Days bled into weeks, marked by the steady rhythm of Freya’s voice transting the ancient Latin, interspersed with Myra’s eager questions and careful note-taking. The worn pages of the book yielded their secrets, revealing remedies for ailments both common and obscure, knowledge carefully gleaned and preserved through centuries. The air in the antique shop, thick with the scent of dust and old paper, became a sanctuary of shared purpose.

  Finally, the st passage was transted, the final remedy expined. A sense of quiet accomplishment settled over them. Myra’s eyes shone with relief and gratitude, the weight of worry that had shadowed her for so long seeming to lift.

  Then, to Freya’s utter astonishment, Myra began to unbutton her dress. Her movements were deliberate, her gaze steady as she shed her outer yers, revealing the simple linen shift beneath. Freya watched, her crimson eyes widening in surprise, a question forming on her lips even before Myra spoke.

  “Myra, what are you doing?” Freya asked, her usual composure momentarily shaken by this unexpected dispy. The power dynamic between them had always been clear, with Freya taking and Myra offering, but this felt different.

  Myra met Freya’s gaze, her expression earnest and sincere. “You have given me so much, Freya,” she said softly, her voice filled with gratitude. “You have spent your time, shared your knowledge, and helped me find hope for my grandmother. Thank you. For everything.” She paused, then continued, her voice carrying a newfound resolve. “You sustained me while you transted, and now that the book is finished… I want to offer you this. If you wish to drink”

  Freya remained still, utterly puzzled by Myra’s actions. The vulnerability of the offering, the deliberate exposure, the complete ck of coercion – it was unlike any exchange she had experienced in her long existence. This mortal was offering herself freely, not out of fear or obligation, but out of genuine gratitude. The gesture was disarming, unsettling, and profoundly unexpected. The roles they had established seemed to be shifting once more, leaving Freya in a state of bewildered contemption.

  A beat of silence hung in the air, thick with unspoken implications and the weight of Myra’s unexpected offering. Freya’s crimson eyes remained fixed on the young woman, a complex tapestry of surprise, confusion, and something akin to… reluctance swirling within their depths.

  "Myra," Freya finally said, her voice a low murmur, tinged with an unfamiliar hesitation. "I… I am not hungry." The words felt strange on her tongue, a denial of a primal urge that had driven her existence for centuries. But the sight of Myra, standing before her with such vulnerable sincerity, stirred something within her that superseded her usual needs.

  She gestured with a delicate hand towards the discarded garments. "Please. Put your clothes back on. You have no need to offer me such… a finality." There was a note of awkwardness in her tone, a discomfort with the unexpected turn their interaction had taken. This wasn't the transactional exchange they had established; this was a genuine act of selfless gratitude, and it left Freya feeling strangely ill-equipped to handle it.

  A wave of disappointment washed over Myra’s face, her shoulders slumping slightly. The vulnerability she had id bare felt… rejected. She had hoped to offer something of herself in return for Freya’s immense help, a tangible expression of her gratitude. The dismissal stung, leaving her feeling a little foolish and uncertain.

  She slowly began to gather her discarded clothing, her movements subdued. The earlier warmth of gratitude was now tinged with a sense of confusion. Had she misread their connection? Had her offering been inappropriate, unwelcome? The ease and understanding that had developed between them during the transtion seemed to falter in this unexpected moment of farewell. As she redressed in the dim light of the antique shop, Myra couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at Freya's unexpected refusal, a quiet sense that their unusual chapter was closing in a way she hadn't anticipated