She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 10

Lucian had never seen a doctor like her—so calm, so confident, so bold, and so young. He fell silent for a moment before finally saying, “Fine. I’ll gamble.”

If she didn’t have real ability, his grandfather would never have allowed her inside. He chose to believe she could help. And if she couldn’t… then that was his fate.

Loyce opened the medical case she’d brought and began preparing a second solution. Once she finished the detox agent, she took Lucian’s arm and disinfected the injection site.

“I’m going to inject an alkaline detox agent first,” she said. “It neutralizes high-purity Nexo-7. Once it’s in, you’ll feel pain, twice as bad as what you’re feeling now.”

Lucian’s voice was tight. “Do it.”

Loyce slid the needle into his arm. The solution flowed in, bit by bit.

At first Lucian only frowned, his breathing quickening slightly. But as the solution spread through his bloodstream, his entire body snapped tight, like every nerve had been set on fire.

A rough sound tore out of him as he clenched his teeth. Cold sweat beaded instantly on his forehead. His fingers twisted into the bedsheet until his knuckles went white. The chains clanged like they were about to rip free. The pain hit in waves. His breathing turned ragged and chaotic, each inhale like being cut open. He stumbled off the bed, out of control, trying to slam his head into the floor to blunt the agony.

Loyce knew most people couldn’t endure it. She dropped to the floor with him and pulled his head against her shoulder, keeping him from slamming it into the ground.

“Hold it together,” she muttered. “I’m not letting you crack your skull while this medication kicks in.”

Lucian barely registered her words. All he could smell was the faint lily scent on her—strangely soothing, calming the frenzy in his chest by a fraction. Almost unconsciously, he reached out, yanked her into his arms, and locked them around her waist like she was the only thing keeping him alive.

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