chapter767

Luke stood off to the side, quietly watching them work. He was all suited up in protective gear, medical cap and mask in place. The more he watched, the more he was drawn in. Medicine really was amazing.

Lydia caught the awe shining in his eyes and smiled, her tone light. "You interested in medicine now?"

Luke nodded, a little sheepish. "Yeah... but I honestly don't know a thing about it."

Lydia's smile widened. "No one's born knowing everything. If you want to learn, I can teach you."

Luke paused, taking that in. He'd never cared much about medicine before, but suddenly it felt like a whole new world had opened up to him. The curiosity was almost electric. For the first time, he really wanted to dive in and see what was out there.

Neal, who had been listening nearby, glanced over. They all called Lydia their mentors, but as far as Neal knew, she'd never actually taken on a real apprentice. If Luke could become her student, there was no telling what he might accomplish.

Of course, Luke didn't realize that Lydia was the famous Miracle Hands herself. He'd only heard Milana mention that Lydia was a student of Miracle Hands. If only he knew.

Luke looked at Lydia, hope and excitement making his voice shake. "Lydia, do you really mean it? Can I?"

Lydia nodded. "You can, but you have to get into a good school first."

Luke's eyes lit up. "I will. I'll work really hard."

Seeing him finally break out of his old slump, Lydia felt a wave of relief. She ruffled his hair.

"If you don't want to stay in the dorms, you can live here. Neal comes on weekends

to work on his experiments, so you can watch if you want."

Luke shook his head, already making plans. "It's okay, I'll stay at school. But I'll come watch Neal on weekends."

Lydia grinned. "Alright then."

As they stepped out of the lab, the smell of food hit them all at once After spending so long working the mix of delicious scents made their stomachs rumble.

Connor was in the dining room, apron on, gloved hands arranging plates. The table was covered with a

crisp white cloth and loaded with so mecit amazing food it

much

Nas almost

dizzying.

Luke stared in disbelief, blurting out, "Woah, did you make all of this?"

Connor gave a half-smile. The steak

and foie gras, are your sister's favorites. He pointed out a few other dishes. "There's pumpkin soup,

shepherd pie, and the rest are signature plates from The Royal Court."

Luke's grin was genuine. "That's incredible." He really was happy for Lydia. She deserved someone who cared for her like this.

Neal pulled out a chair for Lydia. Have a seat.

Lydia nodded and motioned for everyone to sit. "You too. We're all family here, no need to stand on ceremony."

Neal slid into the seat next to her, looking comfortable. Connor shot him a look. "Neal, your seat is on the other side."