Chapter 12

It was days before I allowed Lycher to examine me again. He exuded tension, if the incessant fidgeting of his blurry figure was any indication. I suppose he may have been worried I would change my mind, given how adamantly I refused him entry.

I would have probably been less angry at the situation as a whole, had Lucifer not been in the room upon my waking. I fully believed him to be the cause of my misfortune and refused to see or speak to him and to have him near when I had been so vulnerable, angered me severely.

"How are you doing today?" Lycher asked with an edge of worry.

"The bleeding has stopped." I answered strictly. 

"Good to know. Mind if I check?"

I glared at his figure warningly and he backed away, knowing not to push the issue. 

"Any pain?"

"No."

"May I come and check on you tomorrow?" He was hopeful.

"No." I answered bitterly and pointed to the door. "You may leave now."

He sighed but did as he was told. Once the door had clicked shut the tension eased from my body. I was terrified near constantly and Lycher's presence did not help.

Lycher had not hurt me, and his behavior dictated he probably never would, yet the fear was there, clawing at my chest whenever he was near. Being on the mend allowed me to distance myself from those I feared, hence why I nearly always chased him out.

"He just wants to help." Saninna said. From what I could discern she was in the wardrobe. Probably picking out my outfit for the next day.

I went to respond but a knock caught my attention and I immediately turned towards the door, waiting worriedly for it to open. However the door remained firmly shut and a second knock echoed in the silence of the room. 

I stood from the bed and made my way towards the door as another knock rang out. Whoever had bid a visit was rather impatient.

Thankfully, as blurry as my sight had become, I was still able to distinguish enough shapes as to not embarrass myself walking. I managed to evade a few items strewn on the floor before I found myself standing before the closed door.

I hesitantly reached for the handle and swallowed thickly before I pulled open the door. 

A blurry figure stood leaning against the frame. If I could have seen him I am sure he would have looked rather bored having to wait for the door to open, however I could not see him and therefore he was merely a random blur on my door.

"Good morning." The figure practically shouted as he stood to his full height. He, thankfully, did not tower over me. I squinted my eyes in order to better see him.

It did not help.

"It is not morning." I replied, one hand held firmly on the door in case I would need to slam it shut.

"It's morning somewhere." He said and I could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"Not here." I said, my voice shaking with unease. 

"Say no if you need to, but can I come in?" He asked softly. 

"Oh, Damien!" Saninna exclaimed, placing her chin on my shoulder to get a view at the opened door. "Come in." 

"Good morning Saninna." Damien turned his blurry head towards my sister. "Also, I'm trying."

I rub my eyes tiredly before stepping aside to allow him entrance. He was, after all, the creature meant to fix my eyesight, if his name was any indication.

I watched as Damien made his way towards my window and threw open the curtains blocking it. I heard a shocked gasp before he turned to face us.

"It's dark out." He said by way of explanation. "So…What I meant to say was good evening." 

"Good evening." I intoned, closing the door. "I assume you are the Damien meant to help with my eyes?"

"That I am." He sounded cheerful, almost as though he were excited. "And you must be Verin." I nodded. "I brought something that might help, but I have to take a look at your eyes again."

"Again?" I asked with a raised brow.

"I came to see you after the remedy." He replied, walking tentatively towards me. "I learned what I could at the time, but I need to recheck and see if anything's changed. So…can I?"

I nodded hesitantly and watched him take a step to the side and motion to the chair beside my bed. "Have a seat."

I walked over and fell into the chair, none too gracefully I might add, before leaning back with a heavy sigh. I was determined to see this through, regardless of my apprehension.

Damien slowly walked forward and stopped about a pace before reaching me.

"I'm going to touch your face now." He said, low and calm, giving me time to prepare or to move away if need be. 

It was a new feeling, being given that choice. Lycher had merely told me he was conducting the exam and went about it without a second thought, and I had thought it normal. Damien, however, made me question that normal with one spoken sentence.

I felt him gently touch my face with calloused hands and in my curiosity and nervousness I began to talk.

