The next day, Aria spent her time in a dazed stupor. She didn’t know how long she had slept, nor could she remember how many times she had woken up. Each time she opened her eyes, the room seemed to have changed.

The first time she woke up, the morning light was streaming through the curtains onto the bed. On the small table beside her, there was a plate of dried berries and pine nut pudding. The sweet aroma filled the air, making her stomach growl. She barely managed to reach for a piece of dried fruit, ate a few bites in a daze, and then drifted back into sleep.

The next time she woke, it was already dark outside, and several candles had been lit in the room. Their flickering light cast warm glows across the room. The food on the table had been replaced with venison pie and a pot of hot water. The pie gave off an enticing aroma, and the hot water was steaming gently. She tried to recall, but she couldn’t remember seeing Neven at all. Despite her confusion, she picked up the pie and ate it ravenously. The meat was tender and flavorful, allowing her to momentarily forget all her worries.

As the warmth of the food spread through her body, Aria felt a sense of calm. Her thoughts began to gather, but still felt like they were shrouded in a thin fog. She pondered the attack they had experienced earlier, unable to understand what had happened to Lucius Argent to turn such a composed demigod into a monster.

As the candlelight flickered, so did Aria’s emotions. In the dim glow, she felt as though she could see a fog deep within her soul. She knew she had to find the truth. She needed to find a way to see Lucius, even if it meant risking her life.

At that moment, the door opened.

With her mouth full of food, she looked towards the door eagerly. Neven stood there, clad in armor, leaning against the doorframe, his face weary.

“Where have you been today?” Aria asked, swallowing her food.

“No matter where I go, I’ll always come back,” Neven replied. He walked to the bedside and kissed her forehead. He smelled of blood and sweat, and his armor was stained with dark red blood.

“Are you hurt?” Aria asked in surprise.

“It’s beast blood. We were attacked today.”

“Was it serious?”

“No.” Neven sat on the bed and struggled to remove his armor, which clanged as it hit the floor. Then he took off his clothes, revealing a muscular, scarred torso, unwrapping the bandage around his arm, a remnant from his duel with Stormblade.

Aria awkwardly looked away, staring out at the dark window. Her heart raced as she felt the heat emanating from Neven’s body and caught the faint scent of blood. Outside, the night was as black as ink, with only the firelight dancing in the room, casting orange shadows.

She could hear the faint sounds of Neven undressing, mixed with his soft breaths and occasional groans of pain. After a while, the room grew quiet. Aria couldn’t help her curiosity and turned her head slightly, finding Neven leaning against the bedpost, eyes closed. In that moment of vulnerability, his usually tense face appeared incredibly gentle. She could see his strong chest rise and fall gently with his breathing, every scar a testament to his past battles. A complex wave of emotions surged within Aria—gratitude, and a touch of sorrow.

“Are you asleep?” Aria asked softly, her voice almost drowned by the crackling of the fire.

“No...” Neven replied lazily, his eyes still closed, his voice tired but gentle. “Starguard was sent to Voidmarsh. Our Legion set out early this morning. Sage Solon returned seeking more reinforcements. I was worried about you, so I explained the situation to Sage Solon and returned midway.”

"Did you just come back from Voidmarsh?" Aria asked in astonishment. She got out of bed, retrieved some bandages, and started rewrapping Neven's arm wound.

Neven opened his eyes and looked at her with a faint smile, lifting his arm to make it easier for her to wrap the bandage. "I'm flattered," he said. "Why didn’t Stormblade put a sword through my chest? Perhaps you'd bandage that even better."

Aria glared at him. "Can't you be more careful? If Stormblade had struck a bit harder, you wouldn't have that arm now."

"I’ll be back even later tomorrow."

"You're going back tomorrow? Only Sage Solon is stationed at Voidmarsh?" Aria asked, shocked.

"Voidmarsh is extremely dangerous. Sage Solon has the strongest Essence Power in the Lunar Essence Clan, so he is the best suited to guard it. The late king gave him an army to hold the crucial pass."

"Is Alpha willing to give up control of Starguard? As Grand Mentor, he should want to command more troops," Aria asked while carefully wrapping the bandage.

"The Lunar King agreed. No one dares to question her decision. Besides, Sage Solon is just borrowing troops; no one wants Voidmarsh to fall." Neven’s tone shifted, a hint of excitement in his voice. "This is the best chance for Starguard to break free from Alpha’s control. If we can join Sage Solon’s ranks, do you know what that means?"

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"You want Sage Solon to become Starguard's Grand Mentor?" Aria countered, cutting off Neven’s elation. "Did you forget? When we first arrived at Moon Tower, Sage Solon refused to take the position."

"Because he doesn’t want to return to Moon Tower. Becoming Starguard’s Grand Mentor means coming back."

"You said it yourself, he doesn’t want to come back," Aria reminded him. "If the situation in Voidmarsh stabilizes, he’ll stay there, and Alpha will continue to vex us." She couldn’t believe what Neven was excited about.

"Voidmarsh’s situation is dire; we might not come back," Neven frowned as Aria’s bandaging touched his wound. "You don’t need to worry. With me, Starguard will see the light again. I’m a very experienced Executive Commander."

"Former Executive Commander," Aria said, rolling her eyes.

"They almost sent Alexander to Voidmarsh too. I asked Sage Solon to let him stay and prepare the herbs. If Alexander left, no one would be here to take care of you. Once you recover, I’ll bring you over."

