Lyria's POV
I was asleep. At first, I thought I was still trapped somewhere between dreams and reality. I could hear faint sounds around me—soft footsteps, something scraping against the floor,
I tried to open my eyes. My eyelids felt impossibly heavy. I tried again. This time, sunlight flooded my vision. I immediately squeezed my eyes shut. Too bright…
After a few seconds, I slowly opened them again. The room was bathed in warm morning sunlight. I blinked several times.
Something felt wrong. I was lying on a sofa. but I clearly remember falling asleep in bed last night. I frowned and slowly pushed myself upright.
"Wait…"
I stared at the bed across the room. Then my eyes widened. The bed was empty.
"R-Riven?"
I stood up so quickly that the room spun around me. I grabbed the edge of the sofa to steady myself. Then I saw her. She was standing in front of the mirror. Alive. Standing. She was trying to remove the bandages wrapped around her body.
For several seconds, I could do nothing but stare. My voice came out barely above a whisper.
"Riven…?"
She stopped. Then slowly turned her head toward me. A small smile appeared on her face. "Good morning, Princess."
She looked tired. Pale. There were still traces of dried blood on her skin, and several bandages remained wrapped around her body.
She gestured toward the floor. A small white fox was jumping around her feet, playfully chasing its own tail. " I'm sorry if you were woken up by our voices.?"
I barely heard her.
"Riven…"
She smiled again.
"Yes?"
I started walking towards her. "You…" My voice trembled. "You woke up. Why. How…?" I couldn't finish the sentence.
She tilted her head. "What? Did you not want me to wake up?" Her tone became teasing. " I can go back to sleep if you'd prefer."
A tear rolled down my cheek. I ran toward her. I threw my arms around her.
She immediately stiffened.
"Princess—"
"You woke up!" I hugged her even tighter. "You actually woke up!" I buried my face against her shoulder. "I thought…I thought you weren't going to wake up."
For a moment, Riven said nothing. Then I felt one of her hands awkwardly patting my back. "I'm sorry." She sounded genuinely uncomfortable. "I didn't mean to worry you. But Could you… let me go?"
I shook my head. "You almost died. You weren't breathing. I thought this time I had lost you. I thought you would never wake up."
"But I woke up, didn't I?. now can you please let me go , Princess? Kara and Kalina are staring at us."
I slowly turned my head toward the doorway. I followed her gaze. My entire body froze. Kara and Kalina were standing at the doorway. Kalina looked completely stunned. Kara, however…She was smirking.
My face immediately became hot. I immediately released Riven. I stepped backward so quickly that I nearly tripped. "I'm sorry!" I covered my face with both hands. "I—I was just happy seeing her awake!"
Kalina continued staring at us.
Kara walked into the room with the most amused expression I had ever seen on her face. " Oh. No. No. don't mind us, please continue ." Her smirk widened. " and Don't apologize. we are sorry for interrupting you. We should have knocked before opening the door."
I wanted the floor to swallow me.
"Kara!"
She laughed softly before walking into the room. "I'm glad you're alive, Riven."
"Thank you."
Kara's eyes moved toward Riven's bandages. "But what are you doing?"
Riven looked down at herself. "Who wrapped me up like a mummy, with all these bandages?."
Kara frowned and said, "Mummy, what does mummy mean?"
Raven shook her head and said, "Please ignore what I said and let me get rid of these bandages."
Kalina tried to stop her, "Stop it, Raven! These are bandages for your wounds. You shouldn't remove them until your wounds heal."
Raven said, "I'm really fine, but these bandages are starting to bother me; they're too tight."
Kalina grasped her arms and said, "They're tight because your ribs are broken, and these bandages are trying to hold your bones in place."
"If my ribs are broken, do you think I can stand like this and move freely?." Raven gently removed Kalina's hand and began to undo the bandages.
When Raven removed all the bandages, our eyes widened. Where had the deep claw wound on her back gone, the cut on her side, her eyes, and even what appeared to be her broken ribs? It had all healed.
Kalina approached her and began circling around her, examining her. She asked in surprise, "What happened to all your injuries? Where did all those wounds go?"
"They healed." Raven answered her calmly.
Kalina stared at her. "They healed?. That quickly?, There isn't even a scar!" . Raven only shrugged.
Kara stepped closer. "Everything healed except these." She pointed toward several wounds on Riven's side and arm and back. Kara narrowed her eyes. "Those are from the dagger, aren't they?"
Riven nodded.
I clenched my fists and lowered my head; I couldn't bear to look at her and the wounds I had caused.
"But we destroyed the dagger. So why didn't these wounds heal?" Kara said, confused.
Riven touched one of them. "They'll take some time. But I'm fine, they're just scratches." She had a small smile on her face, and I knew she was saying that so I wouldn't feel bad.
Kalina looked at us and said hesitantly, "Did you tell her what the doctor said?"
Raven looked at us, confused, and said, "What did the doctor say?" Silence fell over the room as Raven frowned. "What happened?"
Kara finally spoke. " Sit down first and we'll tell you."
