The kid’s hand stilled.

  Slowly, he lifted his head, his empty, hollow eyes meeting mine.

  A wave of something cold and suffocating crashed over me.

  His eyes were the same as mine.

  A vast, depthless void, as if we were both looking into an abyss that had no end. Something about it unsettled me to my core, like staring into a reflection of something I wasn’t supposed to see.

  And then—

  Pain.

  A searing, stabbing sensation exploded in my eyes, like something was carving into them from the inside. I flinched, instinctively squeezing them shut.

  Blink

  The familiar ceiling of my tavern room greeted me, rough wooden beams slightly blurred from my dazed vision. My body felt stiff, my breath slow and heavy.

  Then, I met a pair of blue eyes staring at me curiously.

  Crouching just above me, her dark hair falling over her face, strands catching the dim light. There was something different about her. More life in her features. The hollowness in her cheeks had softened, her frame no longer as frail. A small change, but noticeable. Probably from having real food and proper sleep for once.

  She was pretty.

  Not in an overwhelming way, but in a quiet, haunting sense. Her faded blue eyes, though still distant, held a depth to them now. Her delicate features were no longer shadowed by exhaustion, and the soft glow of the candlelight cast gentle highlights on her smooth skin. There was something almost ethereal about her.

  Strands of her hair brushed against my skin as she leaned in closer, closing in on my face.

  Too close.

  I blinked, my breath hitching for a second as those eyes studied me, unblinking, unreadable. She didn’t say a word, just watched me, like she was trying to figure something out.

  "Um… can you move a bit? My neck’s starting to hurt," I said, my voice coming out rougher than I expected.

  She didn’t react at first, just blinked once before shifting back without a word. Then, without hesitation, she stood up and moved to the corner of the room, nearly sitting down on the floor.

  I frowned. My eyes followed her movements, and before I even thought about it, I spoke. "Sit on the bed."

  She hesitated for only a moment before nodding weakly and doing as I said, perching herself at the very edge of the mattress, hands resting lightly in her lap.

  I pushed myself up, my body protesting the movement, and settled into the chair near the bed. My head was still a mess, my thoughts tangled between everything that had just happened—whatever the hell that even was—and the fact that I was back here, in this room, as if none of it had happened at all.

  But something was different.

  I lifted my arm, flexing my fingers. The corruption was still there but significantly lower than before. Faint purple veins crawled beneath my skin, barely visible unless I focused on them. The searing pain I had felt before was gone, but an the odd sensation still lingered, like something was resting just beneath the surface.

  I clenched my fist and exhaled slowly. One problem at a time.

  Everything was a mess. No answers, no explanations, just more questions stacking on top of each other with no end in sight.

  God, this is a pain in the ass.

  My gaze flickered to the girl sitting on the bed, quiet and unmoving.

  Let’s start with her.

  “So… what’s your name?” I asked, keeping my tone casual.

  She hesitated, fingers twitching slightly before she murmured, “Seraphina.”

  I nodded, rolling the name around in my head. It suited her. Simple, soft.

  “How old are you?”

  She lowered her head slightly, brows knitting together. Then, after a long pause, she shook her head. “I… I don’t know.”

  I frowned. “You don’t know?”

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  “I’ve been a slave for a long time,” she said quietly. “I don’t remember.”

  I exhaled sharply through my nose. That was… depressing. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but something about hearing it still didn’t sit right with me.

  “Alright,” I said, shifting gears. “What happened when you woke up? Why the hell was I on the floor?”

  Seraphina's gaze flickered to me before lowering slightly. “I woke up… and you were already there.”

  “On the floor?”

  She nodded. “You weren’t moving. I tried to wake you up, but… you didn’t respond.”

  I raised a brow. “You tried to wake me up?”

  Another nod, this time more hesitant. “I… I wasn’t sure if I should, but you weren’t breathing normally, so…” She trailed off, gripping the hem of her clothes. “You were asleep for at least an hour after I woke up.”

  I blinked. An hour?

  It had felt like hours had passed in that dark space. So time hadn’t worked the same way. Just another thing to add to my growing list of weird, unexplained shit.

  “Well, that explains the sore neck.”

  Still… she’d tried to wake me up. That was surprising. Quite bold.

  I let out a breath and leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Well… thanks for trying, I guess.”

  She only nodded slightly, still unsure, still wary.

  I studied her for a moment before sighing. This conversation wasn’t much, but at least she was talking. That was already more than I expected.

  “You mentioned corrupted mana before,” I said, watching her carefully. “Right before you collapsed.”

  Seraphina’s fingers tensed in her lap. She hesitated for a moment before answering. “A long time ago… someone in my village had a leg like yours.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Like mine?”

