Shadows of Guilt and Glimmers of Kindness

The air inside the small safe house was still, yet the weight of tension pressed down like a suffocating blanket. Dusty, cracked walls and faintly flickering lights gave the room a sense of abandonment. Ethan gently set Nefera down on the worn-out couch in the center of the room, his movements careful but stiff. His shadow tendrils flickered erratically, responding to the turmoil in his heart.

Mia locked the heavy metal door behind them, her green eyes scanning the room with suspicion. She leaned her weight against the doorframe, her dagger still in hand, ready for the next threat.

For a moment, there was only silence. Then, Ethan turned away from Nefera and sank onto the edge of a low table, burying his head in his hands.

"This is my fault," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Mia blinked, her brow furrowing. "What?"

Ethan's voice cracked as he repeated, louder this time, "It's my fault! I couldn't protect either of you. If I had more control over this stupid shard…" His fist slammed onto the table, causing the wood to creak ominously. "I should've been stronger. I should've stopped Alexander. Now look at Nefera—"

"That's enough," Mia interrupted, her voice firm but not unkind.

Ethan looked up, startled by her sudden tone.

Mia walked over, crouching in front of him so their eyes were level. "You're blaming yourself for something you couldn't control. Nefera was hurt because Alexander is a monster, not because of you."

"But if I—"

"If you keep thinking like this, you'll destroy yourself," Mia said, cutting him off again. Her green eyes softened. "We're alive, Ethan. All three of us. That's what matters. And if you hadn't held him off long enough, we wouldn't have made it this far."

Ethan's shoulders sagged, her words cutting through the storm of guilt in his mind. He wanted to argue, but the sincerity in Mia's expression silenced him.

"Now," Mia said, standing and brushing the dust from her knees, "if you're done moping, we need to treat Nefera's wounds before she bleeds out."

---

Nefera groaned softly, shifting on the couch. Her golden mask had completely vanished, and her usually sharp eyes were hazy and unfocused.

Ethan knelt beside her, gently brushing away the matted hair sticking to her forehead. "We need to clean her wounds, or she won't make it through the night," he said grimly.

Mia rummaged through a small cabinet in the corner of the room. "There's no medical kit here. I'll have to make a supply run—to a pharmacy or something. We'll also need food. This place is bare."

Ethan nodded reluctantly, though his shadows twitched as if resisting the idea of letting Mia leave.

Mia caught his expression and smirked. "Relax, shadow boy. I can handle a quick trip to the store." She gestured toward Nefera. "Focus on her. She's your patient now."

Ethan sighed, watching Mia slip out of the door and into the dim streets beyond.

---

Ethan turned his attention back to Nefera. Her breathing was shallow, and blood had seeped into her torn clothes, staining the couch beneath her. He frowned, realizing she couldn't stay like this much longer.

"You'll be fine," Ethan muttered, mostly to himself, as he began to gently cut away the fabric around her wounds. His movements were awkward but careful, his hands trembling slightly as he worked.

"Why… are you doing this?" Nefera murmured weakly, her voice barely audible.

Ethan froze. "What?"

Nefera's eyes opened slightly, meeting his gaze. "After everything… After dragging you into this… Why are you helping me?"

Ethan blinked, startled by the question. "Because you're not my enemy," he said simply. "You've fought to protect us—Mia and me—even when it meant putting yourself in danger. The least I can do is make sure you don't die on some dusty couch."

A faint smile tugged at Nefera's lips, though it quickly turned into a grimace of pain. "You're… kind, Ethan. Too kind for someone carrying that shard."

Ethan frowned, his fingers tightening around the edge of the damp cloth he was using to clean her wounds. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Most artifact users… They let the power corrupt them," Nefera said, her voice fading. "But you… you're different."

Ethan didn't respond. He focused on his work, carefully wrapping her wounds with strips of clean cloth he'd torn from his own shirt.

---

When Ethan finished tending to Nefera's wounds, he realized her clothes were still bloodstained and damp. He hesitated, glancing at her unconscious form before sighing heavily.

"Mia's going to kill me if I mess this up," he muttered under his breath.

He rummaged through a small trunk in the corner of the room, finding a loose, oversized hoodie and sweatpants. They were plain but clean—probably left behind by whoever used this safe house before.

As he gently lifted Nefera to change her clothes, she stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

"What… are you doing?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan's face turned bright red. "You're soaked in blood, and your clothes are… I mean, I just… I'm trying to help!"

Nefera blinked slowly, her lips curving into the faintest smirk. "First… you save me. Then… you dress me. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're falling for me."

Ethan nearly dropped her. "What?! No! That's not—" He stopped, realizing her smirk had grown wider despite her condition. "You're messing with me."

"Maybe," she murmured, her eyelids drooping again. "But… it's nice. Being treated like this…"

Ethan paused, watching her drift back into unconsciousness. His chest tightened, though he wasn't sure why.

---

The door creaked open, and Mia stepped inside, carrying a plastic bag in each hand. "I'm back!" she announced, dropping the bags onto the table.

Ethan turned to her, relief flooding his face. "Took you long enough. I thought Alexander might've found you."

Mia rolled her eyes. "Relax. I'm not some amateur. I got food, water, and a basic first-aid kit." She raised an eyebrow, glancing at Nefera. "And it looks like you managed without me."

"Barely," Ethan muttered.

As Mia unpacked the supplies, she glanced at the torn pieces of Ethan's shirt scattered around the room. "You know, you could've waited for me instead of sacrificing your wardrobe."

Ethan shrugged. "She didn't have time to wait."

Mia smirked. "And here I thought you didn't know how to be sweet."

Ethan groaned, sinking into a chair. "Can you just focus on dinner?"

Mia laughed softly, tossing him an apple. "Here. You earned it."

---

As Mia prepared something resembling a meal, Nefera opened her eyes again. Her gaze lingered on Ethan, who was sitting silently in the corner, the apple untouched in his hand.

She couldn't explain it, but something about him felt… different. The way he had cared for her, the way he had fought to protect her—even after everything she had dragged him into—touched something deep within her.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice breaking the silence.

Ethan looked up, startled. "For what?"

"For being… kind," Nefera said, her lips curving into a faint smile.

Ethan didn't respond right away. He glanced at the shard pulsing faintly in his pocket, then back at her. "Just focus on getting better," he said finally.

---

Later that night, as the group rested, Ethan sat by the window, his eyes scanning the dark streets outside. The shadows around him moved faintly, but something felt… off.

"Mia," he said quietly.

She looked up from where she was sitting. "What is it?"

Ethan frowned, his shadows flickering against the walls. "I think… we're being watched."

Mia tensed, reaching for her dagger. "Are you sure?"

"I don't know," Ethan admitted. "But something doesn't feel right."

From far above the safe house, hidden in the darkness of the rooftops, a shadowy figure watched them intently, their presence masked by the night.

To Be Continued…