Birds chirp. Warm sunlight spills in. Soft bedsheets hug his skin.

  The morning would be perfect, idyllic, even, if not for the sharp, earthy tang of herbs clinging stubbornly in the air.

  Finn blinks, his senses stirring. A bristle of hair grazes his upper arm. He slowly opens his eyes, light seeping in. Blurred white walls, pale ceilings... the sterile calm of a sanctuary.

  Is this...the healing chamber?

  His gaze shifts. Risa sits slumped beside him, head resting on folded arms. Her long lashes flutter slightly with each breath, strands of hair tangled loosely across her cheek.

  To his left, Nyx sits upright, silent. Cocoa cradled in one arm. His stare is unwavering, intensely locked onto Finn, his lips sealed.

  Finn’s lips part, cracked and dry. His voice rasps. “Nyx…could you get me some water?”

  Without a word, Nyx puts down Cocoa and rises at once and walks briskly to the corner, where a ceramic pitcher sits on a low wooden table. He pours, then returns, offering the cup with both hands.

  Finn drinks, slow sips at first, letting the cool liquid soothe his throat. Nyx watches him, still and solemn, shadowy tendrils swirling faintly in his irises.

  Cup drained, Finn places it beside the bed and exhales. Risa hasn’t stirred. She must’ve stayed by his side since he blacked out.

  He turns to Nyx, voice softer now. “What happened…after I fainted?”

  “Aurelien and the knights brought you here. Risa and I stayed with you. It’s been…a few days,” Nyx replies, calm and clipped as always.

  Finn nods. “And the others?”

  “Aurelien and Cassius are working with the knights. They’re investigating the Echoes of Ascendance. The orphanage. The traffickers. And the circus.”

  Finn raises a brow. “Circus? So Bartholomew finally signed the collateral agreement with ‘Mathur’…and Aurelien submitted it to the knights?”

  “Yes.”

  “And the traffickers…so Elwin really just came to frame you,” Finn mutters, eyes narrowing. “He’s involved with both the traffickers and the orphanage.”

  He lets out a long sigh. Even while unconscious, things have somehow fallen into place. But one name still gnaws at him.

  “Elwin. Did he escape?”

  Nyx flinches at the name. His gaze flickers downwards before he nods. “…Yes.”

  Finn frowns. “Didn’t expect him to be more than just a caster. He’s an illusionist too.”

  He clenches his fist under the sheets, brows furrowing as memories flicker through the haze.

  When did he trap me in an illusion?

  He remembers…the dream.

  A vast tree stretched overhead, its canopy thick with rustling leaves that swayed gently in the wind. Dappled sunlight filters through, warm on his skin. He lay back in the grass, peaceful.

  Beside him was Isalyn. Her pale skin aglow beneath the golden light, a serene smile on her face. A baby in her arms.

  He wanted it to last forever.

  He tried to call out to his daughter. But…what was her name?

  Sharp, burning, relentless pain seared through his skull. He clutched his head, the image splintering. The tree. The warmth. Isalyn and the baby.

  Gone.

  And then…Risa. Running to him. Calling his name.

  Her pale green eyes. A familiar mix of his forest green and Isalyn’s icy blue.

  The baby’s name…Risa.

  Back to now, the teenager beside him, grown and brave, asleep by his side.

  How could he forget that she’s his daughter?

  And why…why did the pain always surface whenever he tried to piece it all together?

  But in the end, that same pain woke him from Elwin’s illusion. Snapped him back to reality. Just before he passed out, he remembers forcing out the words that freed Nyx from the knights’ suspicion.

  Twice now, the cult has tried to turn the knights against Nyx. Finn won’t let them succeed the third time.

  His thoughts refocus. Nyx is standing now. Still staring. Unblinking.

  “…Nyx? Are you alright? Something on my face?” Finn scratches his cheek, puzzled.

  Nyx lowers his gaze to Finn’s wrapped wound and whispers, “Sorry.”

  Ah. That.

  Finn had almost forgotten why he's lying here in the first place. He offers a friendly smile and tousles Nyx’s hair gently.

  “It’s not your fault. You were under Elwin’s illusion. You didn’t mean to hurt me.”

  “But…”

  “No ‘but’. No one could’ve predicted that he’d mastered hallucination magic as well.”

  Nyx goes quiet. Clearly, it’s not enough to lift the weight off his chest.

  Knock knock.

  “It’s me—and Aurelien. Can we come in?” Cassius calls from outside.

  “Come in!” Finn calls back.

  Cassius bursts through the door and grins. “You’re awake!”

  The sound wakes Risa. She blinks, rubbing her eyes, and slowly lifts her head. Her gaze lands on Finn, and immediately, her expression brightens.

  “Finn! You’re finally awake!” she exclaims, sitting upright. “How do you feel? Should we get the priest? Oh—Aurelien and Cassius are here! Maybe Aurelien should check—”

  “Whoa, slow down, little one,” Finn laughs, holding up a hand. “I’m fine. Really.”

