When Dante woke up at his usual time the next day, he went through his morning routine as usual. After freshening up, he got dressed and headed toward Davis' room. He wanted to check on him, especially since Helios would be staying late in his lab again that day. Dante knew that this was the only time he could check on him before he started his own shift.
Around 7:30 AM, he arrived at Davis' door and knocked softly. It was important to him that he didn't accidentally wake him up – he knew how much Davis needed his sleep. But like Dante, Davis was an early riser, so it wasn't unlikely that he was already awake. After a few seconds of silence, Dante was about to turn and leave when the door suddenly opened, and Davis looked at him with a surprised expression.
"Dante? What are you doing here so early?" Davis asked.
"I just wanted to check on you," Dante answered. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good," Davis said, gesturing for Dante to follow him. "Come in, have a seat."
The room was simply furnished, almost minimalistic. There was a simple bed, a table, a chair, a wardrobe, and a shelf filled with a few personal items. There were even books on the shelf, which surprised Dante; he hadn't thought Davis would spend his free time reading.
On the table, there were several vials filled with a reddish liquid, which Dante immediately recognized as the pain medication Helios had prepared for Davis. The memory of the kiss he had accidentally witnessed resurfaced in his mind. He quickly pushed the thought aside. It was a fact he hadn't really been able to process yet: Davis and Helios – they were a couple.
"Did everything went well yesterday?" Davis asked, looking a bit uneasy.
"Yeah, everything's fine," Dante replied to reassure him. "We were at the lab and didn't come back until late. Nothing happened."
Davis sighed in relief, but his face remained concerned.
"Helios wanted to change my bandages last night and check the wounds. I really waited for a long time, but he didn't come back. At some point, I must have fallen asleep from exhaustion. When I woke up this morning, I saw the old bandages and was so afraid that you might have been attacked again while I wasn't there," Davis' voice sounded tense, and his face showed a mix of concern and fatigue.
Dante gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, we didn't get back until after 3 AM, and Helios went straight to bed. He was really exhausted."
Davis looked at him with a confused expression. "Normally, he stays awake at night, doesn't he?"
"He fell asleep in the car," Dante replied.
Davis stared at him for a moment, as if to make sure he had heard correctly. Finally, he ran a relieved hand through his hair. "Helios... fell asleep in the car?" he repeated slowly, then shook his head with a quiet laugh. "Well, then everything is fine."
Dante grinned. "See? You worry too much."
"With everything that's happening around him, I can't think about it enough," Davis sighed.
"How long are you going to be out?" Dante asked.
Davis grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Are you already missing me?"
"You talk so much that time just flies by," Dante huffed, amused.
"If it's up to Helios, then two weeks," Davis replied, his expression becoming a bit more serious. "He said the wounds should heal properly before I return to duty."
Dante raised an eyebrow and looked at him carefully. "And when will you really come back?"
Davis exhaled slowly, as if weighing the decision with himself.
"I'll give myself three more days. Then I'll be back, even though I feel like it's too early. I can't stand being away for longer. I worry too much about everything that might happen while I'm not there."
"It's always frustrating when you feel like you're losing control," Dante said thoughtfully.
Davis looked him deep in the eyes, now with a serious expression. "Absolutely. If something happened to him just because I'm resting here... I can't even imagine it. That would be the worst for me."
"I'm still here," Dante said firmly, placing a hand on Davis' shoulder. "You should really take the time to get fully back on your feet. You can rely on me while you rest."
Davis looked at him gratefully and nodded slightly. "I'm lucky I can rely on you," he said with a small smile. "But tell me, are you two getting along better now?"
Dante thought for a moment before answering. "We had a pretty interesting conversation yesterday."
Davis' smile grew wider. "I'm glad to hear that. You'll see, Helios is actually a pretty laid-back guy once you get to know him better."
Dante almost snorted loudly. The way Helios often acted, it seemed like he had lived without a care in the world since the first day. "Laid-back" wasn't necessarily the word that did him justice, especially when he wasn't deep into his work.
"It's definitely not hard to talk to him," Dante admitted.
"Considering how stiff you were just a few days ago, I'm glad to see you're finally loosening up," Davis remarked with an amused grin.
"You should always take your job seriously," Dante said. "And with the working hours... well, you know how long we work here every day."
