A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 85

Elissa didn’t seem to notice anything else; she only stared coldly at the set of silver needles in his hand. “Give them back,” she said, her voice icy. Her teacher had been the sole heir to the ancient Eighteen Needles technique–a secret tradition passed down to only one apprentice per generation.

At thirteen, Elissa had been chosen by Aaron to be the next successor.

Even Cliff had never been allowed near it.

Those silver needles were a gift from her teacher when she first began to learn the art. To Elissa, they meant far more than anyone else could

understand.

“No way! I’m going to drive you mad!” Hickey, delighted to see her angry, yanked the needles from their case and flung them onto the floor. He jumped down and began stomping on them, wild with glee.

Without a word, Elissa grabbed him by the collar, her expression steely as she dragged him out of the office. Pinching his chubby cheeks between her fingers, her eyes darkened.

“If you ever set foot in my office again, I’ll stick every one of those. needles into your head,” she threatened quietly.

“Turn you into a prickly little hedgehog. Want to test me?”

Hickey’s whole body trembled. He screwed up his face and began. bawling. “I–I don’t believe you! You’re lying–let me go! I want my mom!”

Elissa let him go, and he sprinted off, howling for his mother as tears streamed down his cheeks.

She watched him go, shaking her head. For someone so timid, he sure had a talent for making trouble.

Did Marcia even care about him as much as she claimed? Either way, it wasn’t Elissa’s problem. He wasn’t her child, and she felt no obligation to

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worry.

Even though there weren’t as many patients as before, Elissa didn’t leave her chair for the entire morning. It was nearly one o’clock before she saw.

her last patient.

Skipping the cafeteria, she tidied up, planning to head over to Murphy Group instead. Cliff had already gone over there earlier that morning.

After washing her hands, she stepped out of the restroom and was about to grab her bag from the office when a piercing scream echoed from the emergency staircase. Something heavy tumbled and clattered down the steps.

Without thinking, Elissa’s instincts as a doctor took over. She bolted through the door.

The automatic lights flickered on, revealing the scene on the stairs.

Hickey–just that morning, the same kid who’d been taunting her–now lay crumpled at the bottom of the steps, blood streaming from his head.

For a split second, Elissa froze. Then she rushed down to check his pulse and breathing.

Two nurses burst in, drawn by the noise. Both stopped short in shock.

Elissa glanced at them, her voice calm and commanding. “Don’t just stand there. Get something to stop the bleeding, and bring me the silver

needles.”

“Right!” The two nurses snapped into action, darting off and returning moments later with everything she needed.

Elissa took the silver needles, her hands moving fast as she applied emergency acupuncture, rattling off instructions as she worked. “Stop. gawking and help me stop the bleeding!”

The nurses fumbled but eventually got themselves together and pitched

1. in.

Not that she could blame them. At the Traditional Medicine Center, it was

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Chapter 85

rare to deal with so much blood.

“Elissa!” Marcia’s shrill voice rang out as she rushed in, her face twisted in panic. She shoved Elissa hard, sending her sprawling to the ground. “He’s just a child! How could you hurt him like this just because he was a little naughty?!”

Elissa hit the floor hard, her elbow throbbing as she looked up at Marcia, her gaze calm and unyielding. “When I got here, he was already like this. I heard the noise and came in to help.”

“Liar!” Marcia broke down completely, collapsing next to Hickey and clutching him to her chest. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed, “Elissa, I never imagined you could be so cruel! How can someone like you even call herself a doctor?”

“We’ll let the police sort this out.”

Elissa had no patience for Marcia’s hysteria. She turned to a nurse. “Call the police.”

Chapter 85