I turned to find Roman staring at me.
It wasn't the look he’d given me in the city. It wasn't jealousy or even guilt. It was awe. It was the look of a man seeing a goddess for the first time and realizing he had spent his whole life worshipping stone.
"You saved him," he whispered. "In ten seconds, you did what five doctors couldn't do in three days."
"I did my job, Roman," I said, my voice cold despite the adrenaline coursing through me. "Now, get me to the lab. I need to sequence this strain before the sun comes up."
He led me to the back of the manor, to a room they had cleared for my equipment. It was a sterile, lonely space. As I began to unpack my microscope and samples, the reality of being back here finally started to settle in. The walls seemed to pulse with memories. This wa
