It was a stupid, unbridled rage—a fire that burned hot and reckless. She knew it would solve nothing, that it was pointless, but by the gods, it felt good. For a fleeting moment, it filled the hollow ache inside her, a brief reprieve from the storm. But then, like a tide crashing back to shore, the cold sting of what Nephis had done returned, sharper than ever. The weight of it pressed down on her chest, heavy and unrelenting. Her gaze fell to Nephis, who lay beneath her, battered but unbroken.
Nephis stared back, her eyes cold and calculating, even as blood trickled from her nose. There was no fear there, no regret—only that infuriating, icy composure that made Rin's fists clench all over again.
"Rin, I made the choice that would ensure our safety"
Rin was furious, unable to stop the flood of words from pouring out
"What makes you think it's your decision to make?!"
She got off trying to cool off but the anger hit her again and she spoke
"What makes you think it's your decision to make?!"
For the first time in the interaction changing star spoke slowly and carefully, but there was another edge in her eyes, An edge of guilt
"I know you are upset, Rin, but I did it for our own survival"
Nephis shifted into a defensive stance, her body coiled like a spring, ready for the storm of violence she anticipated. But before Rin could even think to move, before her muscles could tense or her breath could catch, a hand closed around her wrist. The touch was gentle, almost hesitant, as if the person behind it feared she might shatter like glass beneath their fingers
"Rin not here…please"
The voice was soft, undeniably feminine, and it sent a ripple through Rin's mind, like a key turning in a long-forgotten lock. Memories stirred, faint and fragmented, as the cogs of her thoughts began to click into place. She remembered the nervous shuffle of Cassies footsteps, the way her body had tensed with every word she spoke before they stepped into the grand hall. At the time, she had brushed it off as fear—natural, given the circumstances. But now, standing in the quiet aftermath, Rin knew better.
"You knew she was gonna pull this shit off… didn't you?"
Cassie was startled by Rin's voice as it was aimed towards her
"I-I didn't"
She was interrupted by Nephis who spoke again
"Rin. It's done. There's no going back. You-"
And then, the final voice broke through, slicing through the tension like a blade, silencing any arguments poised to erupt. It carried the weight of exhaustion, each word heavy with weariness, and beneath it all, a faint but unmistakable thread of betrayal lingered, as though the speaker had been wounded by something.
"Can we go now"
They moved in silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy between them until they reached Effie's cabin. Rin's gaze drifted upward, drawn to the sky, where the sun had retreated behind the jagged, foreboding outline of the Crimson Spire. Its shadow stretched long band dark, as if reaching for them.
Before anyone's knuckles could graze the weathered wood of the door, it swung open. Effie stood there, her sharp eyes narrowing with a flicker of irritation, as though she had been waiting—or perhaps dreading—their arrival.
"What's with all the commotion?! Can't a girl spend a day in…"
Noticing the four of them, she froze.
Without so much as batting an eye, Nephis simply threw Andel's head to Effie's feet and asked:
"Can we talk now?"
Looking down at the macabre present, the huntress narrowed her eyes. Her face darkened.
A few moments later, she glanced up and said in a grim voice:
"Come inside."
**********
She lingered in Effie's bathroom, letting the "adults" talk among themselves. The woman had made her promise not to steal anything from the place, a condition of her using the space. Rin had agreed, though the thought of stealing hadn't even crossed her mind. The bathroom itself was crude—a chamber pot, a bucket of water, some furs draped over a stool, and what appeared to be a bone carved into the shape of a brush. It wasn't much, but in the world they lived in, it was more than most had. Rin knew she should consider herself lucky, though gratitude was hard to come by these days. Her reflection stared back at her from a platter of polished silver,
The weight of the day pressed down on her. Her hair was growing out, dark and unruly, and her body was stretching into unfamiliar shapes. She was growing again, and with each passing day, she saw more of her mother in the mirror. To anyone else, that might have been a comfort, a connection to the past. But for Rin, it was a death sentence. The older she grew, the more her resemblance to her mother would sharpen, and the more dangerous her life would become. She was a hunted member of a dead clan, a ghost in a world that had no place for her. Every glance in the mirror was a reminder of the target on her back, growing larger with each passing day.
"Im tired mom"
She pressed her forehead against the cool, silver-plated mirror, taking a moment to steady herself before stepping out of Effie's cabin. Outside, the sun had already surrendered to the horizon, leaving the world cloaked in a velvety darkness that felt comforting.
She needed air—needed to escape the weight pressing down on her chest. Her feet carried her aimlessly until she stumbled upon what appeared to be an ancient stone cube, weathered by time and forgotten by the world. It was as good a place as any to sit, to think, to breathe. She lowered herself onto its rough surface, the chill of the stone seeping through her clothes.
It wasn't long before she felt it—a familiar presence, one that stirred something deep within her. Rin's gaze flickered toward him, but she quickly looked away, her eyes tracing the outlines of the ancient houses that loomed in the shadows. Anything to avoid the inevitability of his approach. Anything to distract herself from his presence
He didn't wait for an invitation. In a moment, he was there, settling beside her on the stone cube. She didn't need to look at him to know he was tired; she could feel it in the way he carried himself, in the quiet heaviness of his movements. The silence between them stretched, thick and unyielding, until it became unbearable.
