Crow tested himself as he sat, reluctance and determination intertwining like fighting snakes. Forcing joints to move, limbs to raise, muscles to tighten.

The change was obvious. A half day had passed already from when he watched Amelia’s task, twelve hours of cautious movement and reluctant rest. He was pleased to see an improvement had come of it, if only some.

His legs were more responsive, elbows almost devoid of the pain that had racked them earlier. Fingers regifted with some measure of dexterity.

If Crow hadn’t been told by Deka that the last traces of magic still rejuvenating him had faded, he’d have allowed the change to spark hope. As things were he only agonised over its extent.

The pain hadn’t fully left, nor had the sluggishness or stiffening. At best there would be days before his final bout in the Sieve, where he’d be pitted against Rajah in all the boy’s power and none of his shackles.

A shudder took him at the thought, memory of the Jyptian’s battle with Amelia still fresh and painful as a weeping wound.

Crow allowed himself many thoughts as he considered his upcoming fight, but not hope. Not with such odds stacked before him as that. Conviction alone would drive him, or nothing would.

He was plucked from his fight with despair by footfalls and a clearing throat. Astra sat down on the armrest of his sofa before he even realised it was her who’d caught his attention, mind too far to even register her entry.

“How are you?” She asked, concern colouring her face. Unmasked for the first time since Crow had woken.

“Better.” He shrugged. “Much better. If we were to fight right now I’d probably give you a nosebleed before losing.”

Astra feigned surprise.

“So you’ve fully recovered?”

“Funny.” Crow remarked, leaning back and allowing himself a break from the constant exertions of his body’s tests. He’d learned the results minutes ago already, persisted only in the blind hope that they might be somehow changed.

Seeming to sense his discontent, Astra began speaking again. Voice more serious, eyes more focused.

“What was it you wanted to talk to me about, Crow?”

He felt a jolt at the question, bringing new worries to mingle with those of the flesh. It was almost enough to make him regret offering her the truth.

Almost.

“A few weeks ago I spoke with Elijah Sorafin, one of the Sieve’s organisers. He made me an offer. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t even considering accepting it, and because I thought our team had quite enough things to worry about already.”

“What was it?” She asked, expressionless.

Crow took a moment to gather his thoughts before plunging from the conversational cliff.

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“Sorafin wants me to accompany him back to Dewlz, to Jyptia. To become a student of the Jaxif Faction.”

His sister looked for a moment as though she might laugh, then something struck the amusement from her.

“You said you didn’t tell me because you weren’t considering it.” She noted. “But you’ve just told me.” The rest went unsaid.

“It’s not just mysticism I’d learn, Astra.” Crow began, powering through the shocked stare she gave him. “It’s my strain. The Eye of Temporis. I was offered tutorship from Rora Kasta herself.”

“You’d be learning from the fucking Jaxif Faction.” His sister snapped. “The savages. People who’ve never even heard of the Goddess.”

“Unlike Karma Alabaster, the most devout on Mirandis.” He countered. Astra’s eyes grew hard at that.

“That’s different. She at least… fuck you, she’s not the Jaxif Faction. They count demiculi among their numbers.”

Crow was taken by a silence as he beat his voice steady. When he spoke again, the words sounded cold and unfeeling even to him.

“Even if that’s true, and Goddess knows few of the rumours we’ve heard about the world have been, it doesn’t change the fact that I have the chance to be taught by a Deity. In person.”

Astra’s face turned cruel in its disbelief.

“And you believe that?” She asked. “You really think Rora Kasta herself would be taking the time to teach you when she has a damned militia to run? At best you’ll join the other gifted mystics who flocked to her banner and receive half-comptent tutoring from a veteran.”

“I have the Eye of Temporis.” He said quietly.

She snarled at that, anger undisguised.

“Oh there it is, finally out in the open. This is all because of your strain, of course. Fucking pit, Crow, you can’t be naieve enough to think a Deity would care about it so much.”

There was a venom in her voice that shocked him into silence, left his mouth gaping, words strangled and wavering beyond recognition. Astra didn’t give any apology, merely deepened her glare.

“Do you remember our agreement?” She asked. “The arrangement we made, before I even entered the Sieve?”

“Yes.” Crow replied, dropping his gaze.

“Well, how do you intend to honour it if you accept this? How do you intend to take care of mum if you’re in Dewlz leaning about your fucking eyes?”

Crow said nothing.

“Fuck you.” She snapped.

“Astra-” Crow began, voice drowned by his sister’s as she leapt to her feet.

“Fuck you! It’s been my dream for years to become an Alliance sanctioned mystic, fucking years. Since I was a child. Now you’re taking that away because you received an offer out of nowhere?”

Crow felt his own temper flare at that, leaned forward as he shot back his answer.

“Our fucking uncle was taken away by a bastard with magic neither of us could even imagine. That takes priority over your dream of turning yourself into the Gemini, Astra.”

He regretted it as soon as he said it, but the words seemed to bounce clean off Astra.

“So I need to put my ambitions to one side because of that? Why can’t I be the one to track that Immortal down, Crow? Or would you just be bothered if anyone but you got to be the big hero?”

Crow found himself without an answer to that. For a year it had been his task alone to save Galad, the thought of receiving aid from any other was no thought at all. To imagine Astra helping him brought doubt.

But then he found his conviction again. Only he was within reach of the Eclipse’s Nectar. Only he was receiving an offer from Rora Kasta herself. Their task would require power, and Crow would doubtless amass it more easily than Astra.

“You’re not being given the same opportunities I am. If Kasta were letting you study under her, I’d be fine waiting in Selsis and practicing on my own.”

“Convenient how the moment one reason becomes null, you’ve got another.” The girl snapped.

Astra was gone by the time he’d regathered his thoughts for an answer.