Davis laughed heartily. "The working hours are definitely not easy," he said as he slowly put on his shoes.
"Do you want to go for a walk?" Dante asked as he stood up.
"Could say that," Davis replied. "I really need to move around a bit, and these bandages should be changed. You have to go see Helios soon, right? I'll come with you. That way, he doesn't have to come all the way here."
"Didn't it hit you on your thigh? Do you think you can make it?" Dante looked at him with concern.
Davis waved him off and smiled reassuringly. "I hardly feel the sting," he said while drinking one of the vials Helios had given him. "The painkillers work really well. I'm feeling better than you might think."
"As long as you don't overdo it," Dante said, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Don't worry," Davis replied with a smile.
Together, they left the room and headed toward Helios. Dante immediately noticed that Davis was limping, unable to fully bear weight on his injured leg. The tension was visible on his face, even though he was trying hard to hide his condition. It seemed like he was pushing through with sheer stubbornness.
Davis was the type of person who ignored his own limits to achieve his goals. It was almost admirable how persistent he was. Right now, it seemed his only wish was to be by Helios' side again, to prove himself and be useful. Dante could understand that. It reminded him of a time when he would have done anything for the people he loved.
But those people were no longer around. No family, no friends, no comrades. All those who had once meant something to him were either dead or gone. And all that was left was him – alone. A touch of envy mixed with the grief he carried within. He envied Davis, who still had someone to care for, someone he wanted to be there for.
Maybe he should really allow a friendship with Davis. It felt strange, but in the few days he had been serving the Vale family, he had started to like the guy. Davis was a really good person, even if sometimes a little gruff, especially when it came to Helios' safety. But overall, it was easy to talk to him – and that was saying something, considering Dante usually struggled with long conversations with others.
He longed for a friend.
When Davis had faced the three assassins alone, Dante had been truly afraid for him. He was someone who worried more about the well-being of others than about himself. Dante knew how to protect himself. He could go into battle, knew how to defend himself, and even if he got injured, he could handle the consequences. Dante's gaze shifted back to Davis, who was doing his best to hide the pain from his wounds.
Dante wanted to tell him that he should rest, that he needed to take more time to heal. But something held him back. Who was he to tell someone else what they should do? Davis had a goal, a determination that Dante admired at this moment. It was hard for him to break that, and he didn't want to. Neither of them wanted to interfere in the other's business.
As they stood in the hallway in front of Helios' room, they saw Thomas, who was about to open the door.
"If you want, I can throw him out of bed," Davis joked with a crooked grin.
Thomas looked at him, surprised, before asking with concern, "You look really pale. Didn't you have bed rest?"
"I couldn't lie down anymore and needed to move a little," Davis replied. He gestured for the guards to leave. "Besides, I wanted to see him so he could check my wounds," he added quietly, so no one could hear.
Thomas gave him a worried look, clearly concerned.
"Wouldn't you rather wait for him in the room? You really do look pale. I can bring you a meal or at least something to drink."
Davis quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked genuinely exhausted. It was clear that he was doing his best to ignore the pain and keep himself composed.
"The idea's not bad," Davis finally said, unable to completely hide the weakness in his voice. "Dante, can you help me take off the bandages?"
"Sure, I can do that."
Thomas was about to open the door when it suddenly moved on its own, and Helios stood before them. The young man was fully dressed, his hair still slightly damp, and he looked surprisingly awake and energetic.
"Oh, Thomas! I'm glad I wasn't wrong when I thought I heard your voice. Could you please bring me some coffee?"
"Young Master!" Thomas said, surprised, as he looked at his master's condition. "You're already awake!"
"There's little time, and I need to visit my patient today," Helios explained. "Could you please call the Cresent family and announce my visit?"
"As you wish," Thomas said, nodding, but his gaze remained concerned. He then looked at Helios with a critical glance. "You haven't..."
"Only as long as the project lasts," Helios dismissed, as though he had anticipated the question. He shook his head slightly, as if trying to push the topic away.
He then turned to Dante and Davis, who were still standing in the hallway. "Good that you're here, Davis. I would have come to you otherwise. Come in," said Helios, and then disappeared back into his room.
"Why the hell is he awake at this hour?" Davis murmured.
