The guards stationed just outside Cora’s door paid little mind to Sterling as he approached.

  The once sealed gate that pretended to hold Cora inside was now positioned slightly ajar, the guards seemingly unbothered by its insecurity.

  “Ella sent me,” He said to the guard on the right.

  She rolled her eyes, “Are you expecting a formal invitation?”

  “So can I just go in?”

  She huffed, annoyed, “Everyone else does. Honestly not sure why they even bother keeping her here anymore. I feel like all that magic garbage they do in there should be in a more ventilated space, but what do I know?” She grumbled.

  “Well, thanks anyway,” He muttered as he pushed the gate open, stepping into Cora’s room.

  It was a mess of papers and abandoned books and ingredient scrap.

  Cora, herself, sat on a stool, her chin resting on her arms on the edge of the cot staring at the other Faedemon like a puppy might stare at the door, waiting for its master to get home.

  He couldn’t help the echo of a smile.

  This was why he’d given her his name. She wasn’t the heartless monster people thought Faedemons were. A fact he became more and more sure of every time she spoke about her life… and her death.

  The man before her had cost her her family, her friends, the life she dreamed of. He’d gotten her killed and then denied her a proper death.

  And yet here she was. Trying everything possible to draw him out of this Curse.

  She didn’t look up as he entered, “What does she want?” She muttered.

  Her eyes looked tired, she seemed oddly thin for the few days since he’d last seen her. He’d never actually considered the possibility that a Faedemon could look sickly.

  “My team is going out,” he said, the lie he’d prepared to tell her disintegrating as he’d forgotten to account for the fact she could easily hear him through the practically open doorway. “You should come hunting with us.”

  The outcome remained the same, he just hoped she might agree.

  Ella was right. Looking at her now she really did need to hunt. She wouldn’t starve but she wasn’t healthy.

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  “I should stay here,” She replied. “To see if this works.”

  “You have hours until anything should happen,” He replied. “There’s no sense in waiting here.

  She turned her head to face him, but didn’t bother lifting it as her eyes widened in mild interest, “You know how long it should take? It was your alchemist that sent this then, Ev, right?”

  He pressed his lips.

  Ev would be furious when she found out he’d been the one to let her secret slip.

  “She just wanted the mages back to their usual work,” he told Cora.

  That was what Ev had told him anyway. Though part of him suspected it was more self-serving than that. The mystery of the Curse was plaguing the whole camp, as much as Ella had tried to keep it concealed. Everyone wanted, no, needed there to be a way to break it.

  “That makes sense,” She said softly, returning her gaze to the unconscious man.

  “So, are you coming with us?” He questioned.

  She shook her head, “No, I should wait here in case something happens.”

  “Nothing’s going to happen until the Ritual is complete.”

  She released a slow breath, “I know.”

  Silence stretched between, the final decision to stay hovering but not fully settled.

  He inhaled sharply, “You’re coming with us.”

  She sat up right, looking at him with blank eyes, “Ella’s ordering me out? Why?”

  He shook his head, “No. I am. It’s clear you need to eat something proper. Cursebreaking is important, I don't disagree. But you being here will not change the outcome of this ritual. So let’s go.”

  She stared in silence, unreadable thoughts hiding just behind her eyes.

  He held firm but didn’t speak, allowing her time to consider.

  He didn’t particularly like being this person among his team, but someone had to make sure things got done and correctly.

  As far as he was concerned, Cora was as much his responsibility as the rest of his team was.

  After a moment she stood up, “Alright. So long as we’re back in time.”

  He nodded, tension he hadn’t noticed releasing from his chest, “We won’t be out long.”

  “Let's go.”

  As he escorted her out toward the exit of the compound, he forced away the guilt.

  He'd convinced himself she wasn’t dangerous. At least he thought he had. He wanted her so desperately not to be dangerous.

  And yet, he had been scared of what her reaction might be, something he was never scared of.

  Try as he might, he seemingly couldn’t fully convince himself she was harmless.

  The guilt turned, becoming replaced by something darker.

  He was just going to have to find a far more sound argument to prove they were safe.

  Because convincing the others would be far more difficult.