"So you gave Alexander the key?" Aria growled.

Neven looked at the bandage, mumbling, "Yes... uh..."

"How could you give him the key? What if something embarrassing happens while I’m asleep?" Aria checked her soft blue armor dress, relieved she hadn’t changed into her tight-fitting nightgown. Compared to those curvaceous beauties, she was sure Alexander would mock her lack of figure.

"He won’t give you a second glance. The women he’s been with are far beyond your imagination—both charming and beautiful."

"Let's talk about what you really want to know," Aria said sarcastically, clearly feeling that she was neither charming nor beautiful in their eyes. She tied a knot forcefully, causing Neven to squint in pain.

"What... are we talking about..." he managed to say after a while.

"I hurt you," Aria feigned surprise.

Neven rubbed his arm, getting up to put on his white linen shirt.

"That night, I didn’t consider your feelings, if that’s what you mean," he sighed, his eyes full of regret. "I’m very sorry... I regretted it the moment I took you there..."

"So, you tried to pull me back, to take me away with you."

"No one can live for two hundred years. When I began to doubt your identity, you can’t imagine how incredible it seemed to me. I just wanted to verify if it was true," Neven explained fervently.

Aria sighed deeply, realizing that her secrecy had led Neven to constant suspicion. She stood up, walked to the fireplace, and stared into the flames, deciding to reveal the secrets of the Sovereign Bastion era to Neven.

After Aria reluctantly told him everything, she turned to face Neven, her soft blue armor dress gently swaying. Her gaze crossed the flickering flames, as if seeing past images overlapped with the fire.

"Neven, this is something I’ve never told anyone," her voice was filled with undisguised fatigue. "My scaled hand disgusted King Magnus, which was one reason I was imprisoned. That day, Thanatos stood before me and burned my father alive. Hawk and Xander Magnus died the night we fled." Tears welled up in her eyes, remembering that dark moment, piercing her heart like a blade.

Neven listened silently, his expression growing heavy. He knew that despite all the suffering Aria had endured, she still stood strong before him, and this filled him with immense admiration and sorrow.

"I understand, Aria," Neven finally spoke, his voice full of gentleness and understanding. "You’ve gone through so much, yet you’ve remained strong. Your resilience and courage are unparalleled."

Aria bit her lip, knowing that Neven’s understanding was genuine, which brought her a small measure of comfort. "I’ve never told anyone about this, but I know I can trust you."

In the silence between them, the fire in the hearth seemed to pulse with their heartbeats, and time seemed to slow.

Aria glanced at Neven’s face, hesitating to speak. She didn’t want to discuss the face—Neven and Thanatos were completely different people. She sat down in the armchair by the fireplace, watching the dancing flames. The burning fire looked like the swirling skirt of an enchantress.

“After the attack, Quinn sent people to search the site,”Neven attempted to steer the conversation away, reluctant to let Aria dwell on painful memories.His expression serious, his brow furrowed as if still pondering the details of that night. “They found nothing except the broken door. Alpha had searched before and found only some bloodstains. Alpha suspects someone is creating a diversion, but Quinn absolutely won't believe that, especially since there are no signs that Stormblade was attacked by Essence.”

Aria sighed in relief, her voice tinged with unease. “They let Lucius escape?”

“I'm afraid so,” Neven replied, his tone filled with both helplessness and worry. “Quinn wants to ask you personally about the attack that night…” Seeing Aria's face pale, he quickly added, “I told Quinn you had amnesia and don’t remember the events of that night. I think you’re not the right person to explain about Lucius. You’re not one of us, and it might make others suspicious of your motives.”

“They suspect I’m in league with demigods?” Aria asked, her eyes wide with anger, her fists clenched. “I’m a victim too!”

“Calm down, Aria,” Neven said gently, patting her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. “Grand Mentor doesn’t know about your connection with Lucius Argent yet. But I must warn you, don’t trust anything Lucius says, and don’t go near him. Lucius has been implanted with Devil’s Eye, and everything he says is controlled by that eye. Those two charred bodies might be his doing.”

Aria’s voice trembled with confusion and fear. “If it really was him, why would Lucius kill them?”

“I don’t know, Aria.” Neven’s brow furrowed deeper, his eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions. “But I believe Lucius saved you that night. It was him who attacked when Stormblade tried to harm you. You only passed out and didn’t suffer any other injuries. Stormblade, however… was severely injured and dragged far away from you.”

“You’re saying Lucius saved me?” Aria’s voice was a mix of confusion and a glimmer of hope.

Neven nodded, his eyes softening with a touch of resolve. “I believe he hasn’t completely lost his humanity.”

Aria was silent for a moment, her emotions a tangled web. She couldn't help but recall the moment she met Lucius and the time he had saved her life. Her heart was full of conflict; she feared what Lucius might have become, yet she hoped he still retained a shred of his humanity.

“Neven,” she said softly, her voice tinged with hesitation, “if Lucius really did save me, then he might still be hiding in the capital?”

Neven looked at her, his gaze thoughtful. “That would be extremely dangerous because Quinn is sending people to search the city. I must remind you, Lucius is very dangerous, and you need to be careful.”

“I know,” Aria sighed. “But I can’t just stand by. No matter what, I want to find Lucius and uncover the truth.”

“This is very dangerous, Aria.” Neven frowned, warning her once again, “Don’t do this. Don’t try to find him. You’ll be in great trouble.”