It was truly strange. Over the past few days, Dante had only seen Helios groggy and barely able to speak longer sentences. The man standing before them now was the complete opposite—awake, full of energy, almost over-motivated. And that at this early hour.
"No idea," Dante said honestly. What else was he supposed to say? Helios was always a little hard to read.
"You better come in," Thomas finally said, motioning for them to enter. "Davis, you look like you're about to collapse. I'll get the coffee in the meantime."
He waited until Davis and Dante had entered and then quietly closed the door behind them.
Dante glanced around the room. Helios' room was bigger than he had expected, especially considering that he only used it for sleeping. It was simply furnished, decorated in darker colors, but the room exuded a sense of calm. The large bed was neatly made, probably by Thomas. Two tall bookshelves stood against the walls, filled with thick, well-kept books, and a cozy armchair was positioned by the window, next to a small table with a book resting on it. A bookmark marked the place where Helios had seemingly last left off.
"Sit down, Davis," Helios instructed as he entered the room. He cast a concerned look at Davis as he saw the strain in his movements. "Why are you torturing yourself coming here if you're obviously not feeling well?"
"I missed you," Davis replied with a wry smile as he slowly dragged himself toward the armchair and then collapsed into it, the sweat on his forehead from the effort.
"Idiot," Helios retorted, snorting, but there was a touch of affection in his voice.
He then turned to Dante and looked at him with his green, intelligent eyes. "Start removing the bandages. I'll gather everything for the bandage change."
With these words, Helios walked over to his suitcase, which was on a small table at the other end of the room, and began mixing something. Meanwhile, Dante went to Davis to remove the bandages.
The bandages were crooked and already starting to come loose at the edges. Dante hadn't seen exactly where Davis was injured before, but now, as he removed the bandages, the full extent of the injuries became clear. Davis had a bandage around his right upper arm, and there were patches on his chest, neck, and forearm.
In addition, Dante remembered the deep stab wound on Davis' thigh that Helios had stitched up two evenings ago.
The bandages that Dante carefully removed were slightly bloody, but the wounds beneath them seemed to have, at least for the moment, not become infected. However, Dante could see the tension in Davis' facial features as he pulled off the next patch. A sharp hiss escaped him as the wound was exposed again.
"There's definitely no nurse lost on you," Davis joked with a wry smile, but sweat ran in thick drops down his forehead.
"Maybe you should have waited in your room after all," Dante said, concerned, his own forehead furrowed with worry.
"Oh, it was just the stairs," Davis replied lightly, waving off the comment as though dismissing it. But he wiped the sweat from his forehead again, and Dante could see the strain in his eyes.
"I don't think you'll be back on duty in a few days," Dante said with a skeptical look while continuing his careful work.
"Nonsense. It's only been one day," Davis replied with a strained smile. "Give me two or three more days, and I'll be fine."
"You can forget that," Helios interrupted as he laid the fresh bandaging material on the table. "You're paler than any dead person I've ever seen."
He handed Davis a vial, which Davis drank in one go without hesitation.
"Have you taken any painkillers yet?" Helios then asked, his voice noticeably softer.
"Before we came here," Davis answered, his voice sounding a little muffled as he tried to hide his exhaustion.
Helios raised an eyebrow and examined Davis critically. "You know you shouldn't take too much at once, right?"
"If I get stomach pains, I'm sure you'll mix something for that," Davis weakly grinned as he set the vial down and looked at Helios with a mischievous glance.
Helios gave him an incredulous look. "There really is no remedy for stupidity," he murmured, shaking his head. Then he gently tapped Davis on the forehead and gave him a slightly annoyed, but also caring, look. "The goal is a quick recovery, not a long-term illness. Understood?"
"Don't be mad, I'm just kidding," Davis said apologetically, trying to lighten the mood.
Helios snorted and ripped off the last bandage painfully. Davis winced. Helios, on the other hand, smiled sweetly at him. "Make sure you take better care of yourself in the future so you don't end up in this kind of situation."
Davis looked at him with an apologetic expression. "I didn't want to make you worry," he said quietly.
"Then make sure you get better," Helios scolded, but Dante could see the concerned expression on his face. Despite the harsh words, it was clear that Helios genuinely cared about Davis.
Dante felt a little on the outside. He didn't dare say anything, not wanting to interrupt the exchange between the two. In a way, he felt like the fifth wheel. Still, he was aware that both Helios and Davis were in their own world at that moment – a world of care and responsibility shared between them without needing words.
