I woke with a warm tingling across my skin, the memory of the night before still pulsing through every corner of my body. For a moment I thought it had been a dream, but when I turned and saw Silas—naked, his hair tousled, his face still heavy with sleep—I knew it was real. A shiver ran through me: not regret, but disbelief. I had never imagined something like this would happen… least of all to me.

  I drew closer carefully, wrapping his back in a soft embrace. His steady breathing shifted, and he let out a drowsy sigh before turning toward me with that smile that always disarmed me.

  —If you keep doing that, I might be tempted again… —he murmured in a husky voice, brushing his nose against mine.

  I couldn’t help but laugh, warmth rising to my cheeks. He stroked my cheek with his fingers before kissing me with a tenderness that settled my heart.

  —Last night was unforgettable, Lyss, —he whispered—. You have such a beautiful body… I want it only for myself.

  —And you’re only mine, —I answered softly, my hand brushing his chin—. You always will be.

  We stayed in silence, wrapped in words so small they meant more than grand promises. I played with his hair, watching him with a shy fondness.

  —Silas, did you really… enjoy it?

  He smiled, his lips grazing mine.

  —Lyss, you have no idea how much I desire you, how much I love you. You’re perfect… even in the things you think are flaws.

  His gaze drifted to my abdomen.

  —You know… one of the things I love most about you is your scar. You may think it marks you, but to me it’s a sign. Even if you were among millions, I’d always know it was you.

  His words made me tremble. Something inside me broke and mended all at once. Because that scar wasn’t just a mark—it was where Blood Crown burned, the secret he could never touch. I leaned in and kissed him slowly, my heart brimming.

  —Thank you… —I whispered against his lips.

  I prepared breakfast with a lightness I hadn’t felt in years. Silas wanted to help, but I asked him to let me spoil him a little. As I whisked the eggs and the bread toasted, faint sounds filtered through the window: the drumbeat of training, soldiers marching, voices barking orders. The world went on, indifferent. I closed my eyes and pushed it aside. That morning was ours, only ours.

  When I returned with the plates, Silas looked at me as if he couldn’t believe I was really there.

  —It’s a bit hot, don’t burn yourself, —I teased with a smile.

  We ate in bed, in quiet complicity. Sometimes we laughed; other times we just stared at each other, as though trying to etch the memory of the other into our skin.

  Later, he turned mischievous.

  —Shall we bathe together? —he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  —Do you really want to do that? —I laughed, my cheeks heating.

  —I want to take care of you. Even in the smallest ways.

  Warm water ran down my body as his hands, firm yet gentle, massaged shampoo into my hair. I closed my eyes, letting myself drift.

  —Silas… you make me feel so cared for… —I murmured.

  —Because I want you to always feel that way with me, Lyss, —he replied, leaning down to kiss my forehead.

  Then it was my turn. I soaped his back, tracing the lines of his muscles, while he glanced at me sidelong with a teasing smile.

  —Are you taking advantage of me?

  —Maybe a little, —I admitted, laughing.

  We washed each other, trading quick kisses and quiet laughter. There was no urgency, no fire—only the certainty that we were together, gifting ourselves an impossible normality.

  When we dressed, Silas looked at me with that mix of pride and tenderness that made me forget the weight of the war.

  —I have to get to the academy… and you? Any missions, my goddess?

  —No, —I replied with a smile—. After Eiswacht, they gave us a break. So… I’ll be visiting you a lot these days.

  —That makes me so happy, —he said, with that smile that always melted me—. I’ll be waiting for you, Lyss.

  We kissed one last time, first slowly and then with more passion, as though trying to tattoo the moment onto our skin. I whispered my farewell and promised to return soon.

  As I walked back toward the academy, I still felt like I was floating, as though my feet barely touched the ground. Every heartbeat was an echo of the night with Silas: so human, so warm, so unreal it felt like a dream.

  If the world ever tried to take him from me, I wouldn’t let it, I thought. And for the first time in a long while, I felt afraid of what might come.

  When I reached our dormitory, my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might betray me. I opened the door and found Velka, Caelia, and Neyra waiting. Velka spotted me first, and immediately came forward with that smile of hers.

  —Well, well… look who finally came back —she said, raising an eyebrow mischievously. Her eyes ran over my still-damp hair, the scent of shampoo that wasn’t mine, and the guilty smile I couldn’t hide—. What did you do last night, Lyss?

  Caelia and Neyra looked at me expectantly, as if they already knew the answer. I closed the door behind me, drew a deep breath, and decided not to hide anything.

