A spark of static filled the room, the smell of damp followed as the temperature dropped but the steam pocketed the warmth from the smouldering gasps left by the quenched holes left by the fire I had conjured.

"Chike."

"I left for two seconds." His tone trembled slightly as he helped me sit up.

"Why?" Yuna's accusation was gentle.

"I was hungry…" He mumbled. "And this never happened before, how—"

"Chike," he stilled. "You know what stress can do to mages."

"I know." I trembled still, staring at the clean floors and lack of bodies, a whimper curled up from my throat while Yuna knelt beside me. Reaching for my hands tucked close against my stomach.

"Hawkins, can you conclude the ghoul's death?" She asked, looking over her shoulder, Chike was still kneeling in front of me. "Can I pick you up?" Yuna asked, I turned my gaze to hers, finding her brown eyes in the low light. The blanket was draped over her arm and with a slow reach she covered my shoulders.

"It's magic and body is gone." Hawkins said, a small sigh of relief escaped his lungs.

I nodded loosely, the hair upon my arms raising when her cold hands reached around my chest and stood. Yuna carried me with ease, her hand bracing the back of my neck and under my buttocks. "You're okay." She said, her hand running down my spine. I hummed against it, squeezing her with my brow buried against her shirt.

"Clean this before the Queen and King return." Yuna's voice echoed into my chest, a slightly elevated beat offering comfort.

"Yuna." The man beside her spoke in the lowest voice he could.

"I will take responsibility for him, I understand if you are against my decision."

"No, my dear," Hawkins said, "I think you are right. Go to the extra room besides ours, I will oversee Chike." I squeezed Yuna tightly, unwilling to look away from her shoulder even when a door shut behind her and she sat down. Yuna adjusted me until I was laying my head upon her thigh and a collection of pillows. She settled down when she reached for something and slowly began to read aloud.

My body was numb, and prickled with a collected bundle at the top of my spine. But even with its pressure, I slowly found the tone of Yuna's voice and the drawl from the words she read; a comfort that slowly lowered me deeply into sleep.

My rest was interrupted only by my waking. My fists were curled under my chin as I lay on my stomach when my eyes opened to an unnatural brightness and no adults. I reached for a pillow, hiding underneath with a whine while I waited as long as I could before being forced out of bed for the restroom. I struggled briefly to sit up, then stretched before I found the bathroom door open and lit.

Resting on the table beside me were supports. I leaned to grab them, standing on my weakness until I was able to adjust my arms and press down upon the metal frames wrapped with thick leather.

I collapsed back onto the bed when I returned, sighing into a sweet fragrance. The room was quiet, dimly lit, but barely enough to make the white walls a faint grey and floor a void of shiny wood. It was a large space, the door was directly in front of me with a sitting area a few feet ahead, I noticed a piece of paper hanging from the way out, which I didn't care to read. The far wall was glowing, framed by a warmth before the curtain stopped by the door to the restroom. There was a ghost of conversation I could barely recall, it wasn't a full memory but more about the want to feel warmth and see the sun, a star that I thought was a myth despite the stories I had been told. I had seen something drawn, or I had drawn it.

I stared at the light, blinking slowly until I stood on my crutches again, falling briefly back before I was stable enough to limp towards the wall. I hesitated, trying to remember the stories, how much the words meant against an imagination with no reference.

I closed my eyes, then slowly pulled open a fraction large enough for me to see. It was beautiful, far more than what my imagination wanted to conjure when I recalled the distant frustration of an argument. My eyes burned, with the blur stabbing up into my mind and settling by my temples.

It reminded me of the lie, I accused Her telling me to keep my hope from dying, the realisation of how awfully wrong I had been—wasn't worth it. Not now, after I was seeing the infinite depth of tall, vibrant-green trees sprouting from a blanket of grasses and foliage with soft flowers of colours I couldn't name. It was bitterness that found its roots, and I knew Her patience was possibly the only good that I deserved.

