Elias stood with his arms crossed, his back against the wall, his expression unreadable. Jamie stood in the center of the room, still in her maid uniform, still defiant, still refusing to look him in the eye.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—
"You're an idiot."
The words landed flat.
Jamie blinked.
"Huh?"
Elias stepped forward.
"I said you're an idiot," he repeated, louder this time. "What were you thinking?"
Jamie frowned.
"It wasn't that big of a deal. I said I was sorry—"
"It is a big deal."
His voice rose—not shouting yet, but sharper than usual.
"You're always like this."
Jamie's expression hardened.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you don't think," Elias snapped.
"You just act. You see something, you run toward it like nothing can touch you. Like an insect towards light, moving on instinct alone."
"And what's wrong with that?" she shot back.
Elias exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair.
"You're not getting it."
Jamie tilted her head. He paused then shook his head.
"It's not my place to tell you what to do."
Jamie's eyes narrowed.
"Then why are you scolding me?"
"Because this is the real world." His voice was quieter now.
"This isn't one of the stories I told you. This isn't Blackhaven."
He took a step closer.
"This world is cruel. It doesn't care if you're naive. It doesn't care if you're innocent. It doesn't reward stupidity. It doesn't even reward carefulness or kindess. That's how unfair the world is."
Jamie frowned.
"You talk like you understand this so-called unfairness."
"I do."
"How?" she demanded.
He opened his mouth but closed it again. Something flickered behind his eyes. Memories surfaced—unwanted, unbidden.
Ethan.
Cold mornings.
Silence at the table.
Expectation pressed into every word that wasn't spoken.
Failure.
Blame.
Laughter that wasn't kind.
Voices that never said it outright—but made it clear.
Not enough.
Never enough.
And then—
Liv.
A smile.
Warmth.
Trust.
And the word that followed it.
Betrayal.
Elias's jaw tightened as he ground his teeth together.
He looked away.
"I just know."
Jamie stared at him.
"That's not an answer."
"It's enough."
"No, it's not!" she snapped. "We've been doing everything together! So why are you acting like this now? Acting like Gyan—like we're different or something!"
Elias didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"We are different."
Jamie blinked.
"How?"
Silence.
Then Elias lifted his hand.
The air warped slightly and the Obsidian Dagger formed in his grip—dark, sharp, humming faintly with Flow.
Jamie's eyes widened.
"Elias—"
He didn't hesitate.
The blade sliced across his wrist.
He didn't hesitate.
The blade sliced across his wrist.
Clean.
Deep.
Blood welled instantly. Jamie's breath hitched.
"Are you crazy?!"
She stepped forward— he stopped her with the same hand—the bleeding one—and lifted it so she could see. The wound was closing. Flesh knitting. Skin smoothing. Within seconds, there was nothing left. Not even a scar.
Elias lowered his hand.
This," he said, "is the difference."
Jamie stared at his wrist. Then at his face, frowning.
"Because you can use Accelerate Heal and I can't? It's no big deal, I can learn—"
"You're not listening." He interrupted her.
She bristled.
"Then what?!"
Elias's gaze hardened.
"The difference is that even with something like this, even with being able to perform the most advanced, refined healing technique "—he gestured to his wrist—"I wouldn't go around doing something stupid."
He took a step closer.
"And you? You don't even have that—and you still run headfirst into danger."
Jamie looked away, clicking her tongue.
"Gyan already yelled at me. So it's fine."
She turned, took a step—
"Whatever."
Elias sighed.
"Jamie."
She didn't stop.
"If you don't change…"
His voice was quieter now.
"I don't think I can be your friend anymore."
Jamie froze.
The words hung in the air.
Heavy.
Elias frowned slightly.
"…hey—"
A small sound.
Soft.
He hadn't noticed it at first.
Then—
Another.
Sniff. Sniff.
Jamie's shoulders trembled.
Slowly—
She turned around.
Her eyes were wet.
"You won't...?" she asked quietly.
"You won't be my friend anymore?"
There was no defiance now, no edge.
Just—something small.
Uncertain.
Elias scratched the back of his head.
"Tch."
He exhaled.
'Since meeting her, nothing had been normal. Nothing had been simple.Every day had been… something.'
He walked over and put an arm over her shoulder.
"Hey hey, don't cry."
She didn't look up.
"We're still friends."
A pause.
"But," he added.
He thought for a moment.
Then smirked slightly.
"Next time you're going to do something stupid, do it with me."
Jamie blinked.
"What?"
"You heard me."
He shrugged.
"You don't get to have fun without me."
She stared at him.
Then—
Slowly—
A small smile formed.
"…kay."
She wiped her eyes roughly.
"Idiot, all this time you were just angry that I didnt take you along huh?"
She elbowed him with a smirk.
Elias sighed inwardly. He knew that a few words of exhortation wouldn't change her. But if he was close enough to watch and discourage her —
The door opened and Alaric stepped in.
He paused.
His gaze moved between them—Jamie in her maid uniform, Elias with his arm around her shoulder—and raised an eyebrow.
"Was Jamie the one who cleaned the house?"
Jamie straightened instantly.
"Yep!" she said brightly, as if nothing had happened.
Elias blinked.
'That was fast.'
"That's… surprising." Alaric said. He glanced at her outfit.
"And the uniform?"
Jamie's grin faltered.
"Gyan."
Alaric nodded slowly. A knowing smile crossed his face.
"Ah, of course."
