Leonora's eyelids flutter open, the dim light above her stabbing at her senses like knives.
"Sister! Are you all right?!" Roland's voice cracked, halfway between relief and panic. "Quick, Anna — sister just woke up!" Roland's words came out in a rush.
"Finally, my lady! I was so worried." Anna clutched Leonora's hand like she might vanish again if she let go.
"Where… where are we?" Leonora asked, her voice hoarse, barely above a whisper.
"We're at Youri's place," Roland said softly.
on the outskirts of the city, a forgotten relic of crumbling brick and rusted metal. The narrow hallway smelled faintly of mildew and stale smoke, the walls streaked with years of neglect. Dim light from a single flickering bulb barely illuminated the peeling wallpaper, casting long, jittering shadows across the cracked floorboards. The furniture was sparse and worn—an old sofa sagging under the weight of countless restless nights, a rickety table cluttered with empty bottles and scattered papers. Outside, the distant hum of neon lights and the faint sirens of the city reminded anyone inside that life carried on, indifferent to the decay within.
"What? That drunk has a home here?!" Leonora's brow furrowed, even as she tried to sit up.
"Apparently," Roland murmured. "He told us to come here after we got back. You passed out in his hands."
Leonora's cheeks flushed despite herself.
"How long have I been out?" She asked.
"Two days." Replied Roland.
"Two days?! And no one woke me up?!"
"Youri said the doctor told him you needed at least three days of rest. That guy roughed you up pretty bad," Roland said quietly.
"Oh— my entire body hurts…" Leonora shouted as she moved forward.
"Of course it does. You were cut everywhere. That bastard almost took your fingers too," Anna muttered, her voice trembling with restrained fury. "He got what he deserved."
Leonora closed her eyes for a heartbeat, replaying the last images of blood, steel, and Dimitry's sneer before darkness swallowed her.
"Where is he?" she asked suddenly.
"Who—Youri?"
"Yes."
"I don't know. He went out last night and hasn't been back yet," Roland said.
"Help me get up!" Leonora swung her legs off the bed, her body shaking.
"You need to rest," Roland said, reaching for her.
"Where are you going, sister?!" Roland asked.
"To find that idiot. What do you think? He's probably passed out somewhere on the street."
"Wait! I'm coming with you. You can't go out alone in that state," Roland said, moving to her side.
At Lux
"Hey, Youri — no more drinking, you idiot! Look at yourself, you're blind drunk!" Gloria snapped, her voice sharp as a whip.
"Uhh… how did I end up babysitting a grown-ass man?" she muttered under her breath, exasperation carved into her face.
"Come on, Gloria — cheers, drink with me," Youri slurred, half a smirk on his lips.
"Yeah, I'd bet you'd outdrink even a seasoned alcoholic," she said dryly, leaning on the bar.
"By the way, how long are you gonna stay here? People are looking for you. Malkom heard about your visit and probably wants his money. What are you gonna do?"
"Beats me. It's not like I've got any money left. Last hand — lost everything at blackjack."
"You're beyond saving, you know that."
"Listen, you idiot — I can't keep hiding you at Lux forever. They'll find out sooner or later."
"Don't worry. As soon as that woman gets up, we'll leave. I just can't leave without her — it'll be a problem where I have to go."
Gloria raised an eyebrow. "Good news then — she just came in."
Youri's bloodshot eyes narrowed. "Am I seeing things, or is that—"
Leonora's figure strode into the club, her expression thunderous. She cut through the haze of smoke and noise like a blade through silk.
"Wait, sister — he's in no shape to talk. Please don't hit him!" Roland's voice trembled as she followed behind.
"Why? Why did you grab that barrel?!" Leonora demanded, her voice breaking.
"Hey Gloria, I think I can pay now," Youri blurted drunkenly.
Leonora's eyes blazed, her chest heaving with fury, the neon lights of the club casting sharp reflections across her face. Her voice shook, not from weakness, but from the fire inside her. "Do I look weak to you?! Do you see me as some spoiled, fragile girl?" Her fingers curled into fists. "I can read it in your eyes! You… you pity me!"
Youri smirked, weakly raising a hand, but the smirk didn't reach his eyes. "I plead the fifth," he said, a rasp of defiance in his tone.
Without another word, Leonora lunged. Her hands wrapped around his neck, dragging him violently from the chair to the floor with a sickening thud. Tears streamed down her cheeks, hot and furious. "They call me a monster," she shouted, her voice cracking, "but I've fought real monsters! I've faced creatures that would make your blood run cold—and still, I never encountered one like you!" Her knees pressed beside him; she leaned close, her face inches from his. "When I look into your eyes… there is nothing. Hollow. Empty. How… how did you let them take you? Who… who destroyed you like this?"
Youri's chest rose and fell, his own eyes dark, defiant, yet carrying the faintest trace of regret. The music thumped around them, a mocking heartbeat in the tense air. His voice, barely a whisper over the club's chaos, cut through the tension. "You."
Leonora froze, the word striking her like a blade. Her anger mingled with disbelief, sorrow, and a raw, painful ache she couldn't name. Her grip loosening as shock washed over her.
Gloria finally stepped forward, her presence commanding. "Enough. This is the second time you've come into my club and ruined my things. I'll tell you this once — listen. Grab him and get off this planet. For his sake, do this as payment for saving your life."
"Come on, sister — we have to go." Roland helped haul Youri up, the man swaying but silent.
They headed toward the exit, the club's neon glow painting them in streaks of violet and red.
"One last thing, Youri — look after yourself, you idiot," Gloria called after them, her voice softer this time.
Outside, as the night swallowed them, Roland's voice buzzed from the car. "I'm sorry, Youri, but I could not stop her!"
"Don't worry, Roboy," Youri muttered, watching Leonora's back as she strode ahead. "That's just how she is."