Chapter 12

Lorelei After witnessing my abilities firsthand this morning, Gamma Stephen has developed a newfound respect for my healing powers. His eyes follow me with a mixture of awe and caution as I answer his question about Keith's treatment. "As long as he takes his medicinal bath every night, he should be fine," I say, my voice steady with confidence I didn't know I possessed a lifetime ago. Walking to the dining table, I freeze at the sight before me. The spread is breathtaking—succulent steaks cooked to perfection, butter-poached lobster tails glistening under soft lighting, fresh seasonal vegetables arranged artistically, and a steaming pot of seafood chowder releasing the most heavenly aroma. I swallow hard as memories flood back. Seven months in Frostfang where I'd lick serving platters clean like some starved mutt, my stomach gnawing at itself long after the others had finished. The memory rises unbidden—that particular clink of the last dish being cleared just as I'd arrive, breathles