He stepped further in.
"I'll be heading to the council."
He paused.
"Or rather, my trial." He chuckled.
Jamie perked up.
"I'll go get changed."
Alaric raised a hand.
"You're staying here today."
Jamie's face fell.
"Wait—alone? With Gyan?"
"She's coming with me."
Jamie fist-bumped the air.
"Yes!"
Elias glanced at her. Alaric raised an eyebrow but decided to let it go and continued.
"Fortunately," he added, "I've arranged for someone else to watch over you."
Jamie's smile faltered.
"Huh?"
"Oh yeah..." Elias said remembering what his father had tyold him the previous evening. Jamie looking at him with a questioning expression. Just then Gyan appeared in the doorway, already changed from her maid uniform into her professional attire. She gave Jamie a pointed look.
"Your visitor has arrived."
Alaric nodded.
"Good."
They descended the stairs.
The sitting room was bright, the morning light filtering through the curtains. A woman stood by the window, her back to them, her crimson hair catching the sun.
She turned.
The pretty woman resembled Alaric yes, but she had softer features and her presence was...warm.
Familiar.
Her smile was wide, genuine, utterly unguarded.
Beside her—
A round boy stood, finger buried deep in his nose.
Elias's expression flattened instantly with instinctive dislike. The woman turned and her face lit up.
"Auro!"
She crossed the room and hugged him. He hugged her back, lifting her off the ground.
"Araba."
She pulled back, pouting.
"You didn't come see me sooner."
"Hehe.I was occupied. Your darling husband made sure of that."
She swatted his chest lightly.
"Oh stop it."
Alaric smiled.
Araba turned.
Her eyes landed on Elias.
She knelt—not gracefully, but eagerly—and placed her hands on his shoulders, studying his face. The boy blinked, startled.
"You must be Elias!" she said brightly.
"Hello. I'm your father's sister, Araba. But you can call me Mother."
Before Elias could react, she pulled him into a hug.
"You're so cute!" she cooed.
Elias glanced sideways at Jamie who just shrugged.
'Oi, don't just stand there!Help me.'
Araba pulled away, then turned to Jamie.
Her smile softened.
"And you must be Jamie Thorne."
She pulled her into a hug.
"I met your father once," she said gently. "He was a good man."
Jamie stiffened.
"It's unfortunate what happened," Araba continued. "But don't worry—I'll do my best to make you feel comfortable, alright?"
Jamie didn't respond. She couldn't.
Her face disappeared into Araba's large bosom.
She could not breathe.
She could not speak.
She could only flail.
"…mmph—!"
Araba pulled back.
Jamie staggered slightly, hunched over, gasping.
"Air—!"
A shadow fell over her.
She looked up.
The boy stood there. Looking down at her.
"Pathetic."
He was fat, with a round face and small, piggy eyes. His hair was auburn, a mixture of his father and mothers leaning more towards his mother crimson—but his features were unmistakably Amberose. The same sneer. The same disdain.
He was still picking his nose with his pinky.
Jamie blinked.
"Huh?"
"You have a maid this young?" He looked Jamie up and down and looked at Elias. "I didn't know the Dukkers were that desperate. Then again, she must have needed the work."
Jamie's eye twitched.
"What?"
Elias's hand closed around her shoulder. Squeezed.
Don't, It's not worth it.
Araba clapped her hands together.
"Oh! Right." She gestured to the boy.
"This is my son— Kingsley Amberose II."
" Junior," she added with a smile, "Say hello."
Elias and Jamie exchanged a glance.
"…Junior?" they echoed.
The boy frowned.
"…don't call me that."
"Say hello to your brother and sister dear," Araba said sweetly.
The boy sniffed.
"Hello."
Flat.
Uninterested.
"Good boy, Junior."
Junior looked at Jamie.
"Servant girl."
Jamie's eye twitched again.
"There are goods outside," he said. "Go bring them in."
Araba blinked.
"I thought you brought them?"
"They were heavy," he said. "So I left them."
Araba sighed.
Then turned.
"Jamie dear?"
amie looked at Gyan—
Who was already leaving with Alaric. She sighed.
"Fine."
She stepped outside. A basket sat near the fence gate filled with apples.As she approached—a cat popped its head up from behind them.
Jamie blinked.
"…you."
She recognized it. The same scruffy cat that had come in through the windowsill and saved her the night before when she tried to leave the house. The cat watched her for a moment. Then it picked up an apple in its mouth and ran.
"Hey—!"
Jamie followed it with her eyes as it climbed a fence, leaped, and landed in the arms of a girl.
Jamie froze.
The girl was young—early teens, maybe. She had dark hair styled in double braided pigtails, one over her shoulder and the other falling behind her. She had sharp eyes and a confident stance.
She took the apple from the cat, bit into it, and looked at Jamie.
"Oh."
A smile spread across her face.
"You're that girl who ran away yesterday."
Jamie stiffened.
"What?"
Before she could react—
The girl vaulted over the fence. She landed lightly, dust puffing around her sandals, and leaned forward—too close, her face inches from Jamie's looking her up and down.
She smiled and straightened.
"I'm Maria."
Jamie blinked.
"Huh?"
"Maria Clementes."
She tossed the apple slightly, catching it again.
Her grin sharpened.
"And you ?"
"Uh, Jamie...?"
"Hmm, Jamie huh? Well Jamie." The girl—Maria— leaned foward again.
"I like you."