven't you? Their hiding spot hasn't changed, has it?" Finnian was visibly startled, taking a few steps back as he stammered, “What are you plotting now?" Vivienne just let out a laugh, the kind that sends an inexplicable shiver down one's spine. “Oh, nothing et much. Just thinking that the boys are of marrying age now. As their mentor, you can't always show up to their celebrations empty-handed, right?" Finnian was left speechless, his mind racing to find a response.

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