Helios soaked a few compresses with the second liquid he had mixed earlier and began carefully cleaning Davis' wounds.
"At least nothing has gotten infected," Helios said quietly as he continued working on the wounds. His tone had softened, less harsh than before.
With quick, precise movements, Helios cleaned the wounds and stitches, and when he finished with the upper and lower arms, he turned his attention to the deep cut on Davis' thigh. Davis' face contorted slightly during the treatment, but he didn't say a word. Helios finally applied a fresh bandage and took a step back to check his work.
Just as he finished, Thomas entered the room with a tray. On the tray were a coffee pot, four cups, and a plate with breakfast.
He poured the coffee and handed each of them a cup. Davis slowly began dressing again, carefully so as not to strain the bandages. Thomas placed the breakfast plate on the small table next to the armchair where Davis was sitting.
"Thank you, Helios," Davis said gratefully as he carefully pulled his shirt over the fresh bandages.
Helios snorted. "Someone has to take care of you," he said, sinking onto the edge of the bed with a relaxed sigh. Then he took a cautious sip of his coffee and closed his eyes. "Nothing beats your coffee, Thomas."
Thomas gave him a satisfied look. "I'm glad you've found my humble coffee to your liking."
Helios took another sip, then turned his gaze to Dante, who had been quietly following the conversation. "We'll be visiting Violet today," Helios announced.
Dante immediately nodded, as he was indeed aware that they had talked about this. "When do you plan to leave?" he asked while bringing his cup to his lips.
"Once we've finished our coffee," Helios replied calmly. "I have everything I need already in my suitcase."
He looked back at Thomas and then asked, "Have you made contact with the doctor from the Cresent family?"
Thomas nodded with a brief smile. "He will bring the requested samples to the company in the afternoon, as agreed."
"Good," Helios said thoughtfully, and his gaze drifted back to Davis. "I don't need to tell you what to do, do I?"
"I'll rest, don't worry," Davis answered with a small smile and took a bite of a sandwich.
"You can rest here and then go to your room later. If you leave right now, you'll collapse. You're still terribly pale," Helios said, concerned.
Davis sighed. "I wish I could join you," he murmured. Then he looked at Dante, as if wanting to make sure he would respond to his request. "Promise me you'll do everything to protect him."
Dante nodded with firm determination. "Don't worry. I'll protect him with my life," he assured him.
Helios, who had by now gotten up, set his half-empty cup down and began packing his things into his suitcase. "Nothing will happen to me," he said.
"How's the project going?" Davis asked, now trying to steer the conversation in another direction.
Helios paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words. "Let's just say, I have a pretty clear idea of what I want to create," he began, his eyes briefly lighting up as he returned to his work. "I've developed a few test tonics. I'll probably only test one on Violet. This afternoon, I need to analyze the new samples, and then I can start finding the right substances to reactivate the muscle cells."
Davis nodded thoughtfully, but a slight furrow appeared on his forehead. "Then why are you going to Violet if the samples are being delivered directly to the lab?" he asked, as if trying to better understand the logic behind the decision.
Helios took another sip from his cup and then looked at Davis calmly. "Because I want to know if the tonic I'm planning to administer to her will really make a difference over the next few days. It's an attempt to at least slow the disease down, so we have more time," he explained with a serious expression. "I also need to figure out how far the disease has really progressed. The tests and samples are a step, but the personal observation of Violet is still the key factor."
"Then it will do exactly that. After all, everything seems to be going according to your plan," Davis said with so much confidence in his voice that Dante rarely heard from anyone.
"At least you rarely make mistakes with the mixture," Thomas added, his voice carrying a hint of respect and a quiet concern that Dante couldn't miss.
Thomas gave Helios a strange look, almost as if warning him, but Helios completely ignored it and calmly finished his coffee. He then closed his suitcase with a fluid motion and began putting on his shoes, as if he wasn't concerned about the atmosphere around him.
"I never make mistakes with my mixture," Helios said firmly, tying his first shoe. "Besides, I plan to be finished in a week. After that, it will just be a waiting game. These mixtures only show their effect with prolonged use."
Dante looked at him, puzzled. "A week? That sounds pretty fast."
