"Please... wait."
Evena looked at me. Her lips trembled, her eyes glassy, holding back tears like a fragile dam. She looked like she was about to cry.
"It's not your fault," I said softly. "You can't control it yet... don't... feel bad. I promised you I'd help you. So please... don't run."
She stood there, motionless, then stepped forward. Her arms wrapped around me gently, like she was afraid I'd vanish if she held on too tightly. Her body shook against mine. I was exhausted—sweating, barely able to stand—but I hugged her back as her sobs slowly soaked into my chest. I reached up and ran my fingers through her hair.
"Let's go home."
I walked her back, step by step, her limp noticeable with each uneven pace. Her wooden leg clicked softly on the ground. She didn't say a word, just leaned against me. I guided her to bed, tucked her in, and watched as she fell asleep almost instantly. As soon as I stepped out, closing the door quietly behind me, the fatigue finally hit me like a hammer.
Monday was waiting in the hallway, arms crossed.
"She activated her Clarion?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said, rubbing my eyes.
He sighed. "Yeah... she did that to me too, once. I forgave her though. Don't worry."
His lips tightened. "Still... Heide, you need to figure out how to control her powers," he said seriously. "She can hurt someone really bad someday."
"I know." I exhaled deeply, shoulders heavy. "I'll go to sleep."
"What about the food?"
"Me and Evena ate outside," I muttered without looking at him.
I collapsed onto the bed, too tired to even change. My eyes shut the second I hit the mattress. The pain surged up my body. "Fuck... it hurts like shit." I muttered to myself. "Still feel like my leg isn't there..."
---
Morning sunlight pierced through the blinds like a quiet intruder. I woke up groggy. Evena was gone—again. A note left behind said she'd gone to Hank's house. She was meeting the head maid there almost daily now. I didn't stop her.
I dragged myself to the table. Sinus, Shalap, and Gars were already there, halfway through breakfast. Wanora burst out of her room, tying her hair in a rush.
"Why aren't you three dressed up?!"
"Do we have to?" I asked flatly.
She looked like she was about to explode. "THE EMPEROR HAS CALLED US TO THE CAPITAL. GET DRESSED, YOU THREE MONKEYS!"
I blinked. Instantly, I dashed to my room.
"I'm a monkey too?" Shalap turned to Wanora, frowning.
Wanora narrowed her eyes. "You sure look like one." She grabbed Shalap by the arm, made her stand on the table, and started combing her hair. "Did you take a bath?"
Shalap nodded solemnly. Sinus did too.
I rushed out, hair still damp, dressed in the outfit Evena had gifted me. Wanora looked me up and down.
"We're getting you new clothes later," she said, "but it's good for now. Come on, let's go."
The four of us wolfed down breakfast. Just as we were finishing, Monday stepped out. He eyed Sinus, then walked over and straightened his tie without a word.
"Look a bit tidy, will you?" he said.
"Yeah..." Sinus muttered, brushing off invisible dust.
We left the Taskhand. Outside, a black carriage waited—its sleek surface bearing the imperial crest, guarded on all sides. We climbed in silently. The atmosphere inside was heavy.
"Why the rush?" I finally asked. "Why didn't I know about this last night?"
Wanora leaned back, exhaling. "The guards showed up this morning. They demanded our presence. I didn't have time to inform you three. Sorry for rushing—but it's the Emperor. We can't compromise, you know?"
"Uh, yeah? We can't?"
The carriage hummed with energy. It was embedded with high-tier artifacts, allowing it to warp space and time as it teleported every couple kilometers and after a 10 minute cooldown doing it again. A journey that should've taken nineteen hours was reduced to just forty minutes. When we stepped out, we were no longer in the city.
Nothing surrounded the castle.
No towns. No guards in the outer fields. Just silence.
The castle stood alone, like a forgotten god.
The second my foot touched the ground, something hit me.
Hard.
I collapsed instantly.
"Heide?! What the hell are you doing—?" Wanora was beside me in a second. Sinus too. But then they both froze.
Their eyes widened.
My shirt was turning red. Blood soaked through it, seeping across my chest in a single, long streak.
"QUICK! GET A DOCTOR!"
The guards reacted immediately. They lifted me into the castle's infirmary. The doctors didn't ask questions. They tore my shirt apart, revealing the deep cut across my torso.
A perfect, clean slice.
Like from a blade I never saw.
No Clarion had been activated. No artifact had gone off. Nothing touched us.
And yet I was bleeding.
The physicians moved fast, sealing the wound with potions and stitching. I faded in and out. After a minute, they used herbs to jolt me awake. I shot up, panic clouding my vision.
My chest was wrapped in thick bandages.
The doctors handed me new clothes—imperial issue. A dark red shirt, black long coat, and matching black pants. I dressed slowly, trying to breathe.
When I stepped out, Wanora was pacing. She saw me and froze.
"Did you see what hit you?" she asked.
I shook my head. "No."
She hugged me tightly. I forced a smile.
"I'm fine. It's alright."
She didn't respond, just held me a second longer.
Then came the guards. "It's time."
They escorted us down the hallway. The four of us walked in silence. The doors to the throne room loomed ahead, massive and ancient.
And then I felt it.
The pressure.
Thick. Suffocating. Like being submerged in ocean depths.
From behind that door... the presence of the Emperor was already crushing us.
And we hadn't even stepped inside yet.
"This is suffocating you know."