The days that followed blurred into a rhythm of quiet labor.
The forest clearing became their refuge, hidden beneath the thick canopy and the sound of rushing water from a nearby stream. Each morning, mist curled around the camp, and each night the fire's glow softened the edges of their fear.
Levi slept through much of it. Her breaths came shallow, her black hair streaked through with white, her wings heavy and motionless. The runes that had burned on her skin during the teleportation still lingered faintly, like scars of fire that refused to fade.
Jane hardly left her side.
She cleaned the burns carefully with Mira's salves, whispering soft reassurances even when Levi did not stir. She held a cup of water to her lips, coaxing her to drink when her strength flickered. And when the nightmares came—the sudden tremors, the ragged gasps—Jane was always there, steady and unflinching, her hand brushing through crimson-streaked hair until the storm passed.
One evening, as the sun bled gold across the treetops, Levi's eyes opened at last.
Jane froze, her heart leaping. "Levi?"
The queen's golden gaze, dim but clear, settled on her. "You… stayed."
Jane's throat tightened. "Of course I stayed. I wasn't going to leave you like that."
A faint, tired smile touched Levi's lips. "Foolish witch. You should not chain yourself to a fallen queen."
Jane shook her head fiercely, her white-streaked bangs falling over her eyes. "You're not fallen. Not to me."
Silence stretched between them, thick with things neither dared to name.
From the fire, Ryn cleared his throat. "She'll need time. That spell tore her apart inside. But she's alive because of you, Jane."
Jane swallowed, nodding, though her gaze never left Levi's.
Later, when the others had turned in for the night, Jane remained awake. The firelight flickered against her glasses, her robot arm resting in her lap. Levi shifted slightly, her wings rustling like tired banners.
"You're stronger than they think," Jane whispered. "Stronger than even you think."
Levi's eyes softened, gold glinting in the dark. "No. I am weaker than I once was. But with you… perhaps strength returns."
Her fingers reached out, brushing against Jane's hand—flesh and metal both. The touch was light, almost hesitant.
Jane's chest ached with something she couldn't name.
For the first time since the chaos began, the world felt quiet. Not safe, not yet—but quiet. And in that fragile stillness, a bond deepened, unseen by all but them.
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