  —I spent the night with Silas… —I admitted, a whisper that seemed to echo off the walls—. It was a night of real love.

  Velka let out a playful laugh and Neyra squealed with excitement, both of them pouncing on me with questions:

  —Was it as good as it sounds?

  —Tell us everything, please!

  I laughed, my cheeks burning. I told them the essentials: the outing, the tenderness, how long we’d waited for it… but only in broad strokes. The rest was mine to keep.

  Caelia, ever the reserved one, held my gaze seriously.

  —Are you certain it was consensual? —she asked softly—. That you truly wanted it?

  I met her eyes directly.

  —Yes, Caelia. It was something we both wanted… something we needed.

  Velka gave a dramatic huff.

  —Well, well… our dear Lyss is becoming a woman, isn’t she? Careful, Neyra, now you’ve got competition!

  Neyra didn’t reply; she just hugged me tightly and whispered:

  —I’m so glad you’re safe, Lyss… but please, don’t let this distract you from taking care of yourself.

  It was a precious moment, but the calm shattered with a knock on the door. Curious, Caelia went to open it. On the other side stood Irhena, her dark hair falling over her shoulder like a serpent ready to strike.

  —What are you doing here? —Caelia asked, surprised.

  Irhena smiled, that calm, dangerous curve of her lips.

  —Would you like to hear I came for you? —she replied with a mocking lilt.

  —No, Irhena. —Caelia crossed her arms.

  With a single movement, Irhena brushed past her, entering without permission. Her gaze locked on me, as though she could pierce through my soul.

  —I came for Lyss, —she said, pointing at me with one elegant finger—. I told you: when anger awakened, I would be here.

  A chill ran through me.

  —How do you know what happened? —I asked quietly.

  She tilted her head, amused.

  —I am the goddess of wrath. You can’t hide from me. I felt you die… and I felt something inside you return, burning. That eruption reached me even from afar.

  Velka and Neyra instantly stepped in front of me, a human wall. Velka spoke first, her voice sharp with protectiveness.

  —I don’t know what you want with Lyss, but I won’t let you touch her.

  —How adorable… —Irhena murmured, unfazed—. But I’m not here to harm her. I’ve come to offer something: training.

  —Training? —Neyra asked, caught between suspicion and confusion.

  Irhena turned to her, her voice calm and sharp as a blade.

  —Have you ever seen someone so angry their body simply… gave out? Or worse, dragged down the ones they loved with them? That is what happens when wrath goes unchecked.

  Still injured, Neyra threw a weak punch at Irhena’s abdomen. Irhena didn’t even blink; she only sighed, disappointed.

  —Why do you come here just to torment us? —Velka demanded.

  Ignoring her, Irhena fixed her gaze on me again.

  —So it’s true, isn’t it? —she said, as if confirming the inevitable—. You died. And you came back with something you don’t understand.

  The silence was unbearable. At last, I nodded faintly. Irhena inclined her head, acknowledging the painful truth.

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  —If you don’t want to die again… come with me. I’ll be waiting in the training grounds. Not the simulators. Outside.

  Before leaving, she paused in front of Caelia for just a moment. Her voice dropped, almost a whisper, laced with venom and old sorrow.

  —You know what happens when wrath consumes what you love most, don’t you?

  Caelia didn’t reply, but the tightness in her jaw spoke louder than words.

  When the door closed, the air felt frozen. Caelia ran a hand over her face.

  —I don’t understand that woman, —she muttered.

  —She’s the goddess of wrath… —Neyra said with a trembling sigh—. For her, sensing it must be easy… but I still don’t like this.

  Velka turned toward me, her voice soft but heavy with concern.

  —Are you going?

  —I have to, —I answered—. I won’t put you through that again. I need to understand this emotion… control it.

  Velka looked at me, her dark eyes full of something I couldn’t quite read. Then she smiled, as always.

  —Well, just promise me you won’t do anything stupid trying to impress her.

  —I won’t do anything reckless, —I promised.

  Caelia spoke, her tone sharper than I’d ever heard.

  —Just… be careful. Irhena isn’t like us. Her temper… her need to always be right…

  —I know, —I said, meeting each of their gazes—. I promise, I’ll be careful.

  Velka drew a deep breath and pulled me into a hug, pressing her forehead against mine.

  —Come back whole, all right? —she murmured.

  —I will, —I whispered back.

