Noah's private jet touched down at the base of Highmeria's Aureal Peaks. The wooden cabin villa glowed with firelight from the hearth. Outside the window, a snowstorm rolled in endless white silence, swallowing every trace of sound.
I lay on the soft sofa, wrapped in a thick cashmere blanket. There was no harsh smell of disinfectant here, no vicious schemes, and no three men standing over me like judges passing sentence.
The system notification chimed on schedule.
"Countdown: 10 minutes."
Noah came over with a basin of warm water. He wrung out a towel and knelt before me, clumsy but intent, gently wiping away the dark blood still spilling from the corner of my mouth.
He didn't ask a single question. Not why I had terminal cancer. Not why I had been locked inside a sterile ward.
"I've
