Time doesn't wait, mercilessly counting every second.

  *I don't have any time to waste.*

  I focused my sight on my left wrist, where I used to carry a tactical watch, but there was no trace of it there.

  *But I don't see many options on the table either.*

  "You're alright now," Evadne said. Her golden eyes were smiling at me. Tried to comfort. "You don't have to worry."

  A desperate part of me wanting to believe her.

  *Can I trust her?*

  The reality she presented was ruthless.

  Months lost without knowing.

  *Trust is the luxury I can't waste.*

  Our hands were still touching - hers with warmth similar to the one my seal gave.

  "Althea," I called my Guide, "is that true?"

  Short confirmation. Confident. "Yes."

  *Or you just think that's true,* I countered internally. Cynicism was a way to harden my resolve.

  Evadne looked at me with a puzzled expression.

  *Ah, yes, I spoke in my mother tongue.* She waited patiently, considerate of me.

  *A useful tool for private conversations. Noted.*

  Althea feigned reluctance: "Although..."

  I held my breath, a cold knot tightening in my stomach.

  "You could have woken sooner," Althea continued, her words a precisely aimed dart. "Evadne insisted you be given more rest."

  My hand twitched.

  Evadne, sensing the sudden tension, withdrew her hands and straightened her back. A wall of professional composure rising between us once more.

  The seed of doubt was planted, but I let my breath out slowly.

  *She has her reasons. But the proof...*

  I looked down at my hands.

  *The proof was in my own body.*

  They weren't the pale, skeletal claws I remembered. They were hands with some substance, flesh, and muscle. The faint grey of my seal was stark against still slightly pale, but much more healthy skin. Not the translucent-blue of an invalid anymore.

  *I'm sore, fatigued, but whole.*

  The constant, smoldering ache, the fog in my thoughts—all gone.

  I stood up from the bed.

  It wasn't a struggle. The movement was fluid and easy. My feet hit the cold stone floor with a quiet thud. I clenched my fists, feeling the tendons and muscles engage.

  *I'm healed.*

  My jaw clenched, my blood boiled.

  *Months of healing.*

  Three months. It may have been the end for me, if they didn't protect me. If Evadne was not here, I would smash the chair on the wall and scream out all my frustration.

  I took a deep breath. Another. And another.

  Evadne observed without a word, but her compassionate eyes didn't leave me for a second.

  Cramp of hunger flashed a vision of the mess hall. Of the imposing knights.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  *They gave me a nickname. Street cat.*

  Resilient, cautious creature that knows who gives the food and who kicks.

  *Will they kick, or help? Pylades promised the latter.*

  "I'm hungry," I said, making a step toward the door.

  *Maybe I'll hit two birds with one stone.*

  Evadne stood as well, surprised at my sudden decisiveness.

  We left the room and made our way to the mess hall. She said it was just two floors below. I followed her lead without hesitation.

  Along the way, Evadne was greeted by a priestess.

  "High Priestess Evadne," a beam lit her face as she joined hands with my caretaker, "I'll be a mother! It's the third month and it'll be a boy!" Evadne's mask dropped completely, as if pregnancy was some kind of miracle and the priestess had become a goddess herself.

  I turned away.

  A familiar ache of loss tightened my chest—a new life celebrated here, a world away from the one I'd lost.

  The ache grew.

  Water started to fill my eyes. I bit my tongue and then I shoved the feeling down into a cold, hard knot.

  *Grief won't get me home.*

  My feet were urging me to move.

  *Useless emotion. Another luxury I couldn't afford.*

  Evadne hugged the priestess, chirping like a bird.

  *This doesn't matter, it's just a distraction.*

  Stronger beat of my heart sent ache into my chest.

  *There will be many obstacles like these, I can't race all the time. Will I be able to walk through them?*

  I held back my impatience, letting the moment play out. Deep breaths until my heart steadied.

  A few heartbeats later, the joyful exchange ended with a quiet blessing. The encounter left a radiant, genuine smile on Evadne's face.

  This was a smile that I missed, infectious enough to lighten even my own mood. "It feels nice to see you smile," slipped out before I realized what I said.