  When I left the girls behind, all of them looked at me with that mix of love and fear. I stepped out of the dormitory, my heart pounding hard. I knew this wasn’t a simple training session. It was something deeper: the beginning of understanding what had awakened inside me… and what I still didn’t know if I could control.

  The training field stretched before me, vast, almost wild. The wind seemed to carry a lingering threat in every stone. A shiver ran down my spine when I saw her: Irhena. Her presence, always crushing, felt absolute in this place.

  She watched me with that dangerous half-smile she never seemed to lose.

  —I was waiting for you —she said calmly—. If you’d taken any longer, I’d have dragged you here by the ears, whether you wanted it or not.

  —I’m here now —I answered firmly, swallowing back any hesitation—. I’m not here to get close to you. I just… want to learn to control my wrath, to protect the ones I love.

  Irhena nodded slowly, as if my words were just a formality in a ritual she already knew by heart.

  —Transform —she ordered—. I want to see how your wrath wraps around you before we begin.

  I drew a deep breath. The inner fire that had dragged me back to life, that fury mixed with the urge to protect, rushed through my veins. My transformation enveloped me in a dark, searing whirlwind. The uniform formed over my skin, fabric clinging with an electric tingle.

  Irhena’s lips curved slightly.

  —You’re very pretty, you know? Your wrath wants to be seen. It wants the world to witness it.

  —Are you going to train me with compliments? —I shot back, annoyed.

  She chuckled softly.

  —No. I simply admire transformations. Now… manifest your weapon.

  I raised my hand and materialized my rifle, the weapon of rancor. Its solid weight in my hands felt familiar, grounding. But Irhena laughed sharply.

  —No, Lyss. I don’t mean that. You already command that rancor. I want the other one. The one that beats in your chest like an open wound.

  I swallowed hard. My fingers brushed my abdomen, where the scar burned like a smoldering coal. Closing my eyes, I shoved my hand into it with a cry of pain. The flesh yielded as it always did, and a scream tore from my throat as the blade emerged—red and dark, breathing with me.

  A vicious stab of pain lanced through my chest, so real it bent me over. My heart pounded violently, reminding me I had been dead once—and could die again.

  Irhena’s eyes gleamed, and in her voice was chilling certainty:

  —Blood Crown… so this is your demon.

  I froze. How could she possibly know that name?

  The heat of rage shoved me forward. Without thinking, I lunged at her. The blade sliced the air, vibrating with my fury. Irhena barely moved: she deflected the strike with a minimal twist and slammed her palm into my stomach. I staggered back, choking on the air ripped from my lungs.

  —Is that all? —she asked flatly—. This is training, Lyss. Don’t hold back. Or the next stab you feel in your chest will be your last.

  I clenched my teeth, fury burning in my veins. I charged again, sword and rifle flickering in and out of my hands like echoes of my emotions. Shots, slashes, bursts of anger. But Irhena moved with inhuman grace, dodging, twisting, circling me like a shadow.

  —Your wrath isn’t blind, Lyss —she said, dancing around me—. It’s directed. But you don’t guide it. It drags you along. Until you give it shape, you’ll always be a runaway weapon.

  The stabbing pain in my chest returned, sharper. I stumbled, nearly falling, but screamed and let the fury burst out. The sword flared crimson, unleashing a surge of energy that tore through the air in a brutal arc. For an instant, Irhena had to cross her arms to block it, her boots sliding back and carving grooves in the ground.

  Her smile widened, dangerous.

  —That’s it. Now I see why you came back from the dead.

  Before I could catch my breath, she appeared before me in a blink. With her bare hands, she caught the blade and slammed me down. The earth dug into my back, pain mingling with another spasm in my chest that nearly blacked me out.

  She gripped me by the throat, leaning close.

  —Every time you summon it like that, your heart cracks a little more. Do you want to die in a training field? Because I won’t revive you.

  She dropped me suddenly, and I dragged myself up, gasping. I shoved aside the hand she offered and stood on my own.

  —Two emotions beat inside you —she said evenly, her eyes fixed on me—. Two hearts. One is yours. The other… I don’t yet know whose it is.

  She sat cross-legged on the ground and gestured for me to join her. Reluctantly, I sat.

  —Close your eyes —she ordered—. Give your wrath a shape. Not as a weapon. As what it truly is.

  I tried. All I saw was Blood of the Crown. Its edge, its red glow.

  —What do you see? —she asked.

  —My sword, —I whispered.

  Irhena shook her head.

  —Your sword is just a channel. Strong, yes, but not the core. Until you discover the true shape of your wrath, it will always be stronger than you.

