Marina slowly woke up, her eyes opening with difficulty as the last light of the sunset filtered through the curtains of the room. A strange sensation filled her lips, as if something soft and slightly sticky had invaded the roof of her mouth. With a gasp, she ran a hand through her blonde hair, finding it soaked in saliva. Some got caught between her lips and with mild disgust she spat them out, then tried to sit up. Her vision was still blurry.

A figure hastily approached her bed and fell upon her in an anxious embrace. Ien's daughter recognized Lilia's raven hair, the demigoddess looked at her with eyes full of worry.

"You finally woke up! How do you feel?"

Marina reassured her with a weak smile, strangely that feeling of stinging pain had completely vanished.

"I'm fine, Lilia. Really," she replied, "I don't feel anything anymore."

With one look at the wound on her body, she realized that it was completely healed, without even leaving any scars.

The magic of Mardi's children, she thought.

Meanwhile, Luxy, who had remained at the entrance, hurriedly asked the others to leave the room, explaining that they would discharge her if she proved to be cured.

"Please, just one person to stay with her to take her home."

Tensions rose when Michela and Lorenzo began to argue over who should stay with Marina as her half-siblings. The argument was interrupted by the affectionate intervention of Lilia, who hugged Marina and made big tender eyes at her.

"You choose me, right?"

Marina felt overwhelmed by the chaos that was being created around her. They were in an infirmary and there was no point in making such a big fuss over such a small choice. With a decisive gesture, she stopped the animosity of his half-brothers, and turned to Francesca.

"Could you stay?" She asked kindly.

Corgi's daughter smiled, "With pleasure!"

The three remaining demigods tried to change her mind, but Francesca forced them to leave, with the promise that they would meet again at the seventh house.

"Sorry, I hope I didn't bother the other injured demigods," Marina told Luxy later.

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The demigod replied with a sweet smile: "Thank you, but you don't have to worry. In fact, there were no real injuries other than yours."

Marina was stunned for a moment by her usual bad luck, but that thought reassured her. It meant that there had been no serious damage, which was a great consolation for the trouble created.

Just when it seemed calm had returned, the atmosphere became tense. Shirei, suddenly materialized in the room with his usual silent aura. Francesca immediately stood in front of Marina, ready to protect her from any threat.

Shirei's gaze was cold and piercing. Marina noticed that he had changed, he was dressed completely in black, like a menacing shadow. He raised his hands upward in a gesture of surrender.

"Calm down, please, I don't want to do anything bad."

"Speak, but sit there," Francesca pointed to the bed in front of her, Marina temporarily refused to let her guard down and stared at Shirei warily. Cragar's son tightened his arms.

Francesca approached Marina and whispered: "Don't worry, I'm here. Don't rush things."

Marina nodded, grateful for the girl's presence, however she believed that her powers would be useless if Shirei lost control again.

"I'm here to apologize for what happened. I don't expect to be forgiven, but I didn't want you to be hurt in any way," he paused, "I mean it."

Marina turned, glaring at him. She wanted to talk to him alone, face to face. She wanted to explain to him that she wasn't angry with him and that she didn't hold him responsible for anything, at the same time she was the one who felt guilty towards him. The boy seemed to have always been sincere and did not deserve to be treated like a time bomb that everyone was afraid of. Shirei's violet eyes didn't meet hers, they were pointed downwards. Ien's daughter considered telling him everything, but dismissed the thought instantly. Once she left there, however, she would have communicated her decision to Aena and Mr. D'Agostini. From that moment on she would no longer snitch, regardless of the punishment she would face.

Shirei wasn't evil. Although a little weirder than the norm, he was a very classic demigod. Marina was certain that she could establish a relationship of simple collaboration with him rather than being forced to act as a spy.

Francesca saw her conflicted expression and helped her: "Er Shirei... I don't think this is a good time..."

"Yes... I understand, I'll leave you alone."

The boy kept his sad look but nodded, noticed Luxy about to stumble and pulled his arm to help him. Mardi's son balked at the cold touch of his hands and flinched.

Cragar's son waited no longer and went out. Marina lowered her head, feeling guilty. She didn't want him to go away, but that wasn't the right time at all.

Luxy was able to continue with his visit and, after making sure that she was completely healed, he allowed the girl to be discharged only in the late evening. Marina and Francesca came out of Mardi's children's house and looked around. The park was still in great commotion and the house of Ognia's children had not yet been repaired, however the general climate did not seem to be as altered as usual.

"So, shall we go to the seventh?"

Marina gingerly touched the bandages around her arm. She should have gone to the Great Mansion, but she didn't have the slightest desire to.

"Yes," she replied weakly.

As they headed towards her house, Ien's daughter noticed a figure running away towards the training arena and, although she was still tired, she decided to follow it.

"Wait, I need to go somewhere for a moment."