Mike choked up. "No, you've helped enough. I wouldn't even know where Nicky is if it weren't for you. I know how difficult it is to rescue him, so I don't blame you. I know I'm impatient, and I've lost my temper, but it's not your fault."

He would only blame the experiment and Fred. The inhumanity of the research was mind-boggling.

"I don't expect Queen Yasmin to change her mind," Lily said. "I've even tried to threaten her, but it didn't work."

Dominic leaned back in his chair, gently rocking. "As I said, she's obsessed with the experiment. Unless we can make her die… once…"

Everyone stared. "What?"

"Hey, what are you staring at me for? Lily's used it before. Ask her!" Dominic gestured toward his student.

Lily caught on. "You're talking about simulated death?"

The old man shook his head, half-jokingly. "If the old gal truly dies, there'll be a conflict between two countries. I don't want that."

Lily hesitated. "I can make her experience simulated death, but how? I can easily do it to myself, but I wouldn't have the chance to do it to Yasmin. Countless men guard the queen, and Rick is always around. Besides, Queen Yasmin is old. If anything goes wrong, she might die for real."

That wasn't a joke. Lily could pull off simulated death because she was young and had recovered well. Dominic had saved her with acupuncture. Yasmin, however, was old and weak. Lily had to be extremely careful with the dosage; the consequences of a mistake were unimaginable. Murdering the Queen of Yudonia was a severe crime with immense repercussions.

Austin sighed. "I guess we need to think long and hard about this."

"We can't," Lily shook her head. "We're running out of time. The more we wait, the more dangerous it gets for Nicky."

"But how are we going to solve it then?" Austin asked, spreading his arms.

"Perhaps I can," Lily said, her mind apparently made up.