Rin clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. If she didn't speak soon, the guilt gnawing at her insides would consume her whole. She opened her mouth, the words trembling on her lips, ready to break the silence and, perhaps, the fragile tension between them.
"Im sorry i lied"
While looking forward Sunny finally spoke it wasn't harsh but it was far from kind
"You should be."
'That's it? That's all he could say? '
The words had pissed her off a little it was unfair to judge her for trying to protect her life
"I was hunted all my life sorry I didn't trust a boy i met a couple months ago"
His eyes widened a bit before his brows creased
"I understand, but don't expect us to ever be the same after this."
She scoffed
"You think I'm still an heiress?"
he sighs. This time he faces her, properly with his usual nonchalant expression he stares up to her eyes
"Even if you aren't anymore, the thought that you were the whole time we were together bothers me."
She spoke instantly
"I lived in the slums same as you"
A hint of anger enters his tone
"Yes, but at least I never lied."
She snorted a fake laugh coming out of her
"BULLSHIT, i know your not telling me something, like a true name, not telling is still a lie of omissions, same as what i did"
She wasn't sure if he even possessed a true name, but something about him, something buried beneath the surface, told her he was strong. Perhaps as strong as she was. Maybe even on par with Nephis. He had a way of masking it, though, hiding his power behind a veil of calm. But she needed to see it, needed to draw it out. So she prodded, her words sharp and deliberate, and there it was—a flicker of reaction. His eyes widened, just for a moment, before narrowing into a glare. Anger flashed across his face, raw and unguarded, and she knew she'd struck a nerve.
"Watch it, don't speak about what you don't understand, I wouldn't be surprised if a pampered rich girl like you would treat me like a slave and do everything for her if you actually knew"
She stood up stopping after taking a couple steps spoke
"Fuck you"
He was the first friend she had ever known, the first to see her as more than the sum of her past. Yet, the moment he discovered who she had once been, he assumed she would treat him as a servant, as though her former status defined her entirely. Anger burned through her, sharp and blinding, drowning out the end part of his words. she was already gone, her heart heavy with betrayal.
The castle loomed ahead, its towering silhouette cutting through the twilight. She approached the guards, her voice steady despite the storm raging within.
"can you please ask for Haima,"
She said, the word a code and a command rolled into one. Without waiting for a response, she turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving no trace of her presence behind.
In the next moment her figure was hidden between two buildings, she waited till another figure had appeared kneeling In Front of rin, her conversation with sunny resurfaced in her mind and she immediately spoke to her companion
"Stop doing that… im not a… queen"
The woman looked up her head tilting one eyebrow raised
"Ma'am?"
Rin sighed
"Luna how many times do i have to tell you to just call me by my name"
She got up like a bolt had struck her and saluted a fist to her chest
"Yes ma'a— yes sir… I mean yes….. Rin"
The last word was spoken with so much caution and unfamiliarity, like it was a lemon to her mouth
Rin sighed before chuckling with a smile
"What's the update luna?"
Luna smiled back with and it blinded like the sun
"It's not exactly the best. You and Miss Nephis have a hit on you. But, uh, there's a bit of a silver lining here. Because of those two idiots who attacked without orders and ended up exposing themselves in public, the cult's laying low for now. They're keeping their heads down, so that buys you some time. Oh, and that guy you told me to keep an eye on, Caster? He left the castle just before your group did. Thought you should know."
'Of course caster is plotting something'
"Mhh move him to a higher threat level"
Luna nodded
"Already done rin"
Rin was glad she had someone keeping a cup to the wall, someone that trusted her
"Ma'am your nose is bleeding"
'huh?'
Before she could gather her thoughts, a searing wave of pain tore through her, violent and unrelenting. It was as if every muscle in her body had been set ablaze, screaming in unison, while her lungs felt as though they'd been pierced by shards of glass. Her mind reeled, desperate to flee the agony, to escape the prison of her own flesh.
Her legs gave way, and she crumpled to her knees. The only small mercy was that Luna had caught her, her steady grip preventing her from collapsing face-first into the unforgiving stone and dirt beneath her.
A harsh, wet cough wracked her body, and she pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. When she pulled it away, her palm was smeared with crimson, the blood stark against her pale skin. The metallic tang filled her senses.
She turned her head slightly, her vision swimming as she tried to focus on the figure beside her. Luna's form was hazy, indistinct, as though seen through a veil of smoke or the distortion of a dream. Was it the searing pain coursing through her body, or was it the curse, its dark tendrils tightening their grip?
She couldn't tell. Her chest tightened, not just from the agony but from the fear that flickered in her heart. Luna's face, usually so joyous and full of confidence, was etched with worry, her brows furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin, anxious line. It was a look that spoke louder than words—something was wrong, terribly wrong.
"Rin?!"
"Are yo-"
"-ight?"
Her vision blackened