  “She’s right,” Aurelien chimes in, approaching with a professional calm. “Let me have a look.”

  “Alright, alright. No point arguing when I’m outnumbered,” Finn says with a grin.

  Aurelien conjures a soft healing barrier and carefully lifts the hem of his shirt. She removes the bandages, inspects the wound, then cleans it and reapplies the salve.

  “The wound’s healing nicely. Just… no sudden movements, and no lifting anything heavy. Understood?”

  “Understood. Thank you,” Finn replies. “How long was I out?”

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Three days,” Risa answers softly. “You lost a lot of blood…back then.”

  Tears glisten in her eyes, barely held back.

  Finn lifts his hand to wipe them, but at the last second, he changes course and rests it gently on her head instead.

  “And now I’m back, good as new. See?”

  “You didn’t see what happened,” Cassius interjects. “They brought Bartho… Bartholo… whatever—”

  “Bartholomew,” Nyx corrects him, deadpan.

  “Yeah, him! The knights arrested him. Buying children. Sick bastard. If Cedric were still alive, he’d be locked up too!” Cassius says with a satisfied huff.

  “But…do we have any leads on this ‘Elwin’ yet?” Finn asks, voice tight with frustration.

  Risa shakes her head. “Nothing, unfortunately. The knights tried to follow his tracks, but the snow covered them. And he was careful. He masked his magical aura completely.”

  “But they did manage to arrest the remaining Farnham family members for their ties to the Echoes of Ascendance,” Aurelien adds.

  Risa exhales heavily. “The Echoes again. Another missing children case…”

  Finn adds, “That’s twice now we’ve disrupted them.”

  “And Nyx is still their target,” Finn thinks. “And with how they’re orchestrating things… framing him seems to be part of their plan. But why go through all this trouble to turn the knights against him?”

  The thought hangs in the air like a fog. For now, it seems their safety, and Nyx’s, isn’t immediately at risk. But that won’t last forever.

  Finn straightens a little, though the movement makes him wince. “We shouldn’t delay here any longer. If we’re going to make it in time for the enrolment exam, we’ll need to leave tomorrow.”

  “But…your wound,” Risa protests, eyes filled with concern.

  “I’ll be fine. Honestly.” He offers a reassuring smile. “It’s already healing.”

  But her eyes linger, unconvinced.

  Finn bites back a sigh. Damn it… If I’d taken Cedric alive and collected the ransom, we could’ve used it to cover the cost of the transport circle to Osemond.

  The thought gnaws at him. He’d considered it, turning Cedric in and keeping part of the ransom. The fee for teleportation magic is no small sum; only nobles and wealthy merchants can typically afford to make use of it for private or commercial purposes.

  “I know you’re in a hurry,” Aurelien interjects gently. “But as a priest, I really hope you’ll let your body rest properly before you travel.”

  She pauses for a moment, then adds thoughtfully, “Given what you’ve all done for the missing orphans… Pantmwar is considering a form of compensation. Perhaps I can put in a request for you to use the transport circle for free?”

  Finn tries to sit upright but is stopped by the stab of pain. “Re—groan—you’d be saving my life! I thought I was going to be stuck in a carriage for weeks.”

  Risa gently pushes him back onto the bed. “You should lie back on your bed,” she says, then turns to Aurelien. “Thank you, Madam Aurelien,” she adds with heartfelt relief.

  “Don’t thank me yet,” Aurelien replies with a soft smile. “I’ll speak with them first and let you know.”

  Finn turns his head. “Also… Aurelien, Cassius—if it’s alright, I’d like to take a few of Evelyn’s books. The ones on curses. They might help me better understand Risa’s condition…or at least help me explain it to the mages in Osemond.”

  “Grandma wouldn’t have minded,” Cassius says without hesitation.

  Aurelien nods. “Take them. I’ll also write a letter outlining her condition and seal it with my mark. Show it at the Sanctuary in the capital. There might be someone there who can help.”

  Risa gives them all a touched, grateful smile. “Thank you…truly.”

  The conversation drifts into gentler topics. Eventually, Aurelien addresses the other three. “Alright, children. I think it’s time you returned to the inn. Finn needs his rest.”

  Risa hesitates, glancing at Finn, and Nyx’s eyes linger on him quietly.

  Finn grins. “Now that she’s mentioned it… I really wouldn’t mind going back to sleep. You lot look exhausted too. Why not come back tomorrow?”

  Risa nods reluctantly. “Alright. We’ll be back first thing.”

  “Are you coming with us?” Cassius asks Aurelien.

  She shakes her head. “I have some matters to attend to at the Sanctuary. I’ll stay for a little longer.”

  Risa, Cassius, and Nyx head out quietly, leaving the room dim and calm. Snow continues to fall softly outside the window, muffling the world.

  Once they’re gone, Aurelien turns to Finn, concern soft in her voice. “When treating your wound, I had to inspect your magic veins, and I noticed that…”

  “My magic veins are drying up?” Finn finishes for her.