"Why?"
"Just sit you suicidal idiot."
Riven raised an eyebrow. then sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked at us. "You're starting to worry me. What did the doctor say? That I'm going to die?."
I walked toward her. I sat beside her and gently took her hand. Her fingers were cold. "Raven…During your fight with Malvias, your mana was sealed. But you forced your mana to flow anyway."
She looked at me. Her expression didn't change.
"The pressure became too much." I squeezed her hand. "And your mana vessel…It shattered."
Riven stared at me.
"The doctor said that once a mana vessel completely shatters, it can't return to its original state." I swallowed. "And that means…" I couldn't bring myself to say it. "that means You could…Lose your mana. And your abilities. Forever."
Her eyes remained fixed on me. For several seconds, Riven didn't move. I felt my heart sink. Then—She started giggling. "This is what everyone was so worried about? I thought something serious happened."
I stared at her. "What?" I stood up. "Do you even understand what I just told you?, You could lose your powers! Your mana! You might never be able to use magic again! why are you laughing?!" My voice broke. "You lost everything, because I stabbed you with that dagger. Everything happened because of me."
Riven stood. "No, as I said it's not your fault, it's because of me. All of this happened to me because I wasn't strong and I was so weak that I was on the verge of death. and besides…"
She raised one finger. Ice suddenly formed around her fingertip. A sharp spear of ice appeared. The ice melted almost instantly, turning into water that floated between her fingers.
Then—Lightning crackled across her palm. I stepped backward. The lightning disappeared. A dark flame appeared instead. It swallowed the light around it. The flame suddenly expanded . she immediately closed her fist The flame vanished.
She looked at her hand. She shrugged. . "Well…Apparently, I still have my abilities. But It seems that I cannot control my abilities well due to the breaking of the vessel, other than that I am fine."
Kalina exclaimed in surprise, "How many abilities can you use? Wait, no, no, that's not important now. I'm glad you are okay , but there's something more important I want you help me with, since you haven't lost your ability."
"Of course, how can I help you?."
"I know you're tired and need more rest, but it's essential." Kalina said anxiously. "Black flames are consuming the city relentlessly, even melting rocks and buildings. The soldiers have tried every possible way to extinguish them, but the flames won't go out."
Riven's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh."
I said, confused, "Flame? What's going on?"
Kara leaned towards me and said, "A large army of monsters attacked the city, and a huge battle took place yesterday in the city center. I'll explain later."
Raven said apologetically, "I'm really sorry, I should have turned it off at that time but so much happened and I completely forgot about it."
Raven picked up a shirt from the bed and headed towards the bathroom, saying, "Just give me five minutes to clean myself off this blood and I'll go put out the fire."
And before any of us could stop her, she disappeared into the bathroom. The door closed. For several seconds, none of us spoke.
Kara blinked several times, as though she was trying to process what she had just heard.
"Did Raven really just call herself weak?" Her voice rose with disbelief.
"Wow… I honestly cannot believe that girl. How can she possibly call herself weak when she defeated Malvias without using a single ability? We could barely withstand one of his attacks!"
I glanced at Kara, then at Kalina.
Kalina, however, seemed far more interested in something else.
"Wait," she said, narrowing her eyes at us. "You two really didn't know that Raven has the Absorption ability?"
Kara and I looked at each other. "No," we answered at the exact same time.
Kalina raised an eyebrow. The look on her face made it obvious that she didn't believe us. "How many abilities does Raven actually have?"
Kara shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen her use any abilities since I met her."
"Me neither," I added. "I've never seen her rely on anything other than her sword."
Kalina hummed quietly, crossing her arms. "She has ice, water, lightning, black flames, Absorption… and she somehow healed me once. That's six abilities."
"That's impossible," Kalina muttered. "One person can't possess that many abilities. Even those blessed by the gods usually possess only one or two."
She looked between Kara and me. "Who exactly is Raven? Where did she come from? Is her family known?"
"As I told you before Raven is an orphan. She grew up in an orphanage. As far as we know, she doesn't even know who her parents are."
Kalina opened her mouth, clearly about to ask another question. But before she could—The bathroom door opened. All three of us turned toward it.
Raven stepped out. And for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
Her short black hair was still damp from the bath, brushed backward so that most of it rested away from her face, while a few wet strands had fallen naturally over her forehead and temples. Tiny droplets of water clung to the ends of her hair and slid slowly along her neck.
She wore a fitted black short-shirt that hugged her upper body. The sleeves stopped above her elbows, leaving her arms exposed.
Her black cargo trousers were loose around her legs, and a high waist that gave the entire outfit a practical, almost combat-ready appearance. Fingerless black gloves covered her hands. her sword rested at her waist.
She looked nothing like someone who had nearly died only hours ago. My eyes moved over her before I could stop myself.
Her clothes emphasized the strength in her arms and the definition of her abdomen and shoulders. There was something almost unfair about how effortlessly she carried herself. She was…Beautiful.