Helios grinned and then tightened the other shoelace. "By then, I should have this figured out, don't you think?" His voice sounded as confident as his gaze.
Thomas handed him a dark blue envelope. "By the way, there's an evening party in two days, and your attendance is explicitly requested," he said with a slight, almost imperceptible emphasis, indicating that he knew how little Helios liked such events.
"Another endless boring event?" Helios snorted disdainfully. "I'm not going."
"Your father insists," Thomas said with a firm voice, as though he didn't want to let the subject go easily.
Helios rolled his eyes. "Who am I supposed to accompany this time?" he asked irritably, as if the answer was expected and a form of suffering he couldn't avoid.
"The second daughter of the Eckhardt family."
Helios' expression immediately darkened. "I might as well show up with any random livestock," he said with a sharp edge in his voice. "The woman has absolutely no brains. Forget it, Thomas. If I have to spend even one more evening with that brainless fool, I'll hang myself."
He threw the envelope onto the bed, as if trying to push it away from him, and the envelope fell onto the blanket with a soft thud.
"Why does Father even want to find a woman for me?" Helios snorted.
"Because he cares about you," Thomas replied calmly, as though he had had this discussion countless times before. "He believes a woman would do you good. Maybe you would spend less time in the lab and eat healthier, or just have more meals in general."
Dante observed the exchange between the two. He realized that Thomas and Vale knew nothing about the relationship between Helios and Davis, and for a brief moment, he wondered if the two were keeping their relationship a secret. Davis, who had been quiet up to this point, now looked tense. The prospect of Vale trying to marry off his son didn't seem to sit well with him. Dante could understand his reaction, and he didn't even want to imagine how Davis must have felt.
"Father should stop meddling in my affairs," Helios snapped, the anger in his voice evident as he turned back to Thomas.
"He just wants you to be well," Thomas said. "But this evening is more about closing an important deal."
"And then he wants to shove this woman in my face?" Helios asked with biting irony.
"She was a choice of many," Thomas answered calmly, as if this was the only plausible response.
"No interest," Helios said, shaking his head decisively, then exhaling in frustration. "Tell him I'll go if he picks someone with more IQ than a damn goldfish."
"As you wish," Thomas replied with a slight bow, as if he had long ago resigned himself to this endless cycle of requests and demands.
Helios then looked at Dante and nodded at him. "Let's go. I still have a lot to do today and don't want to waste any more time," he said with a firm determination in his voice.
He then threw a warning glance at Davis, who was still sitting in the armchair eating a sandwich. "Resting means doing nothing but eating and sleeping. Understood?"
"Don't worry, I'll follow your orders," Davis promised with a smile.
___
Violet cast Helios another intense look, but it seemed to bounce off him unperturbed. Her eyes sparkled with unsaid words as Helios leaned over her legs, which were exposed up to the middle of her thighs. She was lying on her bed, and Helios seemed to be checking how much sensitivity she still had in her limbs – and at what point the feeling completely disappeared.
"Hmm, so the legs have actually become even more numb in just these few days," Helios murmured thoughtfully, gently probing the skin along her thighs with his fingers. "What about your fingers?"
Violet flinched at the question, as if she had already anticipated the words, and then shyly lowered her gaze. Her eyes, which had seemed to penetrate the room earlier, were now clouded with sadness.
"I... I can hardly eat on my own, let alone drink," she stammered, her voice almost a whisper. "The cups are too heavy, and coordinating the cutlery is... almost impossible." Her words seemed like a heavy burden that she struggled to voice.
Helios slowly pulled her dress back down over her legs. He then reached out his hand to take hers in his and began testing her hands and arms, checking their sensitivity. Violet tried to hold a few things, but eventually, her arms fell limply by her sides. The exhaustion was evident on her face, and it was clear that she was no longer able to act independently.
A soft sigh escaped Helios as he pulled away from her and stood up.
He walked to his suitcase, paused for a moment, then mixed some substances together, filling them into several empty vials. With practiced movements, he placed seven of the vials on the table and closed his suitcase. He handed one of the vials to Violet directly. "Over the next four days, you'll take this medicine in the morning and evening. It should slow the disease down and, with a little luck, offer you a bit more quality of life," he explained as Violet took the vial with wide eyes. "It's not the final remedy. But based on the samples your doctor took, I can now finally conduct the tests necessary for the development of the final cure."
