Bella lay on the floor, clutching her side, her face contorted in pain. I stood frozen, my breath caught in my throat, as fear and shock paralyzed me. Euston towered over her, his sword raised high, the blade gleaming menacingly in the dim light. Time seemed to slow as he prepared to strike the final blow. My heart pounded in my chest, and for a moment, I felt utterly powerless, trapped in my own body. But just as the sword began to descend, something deep inside me broke free, and I finally found my voice, shouting out with all the strength I had left.
"Stop," I shouted, and he paused to look at me. "I'll go with you. I'll do what you want, so please, let her go," I said, and he smiled.
"That's all I asked for," he said, making his sword dematerialize. "Shall we?" he asked, and I nodded. I walked over to Bella and touched her shoulders, trying to heal her as quickly as I could.
"Let's go before someone notices again," he said, turning to leave.
"I'll be back. Don't follow me, please," I whispered in Bella's ear and then followed Euston.
I trailed him to a carriage waiting in a secluded part of the academy. Only the coachman and Eris were there—she had managed to escape, though she looked weakened. Her poison resistance was impressive, but she still glared at me. However, she was too weak to do anything more.
With Eris weakened, only Euston posed a real threat, and his strength lay in magic. I'd have to resort to something I hadn't fully practiced yet.
"I'll get back at you," Eris threatened once we were seated.
"What's wrong with you?" Euston asked.
"I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile.
"You can heal, right?" he asked me, and I nodded slowly. "Heal her," he ordered, and I nodded again, scared. I was terrified.
I moved to Eris's seat and raised my hand to heal her. She grabbed my hand, about to speak, but was interrupted by another bout of coughing.
Why does a twisted satisfaction bubble up inside me as I watch her suffer? Have I inherited some dark trait from the Rosen family? The sight of her in pain stirs something unsettling within me—why does it intrigue me so much?
I raised my hands, momentarily tempted to amplify the poison's effects, to push her closer to the brink. But I knew better. I was already weakened from inhaling the poison myself, and attempting something so intricate would only jeopardize my chance of escape.
Instead, I chose a different path. I healed her, but only partially, leaving enough damage to ensure she remained vulnerable. Then, with a calculated touch, I redirected my plans toward Euston, using Eris as a pawn in my game. She became my scapegoat, and as intended, she passed out immediately, her body crumpling to the floor without resistance.
"What's wrong with her?" Euston asked.
"I don't know. She must have touched something in my lab that she wasn't supposed to. She'll wake up after some rest," I lied easily. He looked at me suspiciously but said nothing, relaxing back in his seat.
I just needed to wait for the right moment. I looked at the bottle in my hand, sighed, and brought it to my lips.
"What's that?" he asked. What do I say?
"My research," I replied.
"Is it poison?" he asked.
"No, you can see for yourself," I said.
"I should drink poison?" he asked.
"N-no, that's not… that's not what I meant," I stammered, looking down.
"Do what you want," he sighed. I drank the contents and dropped the bottle, falling to the floor.
"Hey," Euston shouted, but I didn't move. "You stupid… was it poison?" he said. "Stop the carriage," he ordered, and the carriage came to a halt. He might want to get help from his vassals in Galliel, but that would be my chance. "Hey," he said again, shaking me.
I turned swiftly and seized his hand, feeling the pulse of his magic beneath my fingertips. He instinctively tried to pull away, but I held firm. After all, I wasn't just any magician—I was a platinum with an exceptional command over magic. Drawing on my strength, I reversed the technique I had used on Gordon. Instead of stabilizing his magic flow, I disrupted it, throwing it into chaos and temporarily halting it altogether. My original plan was to sever his magic completely, to leave him powerless, but I didn't have the luxury of time. He yanked his hand back, but by then, the damage was done.
It wasn't perfect, but it was enough.
Healing magic, often underestimated, proved its worth in that moment. I may lack the drive to master attack spells, but in this instance, healing magic became my weapon.
Euston staggered backward just as the door swung open, and without hesitation, I darted forward and grabbed the coachman, ensuring he wouldn't interfere with my next move.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"I… I don't know. I need to get help," he said.
"You should. I don't understand why everyone passed… out." He passed out as well.
I let out a weary sigh and turned to leave, only to see Tyler running towards me, Bella trailing a considerable distance behind him. A wave of relief washed over me—I had been deeply worried, fearing that something terrible had happened to him.
As Tyler reached me, I instinctively patted his head, a gesture of comfort and reassurance. Bella finally caught up, looking noticeably improved. The sight of her looking much better was a reassuring confirmation that my healing had been effective. I felt a pang of gratitude for the chance to help her in time, and I allowed myself a brief moment of relief amid the chaos.
"Faina," Bella called, looking at the scene in front of her. "What happened?" she asked, worried. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said, but I knew I wasn't. Everything was blurry.
"What did you do to them?" she asked.
"I made them pass out temporarily, but…" I panted, looking at them. "I think I'm going to… pass out as well," I said as everything went black.