No. That word wasn't enough. She was breathtaking. My gaze lingered on her face. Those golden eyes. That sharp expression. Those red lips—
I swallowed. I suddenly want to get closer to her? Why did I suddenly find myself wondering what those lips would feel like against mine?
A light smack landed on my shoulder. I flinched. Kara leaned toward me and whispered with an amused smirk. " Stop staring. You are eating her with your eyes ."
My face immediately heated. " I wasn't…"
I glanced at Kara. She was trying desperately not to laugh. I wanted to argue. But when I looked back at Raven, my eyes betrayed me again. Apparently, I had completely forgotten how to behave around her.
And judging by the expression on Kalina's face, I wasn't the only one.
Raven glanced between us, seemingly unaware of the effect she was having. "I'm ready." She looked toward Kalina. "Let's go."
Then her golden eyes shifted toward me. "Princess, please stay here with Kara. We'll be back quickly."
Kara stepped forward.
"Raven, are you sure you're alright? You literally just woke up. And judging by that terrifying aura coming off you right now, you clearly aren't in complete control of your power."
Raven smiled faintly. "Don't worry about me. I'll be able to control it again." She looked down at her hand. Tiny sparks of black energy flickered around her fingers before disappearing. "I just need a little time. And I need to extinguish those flames before they cause any more damage."
Kalina stepped in. "Don't worry, Kara. The mage will teleport us directly to the city center and bring us back. Raven won't have to walk very far."
Riven looked at me again. "I'll be back soon, Princess. Don't leave the castle."
I nodded. "I won't." Then, before I could stop myself, I added. "And don't push yourself too hard either."
Riven gave me a small smile. "I won't." She and Kalina left the room. The door closed behind them.
For several seconds, I simply stared at the door. Then Kara's voice came from beside me.
"I know that look." Kara crossed her arms. "The look you get when you're thinking about something dirty." She pointed at my face.
I stared at her. "Was it really that obvious?"
Kara's mouth fell open. "You actually admitted it?!. At least try to deny what I said; I really didn't know you had a bold side."
I couldn't help laughing. "Why should I deny my feelings and deny that I want her?."
Kara continued staring. Her expression slowly transformed from shock into disbelief. then said, "Wow, Lyria, wow, I really don't recognize you anymore. have you always this straightforward?"
I laughed again. "Only when it comes to Riven."
Kara covered her face with one hand. "You're really scary. Gods help Raven …"
I laughed loudly and said, "No, may God help me, she's driving me crazy!" I stood and stretched. "Come on."
Kara lowered her hand. "Where?"
"I want to check on the injured soldiers and I help them. And besides… sitting here doing nothing while everyone else is suffering doesn't feel right."
Kara sighed, but eventually nodded. "Alright. Let's go."
We left Raven's room together. The little white fox remained behind for a moment, curled up near the bed as though guarding its sleeping place.
Then I followed Kara toward the great hall.
The palace had opened one of its largest halls to the wounded. Soldiers lay on beds arranged in rows, while civilians occupied every available space along the walls. The air smelled of blood, medicine, and burned wood. The sounds of groans and hurried footsteps filled the room.
The cheerful hall that had once been filled with music and laughter now smelled of medicine, blood, and burned cloth. I tightened my hands. There was still so much to do.
I couldn't bring myself to stay in my room while people were suffering. So I spent the morning helping the doctors, along with several other healers.
My hands were beginning to ache from constantly using healing magic, but every time I saw someone open their eyes after being treated, the exhaustion seemed insignificant.
I moved toward the next injured person when I heard hurried footsteps approaching. The Duke was walking toward me. His expression immediately changed when he saw me.
"Princess." He stopped beside me and looked over the injured soldiers before turning his attention to me. "You've already helped heal so many people. Please rest.?"
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
I gave him a small smile. "I've told you before, haven't I? How can I sit comfortably in my room knowing that I can help these people?"
The Duke sighed. "I told you that we have enough doctors and healers to handle the wounded."
"And I told you that I want to help." I smiled at him. "They're our people. If I can give them a hand, then I should."
He stared at me for a moment before finally shaking his head. "I don't think I can stop you."
I laughed quietly. "Probably not."
He sighed again, though there was a faint smile on his face. "Thank you, Princess."
"You don't need to thank me either. It's my duty."
the enormous doors at the far end of the hall opened. Everyone's attention turned toward them.
Raven entered. Kalina followed immediately behind her.
A thick, black mist surrounded Riven's body. It moved like something alive, drifting around her shoulders and arms before disappearing into the air. The temperature seemed to drop wherever she walked.
Several soldiers near the entrance instinctively stepped away. I couldn't blame them. Even I could feel the frightening pressure radiating from her.
Raven seemed completely unconcerned. Kalina, however, looked absolutely irritated. "What do you mean you didn't do anything?"
Raven merely shrugged. " I didn't."
"You expect me to believe that?"
Raven shrugged again. When Raven noticed the Duke standing beside me, she gave him a small nod. "Good morning."
"Good morning, Raven." The Duke looked at Kalina. "You seem upset. What happened? Did something go wrong with the fire?"