  "It feels nice to smile," she replied without delay. She pointed down the stairs. "This way," she added, and I fell into step beside her.

  The moment we entered our destination, a wave of deja vu washed over me.

  The rich smell of grilled meat, the cheerful murmur of voices. Then, a familiar shout boomed from a table of massive knights: "Look! The street cat is back!"

  Laughter rolled from his comrades, perhaps a beat delayed, but enthusiastic all the same. A genuine smile touched my lips. My shoulders relaxed, movements felt confident as I walked toward their table. Evadne followed a step behind.

  "Who said that?" I asked, feigning annoyance.

  "High Priestess, Otherworlder, it is an honor! Please, join us," one of the knights—a mountain of a man whose name I couldn't recall—invited us with an overly formal bow.

  For the first time, the place I sat on felt like it was mine.

  I looked for Evadne, but my neighbor poked me with an elbow, grabbing my attention. "How do you feel, Otherworlder?"

  "Gentlemen," I said, deciding to meet their directness, "let's drop the formalities. My name is Leonard."

  They welcomed my invitation hesitantly. The energy around the table lowered in volume.

  The knight that invited us nodded with "Leonard", as if testing the name. Faint smile didn't reach his eyes though.

  The introductions that followed were quieter and more personal than I expected.

  The one who invited me cordially was Hector. He had a large, leather bracelet around his wrist, from which a tattoo of a wall rose to his elbow. He nodded slightly while introducing himself.

  Marcellus, the initiator of the "street cat" reference, had trouble staying in his place. He was a clearly restless soul. Only the silhouette of a sword tattooed on his head where his hair should be.

  The intelligent eyes of Perseus contrasted with the intricate patterns around them. He leaned back in his chair with a polite smile as he said just his name.

  My gaze was drawn to another knight's hand as it rested on the table. A thin scar cut across his right palm. He introduced himself as Ajax. He seemed tense, matching his quiet introduction.

  The next, Linus, was his complete opposite, practically bouncing in his seat. He introduced himself with a voice a bit too loud for the table, his multiple bracelets rattling as he waved his hands.

  He was immediately followed by Idas, who seemed like his shadow. He just said his name, his voice flat and his gaze fixed on the table, not me.

  A few others—Patroclus, Achilles, Tiberius—filled out the ranks, but I tried to lock in the key personas. Hector, the leader. Marcellus, the jester. Ajax, the tense one with the scar. Linus, the loud "fire," and Idas, the cold "ice."

  "Althea," I said in my mother tongue, "can you help me recall their names later, if a need arises?"

  She confirmed instantly: "Absolutely."

  *Nice feature. Noted.*

  "Sorry, I got distracted by my Guide, and I missed your name." I pointed at the last knight.

  *Was it Patroclus?*

  To my great relief, he just nodded like it was completely normal. "I'm Tiberius."

  Evadne came back. Marcellus gave up his chair, making a place for her beside me. He sat in front of me instead.

  To my horror, while I was distracted by the knights, Evadne had executed her plan.

  The bowl of rice glue landed in front of me once again—my greatest enemy. Evadne pretended not to notice my scowl.

  *Oh no, not this time, High Priestess.*

  I grabbed one of Hector's plates with my left hand and took his fork, ignoring his surprised expression. Luckily, he didn't resist. The steak on top of his plate landed quickly in my mouth, and I moaned with the taste.

  Evadne tried to hold back but finally erupted into laughter. The knights followed her lead quickly, and the tension I'd felt before seemed to finally melt away.

  I caught some whispers in the nearby tables...

  "Embodiment of Composure can laugh like that? No way!"

  "Hey, but who's beside her? Is it him?"

  I ignored them.

  *Another distraction.*

  I focused on the new, lighter atmosphere, it felt good, more comfortable.

  *Hm... where are Pylades and his sidekick?*

  "Where's Centurion Pylades and his shadow, Optio Diomedes?" I asked, my mouth shamefully half-full.

  The cheerful atmosphere at the table evaporated like mist in the sun. The smiles on the knights' faces became stiff masks.

  "Pylades is..." Hector hesitated, "...training."

  His gaze darted to the others at the table.

  "And Optio..." he said, lowering his voice.

  "Diomedes is no longer with us."