Slowly, I lowered myself to the floor, falling the rest of the way when I lost my balance. My knee knocked loudly upon the wood but it was soon forgotten as I was forced to swallow my guilt. I breathed through its boil until it blocked itself from being buried and poured down my cheeks. There was no apology I could say to the empty room, and despite not being able to remember her face, her voice, her touch, I knew that her strict testament was possibly something I took for granted. So, I sat, staring and memorising the details of the forest, the vibrant blue sky, the flowers, grass, and rocks covered with moss until I eventually focused on a strange, yellow-tint far away from the edge of the trees. The sky seemed to move in some spots, fading with sparkly points until exhaling into non-existence.

I didn't turn when I heard the door open. My fixation on the outside was too alluring to glance up at Yuna kneeling just outside of reach.

"Hello," she began, "are you enjoying looking outside?" I nodded. "Pretty, huh? I always love early dusk, it feels calm compared to morning." Yuna hadn't been followed, and with a soft sigh she looked out with me. "Have you slept well?" She asked.

I finally looked at her. "Yeah." I said, surprised by the smile that spread across her lips, her expression was soft and brown eyes measured with an emotion I didn't want to name.

"Are you feeling better?" She shuffled onto her buttocks, folding her legs and clutching at her shins.

"I think?" My voice was much quieter.

"Are you still struggling to stand?" I turned to stare past the clear wall.

I couldn't answer for a few breaths. "It hurts." I felt guilt sour in my stomach.

"I'm sorry, where does it hurt?"

"My leg…it hurts all the time. It won't stop." She shuffled closer, abruptly stopping when I tensed.

"Chike told me they needed to remove it, that pain is your brain thinking it's still there."

"Oh." It was forced from my throat, the acknowledgement was heavy, it made me squeeze the stump despite the pain that ached from it.

"There are ways to accommodate." Yuna said, "especially with you being free to explore anything. Just ask and I'll see what I can do."

"I can't walk." I said, my teeth clenching with a harder grip upon my thigh.

"Yes, but there are accommodations." She sounded hopeful.

"I was told I was a slave. Why would anyone want to help me? I'm property…"

"Who spoke this to you?" Yuna remained gentle, there was no pressure behind her words, only curiosity.

"I…" I tried to remember her face again, but there was nothing. It ached though, a slow, deep, pressure that pulsed with the chronic bite in my hip. "She's gone. I only remember that she was Her."

"Did she protect you?" I nodded immediately.

"I couldn't leave. I wasn't supposed to be away from her. She hated it when I was anywhere near the…they—" my heart was beating fast, with a horrid tremble taking my words. "It was always dark."

Yuna hadn't replied, but her presence was still and she stayed with me, staring outside at the flutter of creatures dashing from one corner to another.

"What are those things?"

Yuna hummed, "oh, the birds?"

"Birds?" I replied.

"Yes, they're flying animals that lay eggs."

"Will they hurt you?"

"Possibly, it depends on which type. Most though will fly away and if they become too stressed they'll abandon their young in their nests."

"Oh."

"Yes, if you do find a baby bird and can't return it to its nest, you can take it to a clinic specialised with helping animals."

"Wouldn't killing it be better?"

"Not necessarily. Why kill something when it has a chance to thrive?" I found myself staring out more intensely.

"Do you think I have a chance?" My question felt fragile, and I tried to smother how it made me sick to even consider. My heart hammered with anxiety, low, almost petulant despite me wanting it to be true.

Yuna paused, her brow was furrowed with consideration. "I was going to wait, but considering that we have to leave soon—I wanted to ask you if you would like to come with me?"

I swallowed down my anxious shiver. Trying not to compare her to what I thought she would do. "Where?"

"Home." She answered, her certainty wasn't overwhelming, it settled, like it belonged with me.

"I don't know what to do."

"Well, if you were to join us, I would become your legal guardian, then we could figure out the rest from there."

"But I'm not a bird…I don't have a nest…"

"Sometimes, the nest is another one altogether." Yuna moved closer, her hand rested upon my shoulder, squeezing to turn my attention to her. I knew it was dangerous, but the warmth Yuna offered felt too safe to tear myself from.

"When are you leaving?"

"Until you do, Chike would like your help with a project. He's going to come and talk to you tonight. Are you hungry?" I nodded, hunching back into her touch slightly.

"Alright, I'll grab us something to eat."