Kalina crossed her arms. "The fire is gone."
The Duke nodded. "Good. Then why do you look like you're about to strangle her?"
She immediately pointed at Raven. "Because that's not all that happened." Raven looked at her with complete indifference.
Kalina took a deep breath. "After Raven extinguished the flames, something strange happened. The destroyed buildings…came back."
The Duke stared at her. "What?"
Kalina's voice became more animated. "The buildings. The streets. The walls. Everything that was destroyed during yesterday's battle." She gestured toward Raven. "It all returned to normal in a matter of seconds. I saw it myself."
The Duke's expression became serious. "You're saying the entire city repaired itself?"
"Not repaired." Kalina shook her head. "Restored."
I looked at Raven. She was standing there as if this conversation had nothing to do with her.
"How did you do that?" Kalina demanded.
Raven blinked.
"I didn't."
"the city returned to normal after you extinguished the fire!"
"Coincidence."
Kalina's eye twitched. "Coincidence?"
Raven nodded calmly. "You should be happy. You won't have to rebuild half the city."
Kalina looked like she was about to lose her patience. "If you didn't do it, then who did?"
Raven simply shrugged. "I don't know."
I watched her carefully. She genuinely seemed unconcerned.
The Duke remained silent for several seconds before finally sighing.
"Kalina, calm down."
"But—"
"Whatever caused it, the city has been restored. That's what matters right now."
Kalina reluctantly fell silent. The Duke turned toward Raven. "Regardless of how it happened, Velmora owes you a great debt. You saved the city. Peace and security have returned to Velmora and to the heart of people.
Raven looked at him.
" it wasn't thanks to me alone." Her eyes moved toward us. "but it was thanks to princess , Kara, Kalina, and all the soldiers who fought without fear side by side.
Kalina immediately frowned. "Why are you giving us credit when we did nothing? You alone fought Malvias, defeated him, and saved Princess and Velmora."
Raven looked at her. "Because you deserve it. I clearly remember that I lost consciousness while fighting Malvias, and if it weren't for your intervention and stopping Malvias, I wouldn't be standing here. So thank you for not abandoning me even though I asked you not to intervene."
The room became strangely quiet. Raven wasn't someone who thanked people easily. I knew that much.
Kara approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You should thank Lyria more than anyone. She refused to leave you behind. Despite the danger, she refused to escape and survive alone."
My heart skipped. Raven slowly turned toward me. For a moment, neither of us said anything. Then she gave me a small smile.
"Thank you, Princess. I owe you my life."
I felt warmth spread through my chest. I nodded. "You're welcome."
The Duke cleared his throat. "And what about the monsters in the dungeon?"
Kalina answered. "Raven returned them to human. She used the book Malvias had. And she burned it when she was done with it.
Kara looked genuinely confused. "Wait. You burned that book. Why? We could have kept it. It might have been useful."
Raven's expression became serious. "No.That book is dangerous. The magic inside it doesn't simply transform people. It corrupts the mind of whoever uses it. The longer you rely on it, the more it consumes you. and Power like that always demands a price."
No one spoke.
I remembered Malvias. The monster he had become. The madness in his eyes. I understood that Raven was right. Some things were never meant to be preserved.
The Duke nodded slowly. "You made the right decision Raven." The Duke looked around the hall. "Then that's settled." He straightened his coat. "I have an emergency council meeting to attend. We need to discuss the condition of the city, the casualties, and what happened yesterday."
He turned toward the door. Then he stopped and looked back at Raven. " and thank you again Raven, for helping us."
Raven gave him a slight nod. "I'm glad I could help."
The Duke left. For a few moments, everyone simply watched the door close behind him.
I looked back toward Raven. The black mist was still drifting around her body. She noticed me staring.
"What?"
" are you okay."
"What about you? Are you okay?"
I raised an eyebrow and she said, " are you answer my question with a question??"
Raven looked at me innocently, "I'm just worried about you; you look a little pale."
" I'm fine. worry about yourself. You've just woken up and you need to rest, otherwise your wounds will reopen."
"Don't worry, I'll be careful," Raven said with a smile.
I sighed and said, "You're really driving me crazy."
She raised her eyebrow and said, confused, "What, what did I do?"
I didn't answer her, I just shook my head.
Yesterday, I had watched Raven fight a powerful monster. And now she was standing in front of me as if none of it mattered. I can't understand her. that was what frightened me most.
Raven wasn't invincible. She had proven that. She could bleed. She could break. She could collapse. And yet she continued walking forward as though death itself were nothing more than an inconvenience.
I lowered my gaze toward my hands. I wonder what the future held for us.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Between tending to the wounded, helping the healers, attending meetings with the council, and answering countless questions about what had happened in Velmora, I barely had a moment to breathe.
And, somehow, Raven had become my greatest source of trouble. Despite having only recently survived injuries that should have left her bedridden for days, she repeatedly insisted that she was perfectly fine.
Of course, none of us believed her. By the end of the day, Kara and Kalina had practically forced her to rest. I had never seen anyone so stubborn.
