[table][row][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/VgbuqO2.png[/img][/cell][cell][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/240522/49791553b35fa05b88864f9127dc2df9.png[/img][/cell][/row]
[row][cell][sub]Location: Alchemy Chambers[/sub][/cell][/row][/table]After Nathaniel’s departure, the quiet of Eris’s home felt more like a companion than a void. They had made decent progress preparing for the expedition, but now, she was alone with only her thoughts again—just the way she preferred it. For the first time in what felt like weeks, she allowed herself the indulgence of slowing down.  

She began by washing up, the steaming water from the washbasin a welcome luxury. As she scrubbed away the remnants of sleepless nights and ink-stained fingers, her mind wandered, momentarily free from the tether of her studies. Despite her best efforts to resist it, her thoughts strayed to Nathaniel and the dance they had shared. Her nose wrinkled at the thought, a faint grimace forming as the memory lingered longer than she’d like. 

These feelings were fleeting, she reminded herself—nothing more than a byproduct of the loneliness she felt in a place so foreign. A weakness of human nature she was not immune to. The memory stirred something she didn’t care to name, an unwelcome vulnerability she swiftly pushed aside. Instead, she focused on water, letting it envelop her like a shield against intrusive thoughts.

Wrapped in a soft robe, she moved through her chambers, lighting a few candles to bathe the room in a warm, flickering glow. A steaming mug of tea in her hands, she sank into the comfort of her armchair and pulled a woolen blanket over her legs. After the chaos of her lab, the moment felt almost decadent. As if it was out of her control, her thoughts briefly returned to Nathaniel—his genuine interest, the comfort of having someone around who seemed to care as much as she did. 

Still, she cherished her solitude, basking in the freedom—unshackled by watchful eyes or unspoken expectations.

Flipping open a well-loved book that she hadn’t touched in months, Eris let herself be drawn into a world far removed from her own. The hours slipped by unnoticed, the tension of the past week unraveling with every page she turned. Every so often, she paused to sip her tea or listen to the soothing crackle of the fire, feeling content in a way she hadn’t for days. 

Eventually, exhaustion took hold, her body curling into the warm cocoon of blankets. The week she’d spent depriving herself of rest catching up to her quickly. She read a few more lines, but her eyelids grew heavy, and before she knew it, she surrendered to the pull of sleep.

…

[i]Knock Knock Knock[/i]

Eris jolted awake, her book slipping from her lap and landing open-faced on the ground. Her heart hammered against her chest as she tried to orient herself, blinking at her surroundings in confusion. How long had she been asleep? She glanced out the window, but it offered no answers—just the same endless pitch-black night that had cloaked the world for the last six months. Letting out a shaky breath, she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.  

Pulling the blanket more tightly around her shoulders, Eris bent down to retrieve her book, carefully closing it and setting it on the nearby end table before padding toward the door. She cracked it open just enough to let her face peek through. Standing on the other side was a young courier, his brown hair messy and freckled cheeks flushed from the cold.  

[color=FDFD96]“Lady Hightower,”[/color] he greeted her with a polite smile, bowing slightly. [color=FDFD96]“I’ve a letter for you.”[/color]

Curious, Eris nodded and took the letter from his gloved hands, murmuring a quiet, [color=B1E4FC] “Thank you.”[/color] She closed the door softly as he left, shivering against the draft that had slipped in. She turned the letter over in her hands, examining the seal before heading back to her armchair. Once settled under the flickering candlelight, she opened the letter and began to read. 

Once she finished, Eris frowned, her fingers brushing over the signature at the bottom. A pang of guilt twisted in her chest, recalling her initial reaction to Sya’s transformation—no, [i]double[/i] transformation. The thought of that tail still made her uneasy, but the letter’s warmth and humor reminded her how much she valued Sya’s friendship. 

Her brow furrowed at the mention of Orion—the Prince’s right-hand man, a constant presence during Flynn's interviews with the blight-born. She’d seen him in the Alchemy Chambers countless times, though she’d never gone out of her way to hold a conversation with him. Although he seemed perfectly stable, the glow of those red eyes had always made her nervous. He had always seemed so serious, and she began to wonder what he was up to with Sya—she was far from serious. 

As for Kira, the sharp-fanged redhead with those fiery eyes... Eris shivered, though Kira had never done anything to hurt her. Eris couldn't recall her ever even cracking a smile, but surprisingly, Kira had complied with most every research request. Still, the way that woman’s eyes settled upon her always set her on edge. How had Sya made a friend out of her? 

With a sigh, Eris folded the note carefully and slipped it into the cover of her book for safekeeping. She sat for a moment longer, clutching the blanket around her, before deciding she needed to summon some shred of bravery. If Sya could navigate so much change with such grace, then surely Eris could muster the courage to visit her. She owed Sya that much.

Rising, she made her way upstairs to get dressed, her nap and brief relaxation giving her just enough energy to face the rest of the day—or so she hoped.    

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[sub][b]Mentions:[/b] Sya [@PrinceAlexus], Nathaniel [@Echotech71], Orion [@Qia][/sub]