Chapter 17

Tristan stood in the corner, his gaze steady as he observed Eliana move briskly about the room.

Interfering in other people's business had never been his style, yet curiosity had brought him here-to see whether the woman whispered about across all of the nation truly possessed the skill her reputation claimed.

A genuine healer would earn his public praise and a formal invitation to tend to his father.

And if she managed to restore his father's health, he would see to it that her every request was granted without question.

But if her talent fell short, he would mark the day off as nothing more than a small squander of his time.

In truth, Eliana's earlier claim wasn't false-Miguel really was very old. Jeffry had been born when Miguel was already in the latter stretch of life.

Now Jeffry was in his mid-forties, while Miguel had reached seventy-nine.

In Tristan's mind, if she could prolong Miguel's life even a little, she would be living up to her reputation.

His attention locked on the movement of her hands.Her fingers were slim, almost delicate at first glance.

Yet he spotted the roughness at their tips-calluses in places most women's hands stayed soft, even in the space between thumbs and index fingers.

Without thinking, Tristan compared them to his own hands.

The same patch of skin between his thumbs and index fingers bore hardened ridges from countless hours of firearms training. How had she gotten hers?Could handling silver needles realy leave such marks? The question gnawed at him.

Tristan's gaze went unnoticed as Eliana kept her full attention on the careful placement of acupuncture needles in Miguel.

She couldn't turn back the years for Miguel, but she could slow their toll and grant him more days in the sun.

It was like coaxing an old machine into one more stretch of good service-never new again, but running well enough for someone desperate for more time.

Minutes slipped away before Eliana set aside the last of her silver needles.

Miguel now lay bristling with them, not unlike a weary porcupine.

"Have the herbs been prepared?" she asked,turning toward Jeffry.

"They're all ready, except for the Goosegrass," he answered quickly. "My daughter still hasn't brought it over.I can call her right now-"

"Leave it," Eliana said. "I've got a stalk myself.We'll use it for your father now, and you can return it to me later."

That piece of Goosegrass was rare, butit wasn't one of a kind. She had originally bought it for Stella. Since Stella had no urgent need, it could be spared for Miguel.

Jeffry's voice softened with relief. "You've done us a great kindness."

Eliana pulled the stalk from her bag and passed it to the servants, instructing them to brew it.

Most herbs needed a long simmer, but these were different-a hard boil for fifteen minutes was enough.

When the time passed and the brew was ready,Eliana began removing the needles.

One by one, they slipped free, and to everyone's astonishment, Miguel's fingers twitched.

Gasps rippled through the room, and Jeffry's face lit with sudden hope. It looked as though his eyelids might lift, when suddenly Jeffry coughed and spat out a heavy mouthful of black blood.

Almost at the same moment, the heart monitor sounded and the jagged lines dissolved into one unbroken line.

Hector burst into the room just in time to see the scene, his face hardening into rage. He grabbed Eliana by the collar."You liar! You've murdered my grandpa!"

He'd never trusted her so-calledskills, but he hadn't imagined she would be the one to end his grandpa's life outright.

Every doctor before her had said Miguel still had a week at least, and now he was gone ahead of schedule.

"You shameless pretender, acting like a skilled doctor when you're nothing of the sort. I should fucking end you right here!" Hector cursed. Eliana's brows drew together, her face set in a deep seriousness.

He read that change as the dawning horror of someone who had just realized she had taken a life.

With a violent jerk, he pulled her closer, ready to smash her against the wall.

Before he could, a shadow stepped between them."Laying hands on a woman hardly suits a gentleman."

Hector's eyes flicked up, meeting Tristan's steady gaze. His grip slackened without thought.

Eliana took the chance to pull back, putting distance between them.

The noise drew Leyla to the doorway, her eyes darting over the tense scene.

비 warned you, sir," she said quickly. "Eliana is nothing but a fraud. Mr. Clarke's gone now-are you really going to protect her from the justice she deserves?" Tristan's tone stayed even as he replied, "Perhaps you should see the truth before you speak."

Both of them froze, their eyes snapping toward the bed without a word.

To their surprise, Jeffry was calmly reattaching the heart monitor, and within seconds, the screen lit up with perfectly normal readings.

Only then did the truth hit them-Miguel hadn't died at all. The flat line had been nothing more than the result of his slight finger twitch knocking the sensor loose.

A hot flush of embarrassment spread over Hector and Leyla's faces.

Eliana, too, grasped what had happened. She had been bracing herself for the worst, believing her acupuncture had failed, only to realize it had been nothing more than a false alarm.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Jeffry turned a glare sharp enough to cut through stone toward Hector and Leyla.

His voice rang with authority as he barked at Hector,"I told you to remove that woman from this house.Why is she still standing here? Have you gone deaf,or do you now think you can ignore me?"

"Dad, I..." Hector began, fumbling for an excuse.

"Not another word! If you won't take her away, then you can leave with her. Guards, get them both out and bar the door to them!" Jeffry snapped coldly.

In his eyes, Leyla was nothing but a source of chaos,wrecking peace at every turn. Still, Hector clung to her as if she were irreplaceable.

The disappointment in Jeffry's face was plain to see.

"No, Dad... I'll send her out right now!" Seeing the true edge of his father's temper, Hector didn't dare delay. He grabbed Leyla's arm and pulled her from the room.

Silence settled over the room at last. Then, without warning, Miguel's eyelids lifted,evealing eyes no longer dulled by age but sharp and clear. His voice carried a surprising strength as he called out, "Jeffry, Ruby."

The couple rushed to Miguel's bedside, each clasping one of his hands as though afraid to let go.

"Dad, tell me-how are you feeling? Any pain?Anything at all?" Jeffry asked, his voice thick with worry.

Miguel gave a slow shake of his head, his gaze wandering across the faces gathered in the room."Who are all these people? And why do I feel...lighter, as if years have been lifted from me?"

Without delay, Jeffry began introducing Eliana.

When Miguel learned she was the famed doctor, his eyes warmed with gratitude. "Thank you, doctor.You've given me a gift I can't repay..."

Eliana offered a faint smile and shook her head."There's no need to thank me. I only did what I'm meant to do. Since you're well now, I'll be on my way."

"Hold on-please. I've yet to thank you properly,"Miguel said, raising a hand as though to keep her from leaving.

Jeffry added, "Truly, we're grateful. We'll remember this for as long as we live. Stay for a meal and let us show our thanks."

Before she could respond, hurried footsteps echoed from the doorway.

Khloe appeared, Neal at her side, both looking a little winded.

They'd searched nearly all of the city before finally getting their hands on the Goosegrass.

Khloe had only dared return once the precious stalk was safe in her grip.

Holding the stalk as if it were a treasure, she stepped into the room and called out, "Dad, Mom, I found the Goosegrass you wanted. If it weren't for Neal, I'd still e searching-"

ler sentence faltered the instant her eyes landed on liana.