When night finally came, exhaustion overwhelmed me. The moment my head touched my pillow, I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The following morning, Velmora had changed. The city that had been filled with fear only days ago was now preparing for celebration.
The Duke had announced a grand festival to celebrate the restoration of peace, the survival of the city, and to honor the soldiers who had fallen defending it.
The streets were decorated with colorful banners and flowers. Merchants filled the markets, musicians gathered in the squares, and children ran between the adults with laughter echoing through the streets.
That evening, Kara, Kalina, Raven, and I joined the festival. Kalina became our guide and dragged us through almost every corner of the city.
We wandered through the markets, where Raven bought several small gifts for the children at the orphanage.
She pretended that she wasn't particularly interested in shopping, but I noticed the way her expression softened whenever she found something she thought the children would like.
Then we visited several cafés, tasting sweets and pastries from Aurelia. Kara and Kalina were particularly enthusiastic about that part.
Eventually, we ended up at a tavern to celebrate our final night in Velmora. And that was where things became chaotic. Kara and Kalina drank as though they were competing with each other.
I had a few drinks myself, enough to feel warmth spreading through my body, but Raven refused every single glass offered to her.
Raven simply stared at the drink in front of her as though it were some kind of poison.
"I don't drink," she said calmly.
"Just one glass!" Kara insisted.
"No."
"Half a glass?"
"No."
"One sip?"
"No."
Kalina leaned toward her. "You are unbelievably boring."
Raven shrugged.
We stayed until late into the night. Eventually, Kalina passed out completely, while Kara was barely conscious enough to walk.
Raven sighed as she looked at both of them. "We should go back."
I couldn't help smiling. "You sound like the oldest person here."
"I'm the only sober one."
"Fair enough."
By the time we returned to the castle, it was well past midnight. I barely remembered getting into bed.
I woke before sunrise. For a few moments, I simply stared at the ceiling. The room was still dark, and the castle was completely silent. I should have gone back to sleep. Instead, I got dressed and decided to take a walk through the gardens.
The morning air was cool against my skin. The sun had not yet risen, and a faint gray light rested over the gardens. Then I noticed someone sitting on one of the benches.
Raven?.
I frowned. She was sitting alone, her black hair damp with sweat, and her clothes were slightly soaked from training.
I approached her. "What are you doing here this early?"
Raven looked up at me. A small smile appeared on her face. "Good morning, Princess."
"That doesn't answer my question."
She glanced toward the dark sky. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to train for a while."
I stared at her. "Train?, With your injuries?"
"I'm fine."
I sighed. "Raven, what about your wounds?, What if one of them opens again?"
"It won't."
"How do you know?"
She simply shrugged.
Then, apparently deciding that words weren't enough to convince me, Raven lifted the edge of her shirt. "See? It's fine. The wound isn't bleeding."
I stared at her abdomen. my eyes widened. The white bandage around her side was stained red. Fresh blood had already begun seeping through it.
Raven looked down. "Oh." She tilted her head. "I'm bleeding."
I stared at her in disbelief. "Of course you're bleeding!" I slapped her lightly on the shoulder. "You idiot! , Who told you to train while you're still recovering? I swear, I want to hit you right now."
Raven gave me an amused look. "You can do that if you want."
"Don't tempt me." I grabbed her hand. "Come on. Let's go back inside and I'll call the doctor to treat you."
Raven sighed. "No need for doctor. I can take care of it myself."
"No , you can't." I dragged her back inside.
Once we reached her room, Raven retrieved a small medical kit. She opened it and began laying everything out with practiced familiarity. Bandages. Medicine. Needle. Thread.
I stared at the needle. Then at her. "What are you doing?"
"My wound opened. I need to stitch up a wound."
I immediately shook my head. "Then wait here. I'll get the doctor."
"There is no need. I told you I can do it myself."
Before I could argue, she had already cleaned the wound and applied medicine to stop the bleeding.
Then she threaded the needle. My stomach tightened. "You're actually going to sew that yourself?"
"Yes."
"That's a doctor's job."
"I've done it before." She calmly pushed the needle through her skin.
I looked away immediately. "Oh, gods…" The sight made my entire body tense.
Raven didn't even flinch. The needle went in.and out. Her expression remained completely calm.
My hands curled into fists. "This looks incredibly painful."
She didn't answer. I glanced back at her. She was staring at the wound with an expression I couldn't read. It was as though she were sewing a tear in a piece of cloth rather than stitching her own flesh together.
"How can you stay so calm?" Still nothing. I took a step closer. "Raven?"
She finally looked at me. Her face had changed. The small smile was gone. The softness in her eyes had disappeared. For a moment, she looked completely empty. Then she spoke.
"It's just a small needle." Her voice was quiet. "it's Nothing compared to the experiments… and the pain I've endured in my life."
Experiments?
"What…?"
She lowered her eyes and continued stitching.
I wanted to ask. Gods, I wanted to ask so badly. What experiments? Who had done that to her? How long had she suffered? What kind of life had she lived before coming to us?