"What do you do?" I asked, trying desperately to keep my eyes open as he made to peer within them. 

"I'm one of the three rulers of hell." He answered, looking intently into my eye. 

It was odd having this blurry figure inches from my face yet not feeling threatened. I had always been on edge so it was a nice reprieve from the constant anxiety.

"Look side to side." He instructed.

I did as I was told and he hummed quietly. 

"Your eyes are black today." He noted, turning my face to look into my other eye. "They were pale white when I saw them last time. How odd. Blink for me."

"They change." I said, blinking a few times as instructed. "The color is tied to my emotions. The color reflects my anxiety today."

He hummed once more before slowly moving away, giving me some much needed space.

"Three rulers?" I asked, restarting my earlier query.

"Yes, three." He said, patting himself up and down as though looking for something. "Where did I…did I even bring it?"

"Are your hands not far too calloused for a ruler?" I ask incredulously. Lucifer ruled and his hands were free of any imperfections. I noticed this, sadly, the day he lifted and brought me to this room.

"Yes. Maybe. Hold on, I'm looking for something."

"He can't focus on listening until he's found what he's looking for. Give him a minute." Saninna said, catching my attention.

I nod and watch as Damien dramatically looks into each and every pocket on his outfit, before triumphantly holding something above his head with a shouted "HAH."

"What is that?" Saninna asked.

I watched as Damien shoved said item towards Saninna. "It's a thing I made." He said. "I haven't named it but it'll hopefully help with vision."

"Hopefully?" I asked with a raised brow. 

He moved towards me rather quickly, stopping suddenly mere inches away. "It's the first time I've made this. And to answer your question, I'm more than just a ruler. See?" 

He placed something on my face rather gently, given his excitement, and I found myself looking through a small pane of glass balanced precariously on the bridge of my nose.

I looked around in amazement. My vision was still blurry but I could make out more details than I had previously. It was a marked improvement. 

"So?" He asked, impatient.

"Still blurred." I responded.

"But it's helping, right?" 

I nodded and watched him smile before clearing his throat. He placed one finger on the edge of the item and channeled magic into it, morphing the glass.

"Let me know when your vision clears." He said, focusing intently on his task.

Before long the blurriness began to clear and my heart rate quickened in excitement. My vision was slowly returning to how it had been before the fever, and all it took was a pane of glass and some magic. 

Suddenly I could see everything in great detail. In my haste to relay this information, I grabbed Damien's arm and moved it from the object, preventing him from pouring any more magic into it. 

"Good?" He questioned.

"My vision is clearer than it has ever been. " I said in awe, releasing his arm.  "Thank you."

"Absolutely." He smiled and my heart leapt in my chest. His smile was breathtaking in its splendor, his laugh lines showing through his stubble. His dark eyes sparkled with pride as he watched me look at him.

"Verin." I heard my name being called and reluctantly turned to look at Saninna. She had a worried expression on her face as she came into my view. "Are you okay?"

"I-" My voice cracked so I cleared my throat, clearly embarrassed. "Yes." 

"Sure." She shook her head, grinning madly. "So what do we do now?"

"I have to refine them." Damien said, reaching for the item on my face. 

"No." I stopped him. "Please let me keep them."

"They're yours." He assured, removing the item from my face and taking my vision with it. "I just need to make it easier to wear. Maybe add some handles and a stabilizing frame. It shouldn't take more than a week." 

"That is a week in which I will not be able to see." I commented bitterly. "Is there nothing to do in the meantime?" 

He shook his head. "Sadly, no." 

"But" Saninna chimed in. "I'll keep helping you around. You won't be alone." 

I hung my head, disheartened. Another week unable to see. It was not the outcome I had hoped for.

"I'll have it ready as soon as I can." Damien said, placing a finger under my chin and lifting my head. "If I focus, I can have it done in two days, tops."

"Take your time." I mumbled sadly. "I would hate for you to rush on my behalf."

"Two days." He said, determined. "Or I'm not much of a mad king."