Garima woke up again sometime in the morning—or maybe noon. She couldn't tell.
Her room was quiet, but the shrine outside was already awake. Distant footsteps echoed through stone corridors. Faint chatter drifted like waves.
Her body still hurt. Not sharply like before. More like a constant, lingering ache beneath her skin— in her ribs, shoulders and muscles. Even shifting under the covers reminded her of yesterday.
She stared at the ceiling for a while before noticing she wasn't alone.
There was no Ava beside her bed. No Dylan or Riley hovering in panic. No Zihan standing silently in a corner.
Instead, two figures sat near the window.
Priestess Agatha spoke first. "You are awake."
Golden light from the window painted soft lines across the room.Beside her sat Priest Hill—broader, quieter than usual, hands folded over one knee.
Garima pushed herself up slightly.
Instant regret followed. Pain lanced through her sides.
"Don't," Agatha said immediately, standing.
"I'm fine."
"You are clearly not."
Garima ignored that and adjusted herself anyway, jaw tightening.
Hill watched silently. That alone felt strange.
He usually smiled like a doting grandfather.
Today he looked…. disappointed.
And somewhere that hurt more.
"You should rest," Agatha said quietly, "Don't move around."
"I am recovering."
"Your body is still sore."
"I can still move."
"That's not the point."
Garima looked away. Silence settled in the room.
Then Priest Hill finally spoke.
"Your path will become harder from now on."
His voice was calm. Too calm.
Garima hated it.
"I know." Garima said quickly.
"You nearly became a crippled."
"I didn't."
"You could have."
"But I didn't."
The words came out faster now—Sharper. Irritated.
She knew what they were doing.
Slowing her down. Treating her carefully like something fragile.
And that thought scared her more than pain ever had.
"A hero will arrive soon— in a week," Garima said abruptly. "She is from the western territory. A border village near the Salan Forest. Prepare a room in advance."
Agatha and Hill exchanged a glance.
Garima continued before they could interrupt.
" She is vulnerable now. She had accidents on her way to Solmere. This is our chance."
She swallowed.
"I know things. I know what's coming. I can help."
Silence.
Garima clenched her blanket tightly.
"You should prepare for my training," she added more quietly. "I can continue."
Hill's expression didn't change. And that frightened her.
Because this was the first time she had seen him truly unhappy with her. Not angry. Just Sad.
"You think we are trying to stop you," he said.
Garima didn't answer.
"So you are trying to prove your worth."
"That's not—"
"You are offering your visions like bargaining chips."
Garima swallowed.
Agatha moved closer and sat beside her
"We are not afraid of you, child," she said softly.
Garima blinked.
"And we are not keeping you here because of prophecy," Agatha continued. "Or usefulness. Or because you know the future."
Hill nodded once.
"You could know nothing," he said. "And we would still not want you harmed."
Garima looked down sharply.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because you are kind," Hill said, "Because you care about others," Hill said.
"I tried to manipulate you," she whispered.
"We know," Agatha said gently. "we always have."
"Then–"
"Because your intentions are not harmful," Hill said. "And because we care about you too."
Something twisted inside her. Warm. Painful. Familiar. She understood it.
Warm rooms. Being scolded for skipping meals. Hands checking for fever. People worrying when she disappeared for too long.
Home.
"My grandfather used to get angry when I worked too much," she said softly.
Agatha stayed silent.
"He would stand outside my room and complain until I ate," Garima added with a weak laugh. "My mother said he was worse than a stray"
Hill's expression softened.
"And your parents?"
"My parents were opposites," she said "Always arguing. It was me and my brother who stopped them."
"What happened to them?" Agatha asked.
Garima froze.
The room became still.
After a long pause,she said quietly,
"That was…before I came to live with Goddess Luminae…I don't want to talk about it"
Neither of them pressed her for an explanation.
Agatha simply adjusted her blanket.
"You miss them."
It wasn't a question.
"Yes," Garima added.
Hill leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly.
"We do not know what happened before you came here," he said.