I wanted to tell her that she could trust me. That she didn't have to hide everything. That she didn't have to pretend to be invincible around us. But I knew Raven. If I pushed her, she would close herself off. So I remained silent.
A few moments later, she tied the thread and cut it. She examined the wound.
"Done." She stood up. Then, as though nothing had happened, she smiled again. "So, when are we leaving for Aurelia?"
I stared at her. How could she change so quickly? How could someone bury something so painful beneath such a simple smile?
I forced myself to smile back. "Kara is preparing the carriage. We'll leave in about an hour."
"All right." Raven picked up her sword and secured it around her waist. "But before we leave, I have to help Thomas. I promised him."
I smiled faintly. "Of course. We can do that. But first, you're going to rest."
She opened her mouth to argue.
I raised a finger. "Don't."
She closed her mouth.
I smiled. "For once be a good girl and listen to me."
"Fine."
I turned toward the door. "I'll leave you alone for a while. Try not to reopen your wound again."
"I'll try."
I shook my head and walked out. The door closed behind me. I stood in the corridor for a moment, staring at the wooden door.
My smile slowly faded... Experiments?…. Those words wouldn't leave my mind. I had known Raven was hiding something. I had always known.
But for the first time, I realized that whatever she was hiding wasn't merely a tragic childhood or a painful memory. There was something much darker behind that calm smile. Something she had endured alone.
I pressed a hand against my chest. One day, Raven. I looked back at her door. One day, you'll tell me. And when that day came…I hoped she would finally understand that she didn't have to face it alone anymore.
An hour has passed too quickly. Before I knew it, we were standing outside the Duke's estate, ready to leave Velmora.
Our carriage waited in front of the gates, the horses restless beneath the morning light. The city beyond the estate seemed strangely peaceful now. Raven and Kara stood behind me.
The Duke and his family stood before us. His expression was warm, but there was sadness in his eyes.
"Princess Lyria," he said, bowing his head. "I cannot thank you enough for coming to Velmora."
I smiled. "You don't need to thank me, Duke. I only did what I was supposed to do."
"No." His answer was immediate. "You did far more than what was expected of you. You came here when Velmora was already on the verge of collapse. You helped our wounded, stood beside our soldiers, and risked your life during the battle."
He looked back at me. "I will never forget that." His family bowed alongside him.
Then his gaze shifted toward Kara.
"And you, Kara. And you fought alongside my daughter and the soldiers to defend my city. You protected the princess throughout everything. Thank you ."
Kara smiled and shook her head. "It was my duty."
The Duke smiles. "Perhaps. But that doesn't make your actions any less worthy of gratitude."
Then his eyes settled on Raven. His expression became serious. "And Raven…I owe you more than words can express."
Raven looked at him. "You don't owe me anything."
The Duke sighed. "Actually, I had planned to give you something before you left. To express my gratitude. I wanted to give you a medal, an official title, perhaps even a position within Velmora's forces."
Raven interrupted him and said, "There's really no need for anything."
The Duke blinked. "You didn't even let me finish."
"I already know what you're going to say, so thank you. but no, I don't need anything."
"But you saved this city."
"I was only protecting the princess." Raven glanced toward me. "That was my job."
The Duke stared at her for several seconds before smiling. "You really are a strange girl."
Raven shrugged.
The Duke eventually nodded. "Very well. I won't force you to accept anything." He paused. "But if you ever need anything from Velmora, you only need to ask."
Raven simply nodded.
"Thank you."
Kalina stepped forward before we could leave. She crossed her arms and looked directly at Raven. "Don't think you've gotten rid of me." Kalina grinned. "I intend to visit Aurelia once things settle down here."
Raven gave her a smile.
"Sure."
Kalina stared at her. Then she laughed. "Gods, you're cold."
I climbed into the carriage. Kara mounted her horse, while Raven followed beside her. We exchanged our final farewells with the Duke and his family before the gates slowly opened.
The carriage began moving. I looked through the window for a while. We had come here surrounded by fear. Now we were leaving with peace.
We hadn't even reached the outer gates when Raven suddenly stopped her horse. She looked toward an older part of the city.
I leaned out of the carriage. "What is it?"
"Thomas lives here." She pointed toward the narrow streets ahead.
Kara looked around. "The carriage won't fit through those streets."
Raven nodded. ". Stay on the main road. I'll go alone."
I immediately stepped down from the carriage. "I'm coming with you."
"No, you won't." Raven looked at me. "You don't have to. I won't be long."
I walked toward her. "I'm still coming."
She sighed. "And you call me stubborn."
Kara laughed as she dismounted. "She's right, though. I'm coming too."
Riven stared at both of us. Then she shook her head. " Fine. let's go"
We left the carriage behind and continued on foot. The streets became narrower and rougher as we went deeper into the old district. Ten minutes later, Riven stopped in front of a small house.
She knocked. After a moment, the door opened. Thomas stood there. His eyes widened when he saw Riven. "Miss Riven!"
His wife appeared behind him. Then they noticed me. Both immediately dropped to their knees. "Princess!"
I quickly stepped forward.
