Kurai spent several long minutes in her room, her breathing steadying as the black veins receded into her skin. Each pulse of darkness that had tried to overwhelm her ebbed into silence, though her body still trembled faintly from the strain of absorbing Helios's corruption. Finally, with a quiet sigh, she pushed herself to her feet and left the sanctuary of her room.
The mansion was alive with ordinary sounds again. Somewhere below, she could hear the faint clatter of pans. She descended the stairs slowly, her composure sharp and cold as ever, though her stride carried the weight of someone still recovering.
In the kitchen, Zack stood in front of the counter wearing an apron far too cheerful for his usual rugged demeanor. He hummed lightly to himself as he chopped vegetables, a pot steaming on the stove behind him. The smell of broth and herbs filled the room.
Kurai stepped into the doorway, her silver eyes fixing on him. "Where are Helga and the witch who's been freeloading off us since yesterday?"
Zack blinked, turning halfway. "Oh, good morning, or should I say good afternoon. Helga's out back training with Tempest. The witch—um… Circe—went with them. Probably still hanging around."
Kurai nodded once, cold and sharp, and turned to leave without another word.
Zack raised an eyebrow as he watched her go. 'Her movements seemed slower, less fluid than usual.' He muttered under his breath, "Why's she carrying herself so stiff? She injured or something?" He shook his head and went back to stirring the pot.
Outside, Kurai crossed the grounds until she came upon the training yard. Tempest and Helga were sparring fiercely, their spears clashing with rhythmic violence. Dust kicked up with each strike as Helga pressed the offensive, her braid whipping behind her. Tempest met her blow for blow, calm and collected.
On the sidelines sat Circe, perched like a queen on a stone bench, clapping her hands dramatically. "That's it, darling! Keep pressing! You'll have her begging for mercy in no time!" she sang out with unrestrained amusement.
Kurai stepped forward, her presence pulling the air colder. Circe glanced her way briefly, lips curling in the faintest smirk before promptly ignoring her to return to her cheering.
"Hey freeloader," Kurai said flatly, her voice like a blade of ice. "It's time you paid some rent. Now follow me."
Circe waved a dismissive hand without even looking at her. "Not now, shadow-girl. Leave me be. Can't you see I'm busy supporting the future of spearplay? Well, that and my new suitor candidate I'm raising."
Kurai didn't move. Her expression remained unchanging, but her voice cut sharper. "Soon, you'll never see Helga again."
Circe froze mid-clap. Slowly, her aqua colored eyes turned back toward Kurai, the playful smirk wiped clean. "What did you just say?"
Kurai ignored the question, her gaze never breaking. She simply turned her back and began walking away, her posture steady, certain that Circe would follow.
And she did. Circe's sandals clicked across the ground as she hurried after her, skirts swishing in her haste. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded. "Don't play games with me, girl. What did you mean? Tell me now."
Kurai gave no answer. Her silence was its own command.
Through the mansion halls they went, Circe's voice rising with every step. "Tell me what you're talking about! Where is Helga going? What are you hiding from me?"
At last, Kurai pushed open the door to Helios's room.
Inside, the air was heavy with the scent of magic and blood. Skuld knelt at Helios's bedside, her hands glowing faintly green, her face pale and sweat-lined from exhaustion. She hadn't stopped healing, even as her own body clearly screamed for rest. The unconscious Helios shifted weakly under the spell's light, his breaths shallow and uneven.
Circe stopped short in the doorway, blinking at the scene.
Kurai raised one hand, pointing toward the bed. Her voice came cold, merciless. "Heal him."
Circe's expression twisted in surprise, then indignation. "You drag me all this way and order me about like a servant? Do you even know who I—"
Kurai's gaze snapped toward her, sharp enough to silence the words in her throat. The air around her seemed to pulse faintly with the reminder of the abyss she commanded.
"Helios's condition worsens with every wasted second," Kurai said, voice low and edged. "Heal him. Or I kill you. Simple enough for you to understand."
Circe's mouth opened, then closed. For a heartbeat, her pride warred with the reality before her, her fingers twitching as if itching to summon some sharp remark or spell. But her eyes fell on Helios's battered, blood-soaked body, his faint breaths rattling in his chest, and something shifted in her expression.
Clicking her tongue, she stepped past Kurai and into the room, her skirts brushing against the threshold. "Tch. Fine. But only because watching him die like this would be boring. Besides, Helga wouldn't like it," she said, her tone still drenched in mockery, though her movements betrayed urgency.
She approached the bedside with a languid grace, lowering herself to one knee beside Skuld. The younger girl's healing light flickered and faltered with exhaustion, her eyes widening at Circe's sudden arrival.
"What are you—" Skuld began, but Circe waved a hand dismissively.
"Move aside, little dove. You've done enough." Her voice was softer than her words, though, and as Skuld hesitated, Circe placed her palms lightly above Helios's chest. A strange, iridescent glow welled up from her hands — not the warm green of Skuld's Curaga, but a pale golden light tinged faintly with violet.
The air thickened with the scent of wild herbs and the ocean.
The magic seeped into Helios's wounds, slowing the bleeding and mending the torn veins that Skuld's strained power could not reach. His shallow breaths steadied, though his skin remained pale and slick with sweat.
Circe exhaled slowly, her brow furrowing despite her usual smile. "You've tangled yourself in something foul, boy," she muttered, half to herself, half to him. "But lucky for you, I'm in a generous mood."
Behind her, Kurai stood silent, her gaze fixed on Circe with that same sharp silver intensity, making it clear her presence alone kept Circe from slipping into games.
Skuld, trembling from fatigue, finally let herself slump onto the edge of the bed. Relief crossed her face as Helios's breathing evened out, if only slightly.
Circe, satisfied, pulled her hands back and flicked her hair over her shoulder with a dramatic flourish. "There. He won't die. For now."
Kurai said nothing, but her silence was heavy, and Circe's smirk faltered under the weight of it.