"And we will not force you to tell us."
Agatha placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"But understand this clearly."
"You are not alone here."
Hill's gaze stayed steady.
"You don't need to earn the right to be protected."
"Our shrine maintains a cordial relation with the King." Agatha said "We stopped being faithful subjects to him the moment we joined the shrine."
"We are people with our own motives and selfish desires," Hill added."We act whims. So run wild, if you wish."
Garima's eyes stung. She hated that. Because some part of her still wanted to manipulate. To be useful enough to deserve this.
But something inside her had already begun to crack open.
They were looking at her like she mattered. Not her usefulness. Her.
Agatha noticed her gaze.
"Zihan rewrapped your bandages," she said "Ava wasn't satisfied with her work."
Garima smiled faintly. "That sounds like him."
Hill shifted in his chair glancing towards the window.
"The midday bells will ring soon,"
"Do you have to go?" Garima asked.
"Not yet." he said.
Outside wind moved through the garden. She could see the flowers growing along the wall.
"What are those?" she asked.
"Larene plants," Agatha replied "They have thorns and strong smell. Keeps thieves and animals away."
"There are thieves?" she asked.
"People always look at surplus," Agatha said.
Hill added."The winter grain stores arrived early this year. The fields produced more than expected"
"Because of the drainage work," Agatha said immediately "Which I told you would help."
"You told me repeatedly."
"And I was right."
"You were."
Garima looked between them.
Decades. She thought suddenly. At least decades of conversation like this.
Arguments about grain fields and drainage trenches and whether novices overwatered vegetables.
They had that kind of history.
"So what happens to the surplus?" She asked.
"Stored," Hill said. "Some distributed North before it snows."
"Quietly?"
"There's a family in the lower district," Hill said."Blight destroyed their harvest twice."
"Why secretly?" Garima asked.
"Because Pride is complicated." Hill said. "Help offered loudly becomes performance.
Garima thought about her father sending money to charities without ever mentioning it.
"Someone I knew did that too" she said softly.
Neither asked who.
Garima smiled. She loved this calm.
"Sir Lawrance was supposed to come yesterday. But—"
"We informed him about your condition," Agatha said. "It's been handled."
"You can call him today," Garima replied. "I can lessons here"
"No," Agatha said immediately. "you are resting today. He will come tomorrow"
Garima sighed. "Did he say anything?"
Hill looked faintly amused now. "He expressed strong disagreement regarding your physical training."
"He'lll hold a grudge," Agatha said with a small smile.
"He doesn't seem like the type"
Agatha and Hill shared a private smile.
"Oh, we have known Lawrance far too long" Agatha said.
Garima hesitated briefly.
"...and Sir Ruslan?"
Hill's expression flattened slighty. "I intend to speak with King about changing instructors,"
Garima looked down."What happened wasn't his fault."
Agatha's gaze sharpened "That was intimidation, he wanted to break you."
"He didn't," Garima said quietly. Then firmer—"And I want to prove it to him."
Agatha stared at her for a moment before smiling helplessly.
"You are incredibly stubborn."
"Like someone else I know." Hill murmured.
"So when can I train again?" Garima asked.
"When Zihan and Ava clear you," Agatha answered.
"How long will it take?"
"Ask them."
"I am asking you."
"Ask them."
Hill coughed into his hand, poorly disguising a laugh.
Garima rolled her eyes.
"Fine."
There was a knock. Then Ava entered.
Behind her Riley carefully carried a wooden tray.
Dylan and Zihan followed behind him.
"I got food." Riley announced proudly. "I carried it without dropping anything."
"You cried until we let you carry it." Dylan said.
Zihan slightly adjusted the tilting tray without comment.
Ava smiled.
Hill stood slowly. He exchanged one quiet look with Agatha. And entire conversation passed between them in silence.
"We will take our leave now."
"You could join us," Ava said quickly, "we would love it."
"We have some work." Hill said "You are relieved from your duties today. Stay with her."
Before leaving, he looked at Garima and smiled.
Then he and Agatha left