"Please, stand up."
They hesitated. "It is an honor to have you visit our humble home."
I smiled gently. "I came here because I wanted to thank you. You helped Raven find Malvias."
He nodded. "I made a deal with Miss Raven. If I helped her, she would help my daughter."
"I know." I glanced at Raven. "She told me." Then I looked back at Thomas. "But that's not the only reason I'm here. When you helped Raven find Malvias, you also helped them find me."
I gestured toward Kara. She placed a wooden chest on the table. Inside were several gold coins. "This is a small gift. And I also spoke with my father."
His eyes widened.
"He has agreed to offer you work in the Duke's administration. A safe position."
Thomas's wife covered her mouth. Tears immediately filled her eyes. "Then… we can finally start over. She looked at her husband. "You won't have to accept dangerous jobs anymore."
Thomas lowered his head. His shoulders trembled. Then he dropped to his knees again. "Thank you, Princess. Thank you. I will never forget what you've done for my family."
I quickly stepped toward him. "Please, stand. You don't owe me anything." Thomas finally stood.
Raven looked toward him. "Can you show me where your daughter is?"
Thomas nodded. We entered a small bedroom. A little girl was lying on a narrow bed. She couldn't have been older than ten. Her face was pale. Even from the doorway, I could see how weak she was.
Her mother approached the bed and smiled. "eline, look. We have visitors." The little girl slowly opened her eyes. "This is Princess Lyria."
eline immediately became frightened. She grabbed her mother's hand.
I smiled gently. "Hello,eline. How are you?"
She didn't answer. Her fingers tightened around her mother's hand. She looked at me nervously. Her mother stroked her hair. "Don't be afraid, sweetheart. They're here to help you." But eline still wouldn't let go.
Then Raven stepped forward. Her expression softened. "Hey there. Your name is eline, isn't it."
The girl looked at her. Raven held something in her arms. A tiny white fox. Its fluffy tail moved as it looked around the room.
Raven smiled. "Do you want to see my little friend?." eline's eyes widened. "Do you want to touch her?"
The girl stared at the fox. Her fear slowly disappeared. She tried to sit up. Raven immediately placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"Don't move." She brought the fox closer. "You can hold her."
eline hesitated. Then she slowly reached out. Her tiny fingers touched the fox's fur. The creature immediately licked her hand. eline giggled and carefully hugged the fox.
Raven smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. "Would you like to see a trick?"
eline looked at her curiously. "A trick?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
Raven held out her hand. "Give me your hand and you'll see."
eline hesitated. Then she slowly placed her hand in Raven's. Raven gently held it between both of hers. "Close your eyes." eline obeyed.
Raven's expression changed. Her eyes became focused. Then I saw it. Thin black lines appeared beneath eline's skin. They moved slowly along her arm. The lines traveled toward Raven's hands.
I really don't like this ability of hers.
Thomas and his wife watched in horror. "What is happening?" Thomas whispered.
The process lasted nearly a minute. Then the black lines disappeared. Raven released eline's hand. "Open your eyes."
eline blinked. She looked around. Then her expression changed. "Mom.Dad?"
Thomas immediately approached. "What is it?"
"My chest…" She touched it. "It doesn't hurt anymore." eline looked at them. "It doesn't hurt." Then she suddenly pushed herself off the bed. she stood. She was standing on her own.
She looked down at her legs in disbelief. "Mom!" Her face lit up. "Look!" She took a step. Then another. "I can stand by myself."
Her mother collapsed onto her knees. Thomas followed. Both of them were crying.
Eline looked at Raven. "What was that trick?"
Raven smiled. "It was just a little trick."
"Will it disappear?" Eline's smile faded. "Will I have to go back to bed?"
Raven's expression softened. "No. You won't be going back to that bed."
Eline's eyes widened. Then she jumped forward and wrapped her arms around Raven's waist.
Raven froze. For a moment, she didn't move. Then she slowly placed a hand on Eline's head and gently stroked her hair.
I watched her closely. And that's when I noticed it. Her other hand was clenched tightly. Then the other one. Both fists were trembling. Riven's smile remained on her face, but there was something hidden behind it. Something painful.
I immediately understood. I whispered to kara. " help Riven."
Kara followed my gaze. She understood. "All right." She walked over and gently took Raven's arm.
Raven glanced at her. Kara smiled. "You okay?"Raven nodded. But her voice was quieter than before.
Meanwhile, eline ran toward her parents. "Mom! Dad!" They embraced their daughter. Their laughter and tears filled the tiny room.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Thomas and his wife kept thanking Riven.
Riven simply smiled.
eline suddenly looked back at her. The little girl waved. "Goodbye, Miss Riven! I'll never forget you!" We eventually left the house. The door closed behind us.
The walk back to the main road was strangely quiet.
Raven had barely spoken since we left Thomas's house. Her footsteps were slower than usual, and every few moments I caught her subtly pressing a hand against her side.
She was in pain. And judging by the way she kept pretending otherwise, she knew that I knew it.
