When Levi regained her strength, the dungeon had fallen eerily silent. Shax and Forneus had vanished, leaving only scorched stone and the scent of blood. The broken chains still hissed at her feet, but she had no time to savor the victory. Her chest burned with one thought.
Jane.
She moved quickly through the twisting halls, black wings dragging slightly, every breath heavy with exhaustion. The air thickened as she descended deeper, a strange aura crawling along her skin. It wasn't Shax's. It wasn't Forneus's. It was… half-dragon?
Her pulse quickened.
At the bottom of a blood-soaked stairwell, she found a heavy iron door, its surface smeared with runes of restraint. Black blood, red blood, even blue from shifters stained the floor before it. She didn't hesitate—she ripped the door from its hinges.
The moment it flew open, something hurled itself at her. Claws raked against her shield of shadows, sparks flying. Levi braced, her body roaring with fatigue but her instincts sharp. She shoved the creature back—only to freeze when she saw its face.
"Jane…"
The creature trembled, eyes glowing faintly violet-red, like a dragon's flame trapped in a witch's sockets. Her veins shimmered with a faint purple fire, her breaths ragged, her form twisted between witch and something else.
Levi's chest tightened.
"Jane! It's me—Levi! Snap out of-!"
Jane's claws scratch Levi's face making a scar so deep made Levi fall to her knees in pain.
At the sound of her name, Jane flinched. The claws retracted, her body shaking. She stared at Levi as if from a great distance, tears forming in her glowing eyes.
"Levi…?"
"Yes. It's me." Levi's voice softened, dropping the edge of her rage.
Jane collapsed to her knees, hands covering her face. "I… I didn't mean to. I didn't hurt you—" her words cracked as sobs tore from her chest— "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm… I'm a monster."
Levi's steps echoed against the stone blood dripping from her face as she approached, her shadow falling across Jane. She knelt, gently cupping Jane's face, forcing her to meet her gaze. Her red eyes softened into gold once more.
"You're not a monster, Jane. You're still a witch. Just… mixed with something older. That's all. It doesn't change who you are."
Jane shook her head violently, tears streaming down her cheek. "You don't understand! There's no fixing this. No spell, no ritual, nothing can change me back. I'll lose myself, Levi—I'll hurt you, I'll hurt everyone!" Her voice rose, shaking the walls themselves, dust and cracks splitting through the ancient stone.
Levi blinked at the force, then smiled faintly. Even broken, even chained by fear—Jane's strength was undeniable.
"I… I shouldn't have shouted," Jane whispered, ashamed.
Levi didn't hesitate. She pulled her into her arms, holding her tightly against the warmth of her body. Her wings curled protectively around her.
"Jane… listen to me. You are not broken. You are perfect as you are. And no matter what happens, you'll always be my little witch." Her voice cracked, softer now, not as a queen, but as a woman desperate not to lose the one she cared for. "I'll find a way to help you. I swear it."
Jane stiffened at the sudden embrace, but the trembling in her body slowly eased. Against Levi's chest, she felt—for the first time since her capture—safe. Slowly, hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around Levi's waist, burying her face against her shoulder.
"…Thank you." Her voice was muffled, weak, but it was real.
After a long silence, Levi whispered, "We shouldn't stay here. Your friends—they may still be trapped somewhere in this dungeon."
Jane pulled back, wiping her face with her sleeve. "Yeah. You're right. Let's hurry."
Together, they stood, still scarred, still hunted, but no longer alone.
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