Rainne's eyelids fluttered open, her breaths shallow and uneven. She blinked, struggling to focus on the dimly lit room, the cold stone walls of the healer's chamber coming into view. Her body ached in a way that felt beyond exhaustion, the wounds from the beast's claws burning with a deep, dull pain. She tried to move, but a sharp jolt of agony shot through her side, forcing her to stay still.
"Cassandra…" Rainne whispered, her voice hoarse.
Cassandra, who had been sitting slumped in a chair beside Rainne, snapped awake at the sound of her name. Her eyes, bloodshot and heavy with sleeplessness, immediately locked onto Rainne. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Rainne," Cassandra breathed, relief flooding her voice. She leaned forward, grasping Rainne's hand gently, careful not to hurt her. "You're awake… thank the gods."
Rainne managed a weak smile, though her face was pale and drenched with sweat. "Barely," she whispered, her green eyes flickering with a faint spark of humor. "You look… worse than I feel."
Cassandra let out a breathless laugh, but the sound was strained, brittle. "You're one to talk."
Her gaze flickered over Rainne's wounds, now carefully bandaged by the healers, but still fresh and raw. She had been so focused on getting Rainne through the night that she hadn't even realized the toll it had taken on her own body. But now, in the dim light of the chamber, Cassandra began to notice the aching stiffness in her arms, the sharp sting on her side. Her hands trembled slightly, and when she glanced down, she saw her gown, still torn and caked with dried blood—not all of it Rainne's.
She raised a hand to her face, wiping at the grime, only to wince as pain shot through her arm. Her sleeve was torn, revealing a jagged cut along her forearm that she didn't even remember getting. There were bruises too, darkening her olive skin, and a sharp throb in her ribs that made breathing difficult.
"Cass…" Rainne's voice was soft but filled with concern. "You're hurt."
Cassandra shook her head, her expression tight. "It's nothing. I've had worse."
But even as she said it, she could feel the weight of the night pressing down on her, exhaustion creeping in like a slow tide. She hadn't slept—not for a second. Her body was running on sheer willpower, and now that Rainne was awake, the adrenaline was starting to wear off.
Before she could respond, the heavy wooden door to the chamber creaked open. Eryx stepped inside, his presence commanding as ever, but there was a heaviness in his expression that Cassandra hadn't seen before. His dark eyes swept over them, lingering briefly on Rainne, then on Cassandra's bruised and bloodied form.
"Rainne," Eryx said, his voice low but steady. "I'm glad to see you awake."
Rainne nodded faintly, her voice too weak to speak. She shifted slightly, trying to sit up, but Cassandra placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Stay down," Cassandra urged softly, her eyes flicking toward Eryx, sensing something was wrong.
Eryx sighed, running a hand through his light hair, letting the tension in his shoulders clear. "We've lost several people from the guild," he said, his voice grim. "Some of our spies were inside Clemonte's estate when the chaos broke out. Two were killed by the creature. Another didn't make it back from the streets after we evacuated."
Cassandra's stomach tightened. She had been so focused on Rainne, so consumed by her own battle, that she hadn't realized how far the devastation had spread.
Eryx's jaw clenched as he continued. "Clemonte and several other nobles survived, but there were casualties among their ranks as well. We've received some information, though not nearly enough to explain what's happening. Some of our people went back into the wreckage during the night. They managed to recover Clemonte's files—documents that mention these 'beastly things,' but it's fragmented. Incomplete."
Cassandra's brow furrowed. "What do they say?"
Eryx shook his head. "It's unclear. Clemonte has been keeping tabs on similar creatures surfacing in other parts of the world—distant cities, forgotten ruins. But there's no explanation as to where they're coming from or what's causing their appearance."
Rainne's voice, though faint, cut through the tension. "We saw… more than one," she murmured, her eyes distant as she recalled the night. "There were nobles, talking about… controlling them. Using them."
Cassandra's heart sank. "What do you mean?"
"They weren't just scared, Cass," Rainne said, her voice gaining a little more strength. "Some of them knew about the creatures—like they were expecting them."
Eryx's face darkened. "If that's true… we may be facing something far worse than wild beasts."
Cassandra clenched her fists, her anger simmering beneath the surface. "And Clemonte? Does he know?"
Eryx's gaze hardened. "Clemonte is keeping secrets. He'll talk eventually, one way or another. But for now, I need you two to rest. You've both been through hell."
"I can still fight," Cassandra said, but even as the words left her mouth, she swayed slightly, her vision blurring from the effort of staying upright. Eryx was right—they were both in no condition to take on whatever was coming next.
Eryx's voice softened, a rare gentleness in his tone. "You did more than anyone could have asked of you, Cassandra. Take care of each other. There will be more battles ahead."
Cassandra looked at Rainne, her heart aching with the weight of it all. The blood, the pain, the near loss. But Rainne was still here. She had survived. That was enough for now.
As Eryx turned to leave, his final words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. "We'll need both of you before this is over. The real fight has just begun."