  Aurelien nods. “Don’t worry. I’m the only one who knows. Truth is, I only noticed it by chance when you were in the critical state. Once you regained some vitality, your veins were hidden under…how should I put it…” She pauses, searching for the right word.

  Finn grins. “You mean a spell that stops them from collapsing—and hides them, too? That’s not like you, Aurelien. You’re starting to sound like Cassius.”

  Aurelien lets out a quiet laugh, the heavy mood easing with Finn’s teasing. “You know your own condition best. But if you ever need help, I’d be happy to run a full check and see what I can do.”

  “Thanks,” Finn replies. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Aurelien senses there’s no use pressing him further. Instead, she turns away and pulls a faintly glowing letter from her storage stone.

  “Finn,” she says, “the knights found this in the traffickers’ hideout. It’s Evelyn’s letter. They likely intercepted it before it reached me.”

  “You’re letting me read it?”

  She nods. “Evelyn and I had a habit of encrypting our letters. That’s likely why they never understood it. I’ve already decrypted it. You should see it.”

  She hands him the parchment.

  Finn opens the envelope and unfolds the letter.

  Dear Aurelien,

  It’s been years since we last saw each other. I still remember the way we used to sit under the willow by the pond, sharing tea and complaints about the world. How is your health these days? I hope the pain in your knees has eased—at least enough to let you enjoy the morning sun.

  There’s something I never told you in my earlier letters. I suppose I was afraid—afraid of the shadows gnawing at the dark, afraid of interrupting your serene life, afraid of what you’d think…

  I’ve adopted a child. A boy. I named him Cassius.

  I found him one winter night, wandering just beyond the edge of my yard. His clothes were soaked through and far too thin for the cold. He looked so small, so lost. I offered him a warm drink, and to my surprise, he followed me in…poor dear didn’t even flinch at the sight of the so-called witch house. Either he was too cold to care or too brave for his own good.

  He never left.

  Started calling me grandmother, just like that. Stubborn child. Not the best with his books, he grumbles through his studies, but he’s not giving up.

  I kept him a secret from you for a reason. Something…troubling.

  Do you remember the girl I once tried to save? The one someone sent to me? Cassius has the similar magic aura. The same scales were on her limbs; his are across his chest. Not natural. Not born. But Made.

  Someone's been experimenting again. Mixing predator blood into children. Creating mages who can cast without drawing from the vault. Powerful, yes—but cursed. The body can’t keep up. The flame burns too hot. They die young.

  I don’t know if Cassius came to me by chance or by design. Either way, I couldn’t turn him away. I wouldn’t. I’ve done all I could, Aurelien. I pawned most of my magic crafts, traded favours I never meant to owe, just to get my hands on rare reagents. But you know as well as I do: cursecraft isn’t healing. I’ve tried treating the condition on myself first, testing theories I dared not inflict on a child.

  Please…don’t tell him. I chose to do this. He mustn’t carry the weight of it.

  Remember what our lecturers used to say? That most cursecrafters meet their end trying to outwit their own curse. At least…at least I’ll go knowing I tried to save someone.

  I couldn’t finish the cure. I’m sorry, Aurelien. I tried. And now, I’m asking the impossible of you. But there’s no one else I trust.

  Cassius knows where I kept the storage stone. It holds everything I’ve found: every note, every failure, every possibility. I pray it will help you.

  Please…save Cassius—my beloved grandson.

  Let him live long enough to know friendship. To fall in love. To grow old, perhaps, if we dare to hope.

  And if there’s any justice in this life or the next…maybe we’ll sit together again one day. Share tea. Laugh over stories. Like before.

  With all the warmth my old bones can muster,

  Your stubborn friend,

  Evelyn Ruth

  Finn lowers the letter slowly, his chest tight.

  “I’m sorry about Evelyn,” he says. “She was brave. Kind. A role model to Cassius.”

  Aurelien breathes out heavily. “And stubborn. Demanding. Relentless.” Her smile is bitter but affectionate. “But she was also my dear friend.”

  “She rarely asked for favours. But when she did… she knew I wouldn’t say no.”

  “What will you do now?” Finn asks.

  “I’ve recovered her research from Cassius. I’ll continue it. But in my own way. Healing’s my field.”

  “But if you go through with this, the Echoes of Ascendance might come after you. Cassius and that girl, whatever was done to them, it reeks of their methods.”

  Aurelien’s eyes glint. “Let them come. I’m just an old woman. Not much time left anyway. I’d like to see what they think they can do to me.”

  Finn smiles warmly, affected by Aurelien’s optimism, and tries to offer his help as well. “Then you should speak with Gerard. He’s crossed paths with the Echoes before. He’ll protect you and Cassius.”

  “I’ll consider it,” she says, rising. “I’ve taken enough of your time. Get some rest, Finn.” She then stands and walks out of the room.

  He lies back slowly, the mattress sinking under his weight. The ceiling blurs as his eyes grow heavy. His thoughts drift.

  Too much has happened. I want to take them to Osemond…to meet Syl.

  The thought lingers like a quiet wish, and then, sleep takes him.