  To prove her point, she manifested a black comb in her hand, holding it like a jewel.

  —This is my wrath. Not a sword, not a spear. A comb. Something as banal as it is deadly in my hands. Find your own.

  We trained until the sun began to sink. Strikes, blocks, breathing. Every stabbing pain in my chest was a reminder: I could still die, even here.

  When she finally ended the session, I staggered toward her, breath ragged.

  —How do you know my sword’s name? —I asked, barely staying upright.

  Irhena looked at me with that maddening, enigmatic smile.

  —Because nothing in this world is ever truly hidden. Investigating always bears fruit… and I never stop searching.

  Another stab tore through my chest, and my vision blurred. I dropped to one knee, almost collapsing.

  —You’re about to faint, —Irhena observed coldly—. That’s enough for today.

  She turned and left me there, alone in the field. I forced myself to breathe, staggering step by step back to the academy. Each heartbeat reminded me: if I didn’t learn to master my wrath, it would destroy me.

  I returned to the dormitory feeling exhausted, but also with a clearer mind. When I opened the door, my three friends were there, as if they had been waiting for me all along. Velka was the first to get up, wearing that trademark smile of hers, though there was a flicker in her eyes I couldn’t quite decipher.

  —Ah, the goddess of wrath returns from her training! —she joked, though her tone wasn’t as light as usual.

  —Don’t be a clown —Neyra replied, though she smiled with complicity—. How did it go?

  I dropped onto the bed with a sigh.

  —Irhena made me manifest my weapon and fight her. It was… intense. I feel like I’m starting to understand my power, but also that I still have so much to learn.

  Caelia leaned a little closer, her voice soft but laced with worry.

  —Did she hurt you? Wasn’t it too much?

  —I’m fine —I assured them. And I was… at least physically. But Irhena’s words still echoed in my head. Two hearts. One mine. The other… whose?

  —Well, I’m glad you’re still in one piece —said Caelia—. But don’t push yourself too hard, Lyss. Each of us is already carrying enough weight.

  Neyra nodded, more serious than usual.

  —Still, it’s something you have to face, isn’t it? Sometimes you have to tame the beast so it doesn’t devour you. I trust you can do it, Lyss.

  Velka let out an exaggerated sigh.

  —Ugh, you’re all so dramatic. I say she just wants to show off with that half-transparent armor she’s got now —she teased, though I caught how her eyes darkened for just an instant.

  —Velka! —Neyra exclaimed, giving her a shove. But I laughed, because it was so like her to turn the weight of things into a joke, even if something else lingered beneath it.

  —Tomorrow I’ll be training with Irhena again —I told them—. But after that… I’d like the four of us to do something together. Something normal. Just for us.

  —Of course —Caelia answered without hesitation. Neyra smiled and nodded too.

  —Normal like getting drunk and forgetting about the war? —Velka asked with that crooked grin that made me burst out laughing.

  —Something like that —I replied, and we all laughed a little.

  The laughter faded when Caelia fell silent for a few seconds, her gaze fixed on the floor. Finally, she spoke in a low voice:

  —Irhena always leaves scars. Some you can’t see… but they weigh just as much.

  Velka tilted her head, intrigued, and didn’t let it slide.

  —You know, you promised me once you’d tell me the story behind that mark on your collarbone —she said, nodding toward her—. And don’t give me the “training accident” excuse. Even you don’t believe that.

  Caelia lifted her eyes, serious, and held Velka’s gaze.

  —I’ll tell you one day, Velka. But not today.

  Velka gave a laugh, mocking yet sharp.

  —Yeah, I figured. If I’m sure of one thing, it’s that scar has a name and a last name. And I’d bet it starts with an “I.”

  Caelia let out a brief sigh, neither confirming nor denying it, and settled into her bed as if to close the matter. Neyra pressed her lips together but didn’t ask.

  We decided to sleep all together in the same room that night. Neyra curled up like a child, almost folded into herself. Caelia stayed in the middle, watchful even as she lay down. Velka stretched out close to me, near enough that her breathing reached my ear.

  —Come back whole, alright? —she murmured, barely audible.

  —I will —I whispered back, closing my eyes.

  Silence fell like a veil over us. Fatigue pulled at me, but so did the warmth of their closeness, like an anchor against the storm Irhena had stirred inside me. And as sleep wrapped around me, I couldn’t stop wondering what Velka was hiding behind that smile… and whether she would ever find the courage to say it out loud.