  She nodded, glancing at my arm, there was a hint of surprise in her expression. Her eyes lingered on my arm a second longer, like she was comparing it to something, she probably noticed it was better than before.

  “What happened to him?” I pressed.

  Seraphina lowered her gaze. “He died.”

  A chill ran down my spine. “…How?”

  “The corruption overtook his body,” she said quietly. “The people in the village said he was trying to gain power through forbidden ways. That’s all I know.”

  I frowned, glancing down at my arm. The veins were still there, but compared to before, the corruption was significantly weaker. Still, the fact that someone else had suffered from this—and died—wasn’t exactly reassuring.

  I exhaled through my nose. “Great. That’s just fantastic.”

  Seraphina looked at me. “Does it… hurt?”

  I flexed my fingers, feeling the unnatural energy humming beneath my skin. “Not right now.” But that didn’t mean it wouldn’t later.

  She fell silent again, but I could see the curiosity in her gaze. Probably wondering if I was going to end up like that guy from her village.

  Hell, I was wondering the same thing.

  But I didn’t have time to sit around and keep questioning it. A memory surfaced, Cael. I was supposed to meet him downstairs today.

  I pushed myself up from the chair, rolling my shoulders as the stiffness settled in. “Stay here,” I told Seraphina, who looked up at me with quiet confusion. “Don’t leave the room. Don’t open the door unless it’s someone bringing food. Just stay put.”

  As I spoke, I grabbed a coat from the chair and slid it on, making sure the sleeve covered my arm.

  She didn’t argue, only nodding hesitantly. That made things easier.

  With that, I stepped out, closing the door behind me. The moment I descended the stairs, the noise of the inn hit me like a wave, laughter, the clinking of mugs, and the scent of roasted meat and ale thick in the air. The place was alive with people drinking, eating, and talking over each other.

  Scanning the room, my eyes landed on Cael. He was sitting at a table near the back, drink in hand, looking like he had all the time in the world.

  Cael raised an eyebrow, taking a slow sip of his drink before setting it down with a soft clink. “You look like shit.”

  “Feel like it too,” I muttered, leaning back against the chair. “Long night.”

  Cael smirked, but his eyes flickered to my covered arm. “And I’m guessing that has something to do with it.”

  I tensed slightly. “Maybe.”

  Cael raised an eyebrow, “The lil’ brat wants to act mysterious now?” He smirked, tilting his head.

  I glanced around, making sure no one was too close before lowering my voice and showing Cael my arm. “It’s better than before, somehow.” I didn't mention anything that happened.

  “Last time I saw it, that thing was crawling up your shoulder. Now it’s just… what, your forearm?”

  I hesitated for half a second before nodding. “Yeah.”

  His eyes sharpened. “How?”

  I shrugged, keeping my face unreadable. “I don’t know. Woke up like this.”

  Cael didn’t look convinced. “Bullshit.”

  Fuck, he caught on.

  I met his gaze evenly. “I’d love to give you a grand explanation, but I don’t have one.”

  He studied me for a moment longer before clicking his tongue. “Tch. Fine. Keep your secrets.” He leaned back, arms crossing over his chest. “Whatever happened, it bought you time. But don’t go thinking that means you’re in the clear.”

  “Never do,” I muttered.

  He let out a breath, shaking his head. “Alright, listen. I might know someone who can help with that mess.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Who?”

  “A scholar,” Cael said, his tone more serious than usual. “Someone who actually knows her shit when it comes to mana, especially the kind that turns people into walking disasters.”

  I frowned. “And you trust her?”

  Cael snorted. “Hell no. But I trust that she knows more than either of us about whatever’s happening to you.”

  Great. That was reassuring.

  I sighed. “And where is she?”

  “That’s the annoying part,” Cael said, taking another sip from his mug. “She doesn’t stay in one place. But I’ve got a lead. If we move fast, we might be able to catch her before she disappears again.”

  I tapped my fingers against the table. “And this lead of yours… how reliable is it?”

  Cael’s lips curled into a smirk. “Better than most. I’ve got a contact who saw her a few days ago in a town not too far from here. We should be able to reach her before she moves again.”

  I exhaled through my nose, weighing my options. Not that I had many.

  Cael watched me, amusement flickering in his gaze. “What, getting cold feet already?”

  I shot him a dry look. “No, I just have this thing where I don’t like chasing ghosts.”

  He laughed. “Fair enough. But trust me, she’s real. And if anyone can figure out what’s going on with your arm, it’s her.”

  I nodded. “Alright. When do we leave?”

  Cael smirked. “Eager, are we?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Not exactly dying to let this thing spread again.”

  “Fair point.” He downed the rest of his drink in one go, then set the mug down with a sharp clink. “We leave at dawn.”