Kara tried to support her several times, but Raven refused every attempt.
"I'm fine." Those two words had become Raven's favorite lie.
When we finally reached the main road, our carriage was waiting alongside several soldiers. One of them immediately opened the carriage door for me.
I was about to step inside when I noticed Raven walking toward her horse. I stopped.
"Raven. What are you doing?"
She looked over her shoulder. "What am I doing? I'm getting on my horse."
I stared at her. "Yes, I can clearly see that. But you're tired . Get in the carriage with me."
"Thank you, Princess, but I'm fine."
I clenched my teeth. She was doing it again. That calm voice. That expressionless face. As if she hadn't spent the last few days bleeding, nearly dying, and then using her own power to cure a sick child.
"Raven."
She paused.
I stepped closer. "I won't repeat myself." My voice came out sharper than I intended. "Get in the carriage. Now."
The soldiers around us immediately stiffened. They had probably never heard me speak like that before.
Kara, however, seemed to find the entire situation amusing. "Ooooh," she said with a smirk. "She's angry. You'd better listen to her."
Raven looked at me for several seconds. "As you wish, Your Highness."
She dismounted and walked toward the carriage. When she reached the door, she stopped and gestured toward it with an exaggeratedly polite expression.
"After you, Your Highness."
I narrowed my eyes. Why is she suddenly being so formal with me? I said nothing and climbed inside. Raven followed. I had expected her to sit beside me. Instead, she sat across from me.
And before I could say anything, the little white fox jumped into her lap as if claiming its rightful place. Raven smiled faintly and began stroking its head. Seriously?
Kara climbed onto her horse outside and called to the soldiers. "Let's move!" The carriage began rolling.
For several minutes, Raven didn't look at me even once. She simply played with the fox. and that bothered me.
"Hey, Raven."
"Hmm?" She didn't look up.
"Are you angry because I raised my voice at you?"
"No." Her answer came immediately. Then, after a moment, she added. "I was just surprised. You're actually quite frightening when you're angry."
I folded my arms. "Then don't make me angry again."
Raven finally looked at me. A small smile appeared on her lips. "I'll try." And just like that, she looked away again.
I frowned. Why does she keep avoiding my eyes? I studied her more carefully. Her face was paler. Her breathing was slightly deeper. And although she was smiling, I could see the tension in her jaw. She was clenching her teeth.
The illness—she had absorbed from Thomas's daughter. It seems it wasn't a simple illness. And now she was suffering from it.
"Raven." No response. "Raven."
"Hmm?"
Still no eye contact. "Raven."
"Yes?"
I raised my voice. "Raven!"
She finally lifted her head. Her golden eyes met mine, confused. "What?" Then her expression changed slightly. "Oh… you're angry again. Did I do something?"
I sighed. "I'm talking to you. Why won't you look at me?"
She blinked. "Sorry. I was just lost in thought." She shifted slightly. "What did you want?"
I studied her face. "I wanted to know if you're all right."
Her smile returned. "I'm fine. just a little tired."
I frowned. "Are you sure?. When you took my curse, you were unconscious for three days."
Raven's expression softened. "That was a powerful, ancient curse." She glanced down at the fox. "This was only an illness. It's not that serious. I'll be fine after some rest."
I wasn't convinced. But I decided not to push her. For a while, we talked about Velmora. About its markets. The festival. The people. Eventually, the conversation faded.
I noticed Raven had become quiet again. Her head had lowered. "Raven?" No answer. I leaned closer. "Raven?" I reached toward her. Her eyes were closed. Her breathing was slow and steady.
She had fallen asleep. I couldn't help smiling. So even Raven gets tired. I carefully moved beside her. She didn't wake. I gently placed one arm around her and slowly lifted her head. Then I rested it on my lap.
She shifted slightly but didn't wake. I hesitated. My heart suddenly began beating faster.
What am I doing?
I carefully brushed a strand of short black hair away from her face. Moonlight had always suited her. But sunlight did too.
I looked down at her sleeping face. She looked completely different when she wasn't pretending to be strong. No cold expression. No confident smile. No sharp words. Just…peace.
I raised my hand and gently traced her eyebrow with my fingertips. Her eyelashes are so long. I had never noticed that before.
My finger slowly moved down. Across the bridge of her nose. Then stopped. At her lips.
I gently ran my fingers over her lips. Gods…They unbelievably soft. I swallowed. My face immediately became warm. I quickly pulled my hand away.
"No." I whispered to myself. "Don't even think about it, Lyria. She's tired." I took a deep breath. "This is not the time."
I looked down at her again. Raven suddenly frowned in her sleep. My smile disappeared. Is she having a nightmare? Or was she in pain?
I gently placed my hand on her head. "It's all right, Raven." My voice was barely above a whisper. "You're safe now."
I slowly ran my fingers through her short black hair. She remained asleep. I continued stroking her hair.
And as the carriage carried us farther away from Velmora, I found myself watching her peaceful face.
My eyelids gradually became heavier. My hand remained tangled gently in Raven's hair. And eventually, without realizing it…I fell asleep.