I didn't move from the window and startled when Yuna came to sit beside me. Hawkins knelt a few feet away to my right, the tray of food set in front of him. "Hello." He said, barely above a whisper, he pushed the tray towards me, precautious as well in case I would dash off. He nudged it slightly closer to me when I didn't take it right away, which made it easier since I found the same mix of soup, bread, more green edible items, and a cup of water available.

I reached for bread and with an appreciative bite, I studied Hawkins. He was an older man with deep, brown skin, black short hair that was styled to a point by his hairline, brown eyes glanced up at me occasionally, and he wore clothes that seemed constricting. A green buttoned shirt with black pants and soft socks.

"I apologise for not introducing myself sooner, I'm Hawkins." I startled as he moved, retracting my hand from the food. "Yuna tells me she wishes to place you under her guardianship. I'm her partner…and wanted to support her idea." He pushed the tray again, "apologies, please eat. I brought it for you." His tone was steady, soft, almost hesitant to even be talking to me.

I focused solely on the plate, finding my attention often left to look at Hawkins. He had moved to sit angled towards the open window that was slowly fading into night time.

"I don't want the light to go away." I said.

"It'll come back." Hawkins said, "we can leave the curtains open for you."

"Or even sleep outside." Yuna replied as she leaned back on her palms.

"Always a delight." Hawkins added, supporting his agreement was an offhanded hum.

"It's not dangerous?" I asked, looking up at Hawkins, his nose was slightly hooked at the bridge, his jaw strong, and I found it odd seeing any man this peaceful.

"Depends on the season." Hawkins answered, "winter is definitely dangerous if you're unprepared. You can freeze to death when the temperature drops and you're caught out without furs and thick blankets. But otherwise, summer and spring are rather nice times to spend camping."

"Camping?"

I glanced at Yuna, a smile slowly catching the corner of her lips. "Sometimes, people will leave their homes, and go to another forest or land to spend the night, sometimes a week or two."

I nearly dropped my bread, "people just do that?" I gasped. "Is it fun?" I said before either of them could answer. Hawkins' deep chuckle brought warmth to me and I looked down at the floor.

"It's very fun, I see nothing stopping us from taking you when you're well enough." Hawkins said, "Here eat for me, kiddo. We can talk more when you've had your meal."

I paused after I chewed the last bite of my, staring out into the darkness with a shudder of dread, I could see something on the horizon, a shadow in the vague aspect of a man, I didn't like how it felt utterly real. I moved away from it, scooting back until Yuna stood and closed the curtains.

Hawkins had knelt in front of me, "hey kiddo, how about we sit over there?" He directed me towards black seats. "Need help standing?" He asked as I tried to situate my leg under me. I hesitated, but his tone was gentle, his offered hand open but not pressuring. I tried on my own; to leverage myself on my knee and up but struggled to keep my balance, when I nearly fell I reached for the arm that guarded me. He was warm and smelled nice, sweet even as I grabbed just below his elbow. He stood with me, slowly watching my reaction of a pained grimace with an intense focus.

"Does it hurt?" He asked, kneeling for my supports, I stared at the floor instead of answering. "Do you want to walk with me, or I could carry you?" I reached for the wooden stick handles and then righted myself with a steep wobble. Hawkins walked slightly ahead, waiting for me until I stopped in front of a chair. I glanced up at the tall man, and with a soft grin he helped me up then walked behind me, while Yuna was already seated.

"Up we go." He said with a satisfied grin once we reached the bed and I was sat. "Comfortable?" I nodded, beside a shiver that ran through my body while I lowered myself to the bed and curled. Hawkins hesitated, before brushing the back of his fingers against my brow. "Just in case, I'll leave this." He said while he placed a small brown ball the size of my fingernail upon the table. He slowly unfurled his hand, a solid circle blinked upon his hand with a shape of lines in the centre. I flinched when the seed rattled, humming low until the shell cracked and a green vine wiggled free which bloomed into a flower, white like my hair. It glowed, with a pale warmth, and illuminated around the bed just barely.

Hawkins turned towards me, and reached for the crumpled blanket behind, which he pulled over my shoulder slowly, watching my expression until he set the hem against my neck. "Get some rest." Hawkins said, then left my side to go to Yuna. He raised her fingers to his lips, an easy smile warming my chest with how his eyes creased and his smile was reflected.