Violet looked at him with a hopeful but also anxious gaze. "Do you think I'll be able to walk again soon?" she asked quietly, her voice trembling, as if she was loading every word with the hope for a positive response. She then looked at him directly, as if trying to read in his face what her future held. "And dance? I would love to dance again! Or ride! Even just walking would be enough for me!" Her voice broke, and tears ran down her cheeks.
Helios remained silent for a moment, looking at her thoughtfully. His eyes, which were usually guarded by an impenetrable facade, seemed softer in that moment. Then he grinned slightly, almost a little crookedly. "It'll be a small challenge, but it should work. Take the medicine, and I'll come back in four days to see how you're doing," he finally said, then closed his suitcase with one last, thoughtful glance.
Violet drank the vial in one go, without hesitation, as if the contents were her only remaining hope. Helios watched her closely, his gaze intense, almost analytical. It was a moment that seemed almost unbearable for Violet – her cheeks burned as she couldn't tear her gaze away from him. Dante stood silently behind him, almost able to hear the soft, accelerated pounding of Violet's heart as the tension between them grew.
Helios finally nodded in satisfaction and turned toward the door. "I'll see you in four days," he said and took a step toward the exit.
"W-wait!" Violet's voice broke the silence, causing both of them to turn. Helios abruptly turned around and looked at her questioningly.
"Is there something else?" he asked.
Violet quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks and threw him a shy, but sincere look. "If I can walk again, would you dance with me?" she asked, her voice fragile, but the hope in her eyes unmistakable. It was a question that was both a request and a deeper longing – a reminder of the life she had lost and the life she wished to have back.
"That would definitely be a good test to check your mobility," Helios considered, as he leaned back for a moment, thinking. "But first, I need to make sure your stubborn legs are working again."
"T-thank you!" Violet stammered with bight red cheeks, a slight smile on her lips that brought hope to her eyes.
"Have a nice day," Helios said with a brief nod as he moved toward the door. He looked at Dante, who hesitated for a moment. "Let's go, Dante."
Dante followed him without a word, and as they reached the hallway, a guard joined them, silently following. The guard briefly glanced at Dante before giving a silent signal that everything was okay and no danger was present. Helios seemed unaffected and hummed quietly to himself, as if pleased with how the day was going.
Even in the car, Helios' mood seemed to remain excellent. Dante watched him with a mixture of astonishment and curiosity. Why was Helios in such a good mood? Was it due to the successful examination, or because of Violet's clear advances? However, Dante couldn't imagine that Helios was the type for casual relationships. After all, he had Davis in his life, or had he been mistaken?
Dante could no longer suppress his curiosity. He looked directly at Helios until his green, intelligent eyes met his gaze.
"What's up?" Helios asked with a satisfied smile.
"You're in surprisingly good spirits," Dante said openly. "Was the examination that successful?"
Helios nodded without losing his good mood. "The tonic didn't seem to have any direct negative effects on her. Had the dose been too strong, she'd probably have died shortly after taking it."
Dante stared at him, shocked. The words didn't quite make sense in his head. "W-wait... you're in such a good mood because you calculated that Violet might die?"
Helios noticed the inner conflict suddenly written across Dante's face and raised an eyebrow, sensing the tension in the air.
"There's still no cure for her disease," he explained calmly and matter-of-factly, as though trying to demystify the situation. "And everything I do is highly experimental. Even though I carefully calculate the doses, something can always go wrong. A sudden allergic reaction, a weak heart, a sudden poisoning – these are all risks I always have to consider, even though no one has died from my medicine so far."
Although Helios spoke the words almost with a certain indifference, Dante could see the relief in his eyes. The scientist seemed to remain calm, but it was obvious that even he didn't take the potential risks and the responsibility lightly.
"You sound relieved," Dante finally said.
"Somehow, I am," Helios admitted. Then, almost as if he wanted to change the subject, he suddenly grinned and looked at Dante. "Interesting, isn't it? A small mistake can destroy everything, while research and the right dose can improve an entire life."
Dante gave him another thoughtful glance. "Is that what drives you? The constant search for the perfect dose, for the one remedy that can save lives?"
Helios smiled mysteriously and gave him a cryptic look. "That, and much more."