Two days later, Helia was making her way back to the capital in a convoy transporting the wounded to the military clinic, escorted by the prince and several knights. This time, she had taken her place in the carriage reserved for the injured, surrounded by medical attendants. Her heart was heavy with fatigue, but she also felt a sense of satisfaction.
Throughout the journey, she monitored the condition of the patients, carefully noting every detail to complete the report she would submit to the clinic regarding the progress of their conditions and the treatment they had received. This trip had exhausted her, but she was happy and, for the first time in her life, felt that she was where she truly belonged. As she thought of returning home, she was already contemplating how to prepare the samples for sequencing, anxious about the results.
Barely had she entered the foyer of her family home when she was greeted by her father and brother, their faces marked by concern. Lucille, her maid, was also present, her expression shifting from surprise to shock in an instant. Helia had clearly lost weight, dark circles shadowing her tired eyes, and her hair was disheveled. Yet, a smile illuminated her face. "I'm home!" she exclaimed, trying to mask the exhaustion that was eating away at her.
"Helia!" cried her brother, stepping forward to embrace her tightly. "What happened to you?" He stopped, looking at her face with concern. "You look awful! How long has it been since you've had any sleep?"
Helia had not expected compliments or kind words from him, but she knew it was his way of welcoming her. She rolled her eyes before responding, "Such kindness, Lucian, it warms my heart. I'm happy to see you too."
Lucian retorted, "It's only the truth. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror this past week?"
She chose to ignore him. Her father, though stoic as always, observed the scene, and Helia approached him, bowing respectfully. "Father, it's good to see you again."
He responded with a simple nod. "It's good you're back. Go rest, you look exhausted."
"Yes, father, I have a few things to take care of first, but..."
Lucille, knowing Helia well, was aware that if no one stopped her, she would forgo both sleep and food for her research. She intervened kindly: "Miss, I've prepared a warm bath and a good meal for you. You should go rest first; you'll have all the time tomorrow."
"But it's really important, I can't waste any time," Helia insisted, but her father, with a fatherly authority, intervened once again.
"Helia, listen to your maid. Rest is not time wasted."
Helia sighed, realizing no one would let her proceed for the moment. She allowed herself to be convinced and did not regret the decision. She had almost forgotten the sensation of warm water and cleanliness, as well as the taste of good food. After a week of cleaning herself with nothing but a cold damp towel and eating unrefined meals in a military camp, she appreciated the comfort of her home.
After a restful night's sleep, she woke up in the morning, her heart racing with anticipation. While having breakfast on the terrace, enjoying a moment of peace before beginning her arduous work, Helia flipped through the letters she had received. Her smile widened upon discovering one from Lady Sera, who wished her a good return and congratulated her on her achievement, offering to have tea as soon as she had the time. As she savored these words, the door opened, pulling her from her reading.
"Miss, your fiancé has come to visit you," announced Madame Horelia.
"Ah, good, let him join me," Helia replied enthusiastically.
Adrian entered, and Helia greeted him with a wide smile. She was truly happy to see him again after such a long week. "Adrian! I'm glad to see you, come, sit down..."
But he interrupted her, his expression serious. "Helia, we need to talk."
Adrian's voice made her shiver. She understood he was not in a good mood. "Adrian, I..." she began, but he interrupted her once again.
"What possessed you to leave without telling me? Going to a military camp full of men? That's irresponsible!" His gaze was harsh, and his words, cutting.
"I know I should have told you earlier, but it was a last-minute decision. I needed to..."
"Needed what? I can't for the life of me understand what could have possibly crossed your mind!"
"Adrian, please, let me at least explain. Sit down so I can..."
He gestured, frustrated. "You want to explain to me what's been going on with you lately? You've been distant, making last-minute decisions that are completely senseless, and not telling me about them. You've abandoned the preparations for our engagement for weeks, and you're even neglecting your own best friend!"
Helia straightened, her heart racing. "My behavior with Elysia doesn't come out of nowhere, Adrian. There are things you don't know."
"Yes, I know! She explained everything to me. It's awful that you don't trust a friend like her!" Adrian raised his voice, his expression betraying his indignation. "Right now, I don't even recognize you. I thought you weren't that pretentious and cold-hearted woman the rumors speak of, but clearly, I was wrong. You're finally showing your true face."
That last sentence was the final straw. It was one thing for him to be angry because she had left without informing him, but for him to not even bother to listen to her side, choosing instead to believe Elysia's words and the rumors she had caused, was too much. Helia had loved him because she thought he was different, but now he was slandering her unjustly, exactly as the rest of high society had been doing, and it hurt her deeply.
Helia stood up, her face hardening. "That's enough, Adrian. Leave." She was holding back tears.
He stared at her, surprised, but the determination in her eyes did not waver. "You're seriously asking me to leave? Why? You have no explanation to offer, I suppos..."
"Because you refuse to listen to me!" she exclaimed, her heart heavy. "We'll talk about it when you're calm and ready for a real conversation. Now, I'm asking you to leave."
Adrian, his face closing off, turned on his heel and left the room, leaving Helia alone with her troubled thoughts.
Helia felt her heart tighten painfully. In a year of being with Adrian, she had never had such an intense argument with him. Anger simmered inside her, fueled by frustration and misunderstanding. Clearly, Elysia had no intention of leaving her alone—she had gone so far as to poison her fiancé's mind, and to top it all off, he had chosen to believe her, rather than Helia.
The thought of Elysia sent a shiver of rage down her spine.
It was becoming impossible to ignore her: she had to put an end to these machinations. But for now, she had a far more urgent matter to attend to. Her sequencing required her full attention, and she could not afford to lose sight of her objective. Determined, she took a deep breath and told herself she would deal with Elysia once her mission was over.
Wiping away her tears one last time, she stood with a firm movement and made her way to the laboratory, resolved to immerse herself in her work and ignore the lingering pain within her.
She crossed the threshold into the dimly lit room, and an odd sense of solitude washed over her. This laboratory, usually synonymous with discovery and knowledge, felt almost cold to her that day. She took a deep breath, pushing away her intrusive thoughts, and immediately began preparing her samples. The familiar sounds of potions and magical instruments slightly soothed her, giving her a sense of regaining some control.
The days that followed were marked by a grueling routine: she worked on preparations in the lab and sometimes slipped discreetly to the Academy, as certain stages required more advanced magical equipment, available only there. Although she had unrestricted access to the facilities thanks to her researcher's diploma, she knew her research had to remain confidential—the prince himself had insisted on absolute discretion.
During her trips to the Academy, she crossed paths with several scientific colleagues. But, as usual, they didn't linger on her comings and goings. She gave them a few smiles, maintaining a relaxed demeanor. After all, they were used to seeing her appear for all sorts of things, always driven by her new ideas and side projects. She had the reputation of being a passionate researcher who dived into varied and unpredictable studies, often with no apparent connection between them.
Thus, for several days, Helia alternated between her personal lab and the Academy's. The sleepless nights and constant efforts weighed heavily on her, but she refused to slow down. Finally, after a week of intense research, she completed the sequencing and its analysis. The results she obtained, far darker than she had hoped, confirmed the magnitude of the threat.