When they emerged, the cool night air of Radiant Gardeed them. Merlin’s cottage stood quietly before them, its woodeerilowing warmly uhe soft light of nterns. The faint chirping of noal creatures filled the serene night, and the faint st of blooming flowers lingered in the air.

  Skuld paused, her breath catg as she looked around, her wide eyes refleg the beauty and vastness of the world outside. The trees, the open sky, the glittering stars—it was overwhelming, yet freeing.

  “Wele,” Helios said, his voice calm yet carrying a weight of meaning. “To your first day of freedom.”

  Tears welled in Skuld’s eyes as her lips quivered with emotion. “Thank you, Helios,” she whispered, her voice trembling with gratitude and awe.

  Helios offered her a faint smile, though a shadow passed over his features. He felt the guilt gnaw at him—he was maniputing her. By guidio unlock her Keybde, something no one else had done, and her a taste of freedom, he had ted her trust in him. She believed in him pletely now, and Helios k. The pang of shame mixed with the cold rationale of his pn. For now, her freedom was real, and that thought soothed the sting of his sce.

  “e on,” he said softly, guidioward the cottage. “You’ll be staying here with me for now. But there are two uests inside. Don’t be armed if they’re ly… weling.”

  Skuld tilted her head in curiosity but followed him without hesitation, a faint giggle esg her lips. “I’m sure they’re nice!” she said, her optimism bright despite her circumstances.

  As Helios opehe door and stepped ihe familiar dim light of the cottage greeted him. It was quiet, save for the faint hum of a ntern on the far table. But the moment they ehe atmosphere shifted, being tense as Malefit’s pierg gaze locked onto them from her seat he window.

  Malefit’s expression was as sharp as a bde, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of Skuld. Her lips curled in a faint she air around her seeming to grow colder. “So,” she drawled, her tone ced with disdain, “you’ve brought home aray. How quaint.”

  Helios sighed internally, expeg no less from her. He gently ushered Skuld behind him, stepping forward to meet Malefit’s venomous gaze head-on. “Her name is Skuld,” he said firmly, his voice steady. “And she’ll be staying here for a while.”

  Malefit leaned ba her chair, her slender fingers drumming against the wooden armrest. “Another uninvited guest. You do seem to enjoy colleg them, don’t you?” Her tone dripped with mockery, her dark smirk tugging at the ers of her mouth. “Tell me, does this ‘Skuld’ have any idea what you’ve dragged her into? Or are you spinning falsehoods of hope and bargains to this ooo?”

  Skuld peeked out from behind Helios, her expression shifting from curiosity to fusion. The girl clearly didn’t uand the tension, but Helios’s protective stance was enough to reassure her. She stepped closer to him, holding his clothes tightly.

  Helios’s eyes darkened, his calm demeanor slipping into one of cold defiance as he met Malefit’s gre. “She’s no more unwele than you are,” he said, his toting but trolled. “So, if you have an insult to throw at her, Malefit, remember—it applies to you as well.”

  Malefit’s smirk faltered for a moment, her eyes narrowing. Then, a low, amused chuckle escaped her lips. “Touché, boy,” she murmured, her voice silken and dripping with dession. “But don’t think for a moment that I care about your little friendship games. Just remember, this had better not influence our deal in any way. To my eyes, you’re colleg liabilities, not allies.”

  Helios gave her a curt nod, his expression unyielding. “Noted.”

  Without another word, he turned back to Skuld, his expression softening. “e on,” he said gently, leadioward the small guest room that his two houseguests hadn’t andeered. “This will be your space for now.”

  As Skuld followed him, she whispered, “Who is she? She’s scary…”

  Helios smiled faintly, gng back at her. “I told you. She’s… plicated. Just stay out of her way, and you’ll be fine. If she bothers you just tell me okay?”

  When they reached the room, Helios opehe door and stepped aside, letting Skuld enter first. The space was modest but cozy, with a simple bed, a small desk, and a window that let in the faint glow of moonlight. Skuld looked around, her face lighting up with wonder.

  “It’s perfect,” she said, turning to Helios with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

  Helios leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. “Get some rest. You’ve had a big day. Tomorrow, we’ll talk more, and I’ll ahe rest of your questions.”

  Skuld nodded, her exhaustion finally catg up to her as she climbed into the bed. She summoned and hugged her Keybde close like it was a charm, her eyes heavy but filled with trust. “Goodnight, Helios.”

  “Goodnight, Skuld,” Helios replied, closing the door softly behind him.

  As he walked back to the main room, Helios found Malefit still seated by the window, her gaze distant. She didn’t look at him as she spoke, her voice low and cold. “What a dangerous game you’re pying, boy. Bringing someone whose heart is filled with such pure light into this house. Why, whatever should you do if somethio happen to her.”

  Helios stopped but didn’t respond immediately. He met her gaze through the refle in the window, his expression unreadable. “She is my guest and you are not to touch her. I will make sure she doesn’t affect what is between us. However, allow me to warn you should any harm e to her we will bee e that moment. If that were to happen trying to gain trol of this world would be the least of you worries. As I said I will not interfere with your pns so you need not yourself with mine.”

  Helios’s firm words hung in the air, the weight of his threat cutting through the tension like a bde. Malefit’s eyes slowly shifted from the window’s refle to meet his gaze, her lips curling into a cold smile.

  “You have quite the sharp tongue for a welp who is still learning the game,” she said, her voice a silken drawl. “But let me remind you, boy, that threats carry against one who has nothing to fear. Your bravado is admirable, but do not test my patience.”

  Helios didn’t flinch, his expression as unyielding as he summoned his Keybde and poi at her. “I’m not making threats, Malefit. I’m stating a fact. Skuld. is. off-limits.”

  A low chuckle escaped her, dark ay. “How protective you’ve bee,” she murmured. “You cim you a self-i, yet here you are, shielding that girl as though she were your kin. It’s almost… amusing.”

  Helios ched his jaw, his posure steady despite the venom in her words. “Amusement or not, you’ve heard me. As long as you’re here, you’ll respect my rules. Skuld is under my prote.”

  Malefit rose gracefully from her seat, her robes sweeping behind her like shadows brought to life. She walked toward him, her movements deliberate, until she was just a few steps away. Her golden staff glinted in the dim light, a subtle reminder of her power. She reached over and caressed Helios’ cheek.

  “I’ll humor your little attat for now,” she said, her tone ced with mockery. “But let me give you a word of caution, Helios. Proteg others has a way of… plig one’s goals. Keep your eyes on your ambitions, or you might find them slipping through your fingers.”

  Helios smirked faintly, his eyes cold. “Thank you for the advice, but I think I’ll manage just fine.”