When Syryn came to, he was in a room very familiar to him. It was his own room.

Strange. How did he get here?

​​

Syryn sat up and clutched his head. A dull ache sat inside his mind and throbbed intermittently.

"Syryn, you're awake." Lucien was frozen at the door. "You're really awake." The boy's voice shook with emotion.

The mage was puzzled by Luci's reaction to his waking up.

"Yes, I'm awake. What's wrong, Luci?"

"Syryn, we didn't know what was wrong with you," Lucien rushed to him and began to fuss over his big brother. "You were out for a week and had us all so worried."

"A week?!" Syryn said in alarm. He had gone under for just a few minutes.

"Well, eight days."

The redhead curled up in bed next to Syryn. Thats when the mage made out faint colouring under Lucien's eyes. The child hadn't slept well while Syryn had supposedly been in a coma.

"When did Rowan bring me here?" Syryn asked.

"A few days ago." Lucien was lying down beside Syryn, scraping his fingernail against the stitching of the blanket. "Rowan even had the royal physician examine you. He brought many healers and priests but nobody could tell what was wrong with you."

Syryn suspected that it had to do with his consciousness being pulled into a pocket or alternate dimension by the child entity. The passage of time flowed differently between this one and the other dimension. But it was all a conjecture till he could confirm it with a repeat performance.

"I'm okay, Luci."

The mage wondered how Rowan had convinced the royal family to lend their healer for the examination an unknown man of unknown origin. And why wasn't Rowan at his bedside, holding his hand?

"Are you sure?" The redhead asked. Blood red eyes stared at him solemnly.

"I know my own body. I'm sure, Luci. Aside from the malnutrition, I am in good shape for someone who just woke up from an eight day coma."

Syryn was hungry and thirsty. He was certain he'd been fed thin nutrient wafers that melted on the tongue. They were expensive, but a necessity for patients that could not feed on solid food. The nutrient wafers could stave off death by malnourishment, but not beyond a month at most.

"I'm glad, big brother," Luci answered, finally smiling. "I'll let Salem and Riha know that you're awake."

"Where's Rowan?" Syryn asked, noticing the extra items in his room. Someone had moved in with him.

"He left for Nunox this morning. Went to get someone called Felix."

"By road or the lost path?" Syryn asked recalling how Rain and Sebastian had been forced to take a carriage back to Elysium for some reason.

"He went with Alka so I assume they took the path."

From what Syryn had heard out of Sebastian, Felix was a healer at Nunox.

Syryn's stomach growled out a protest for not having been fed well in a week.

The redhead smiled at the sound. "I'll get you something to eat."

----

The mage was handed a warm bowl of light vegetable broth. Sitting in front of him was Salem who had questions about what had happened before Rowan had found him passed out on the ground, bleeding from his nose.

The blond had only told them that Syryn had gone out for a walk, and when he failed to return, Rowan had gone looking for him only to find him on the forest floor - passed out in his night robe.

Syryn omitted Milky's magical arrival while recalling his ordeal to Salem.

"Sounds like a lot of trouble, Syryn. Whose toes did you step on?"

"I haven't the faintest idea." Maybe Rowan could tell him if the blond wasn't so secretive about what he knew, which begged the question - Why couldn't he tell Syryn? An oath, that was all the answer he could think of.

"So you went out for a walk into the forest, late at night, bare feet and naked save for a robe," Salem inclined his head and waited for Syryn's explanation.

"It's not what you think," Syryn sheepishly smiled. "I wasn't fighting with Rowan."

Blond brows went up. "You just fancied a late-night stroll then, bare feet and all."

"Well, it wasn't a fight," Syryn's spoon clinked against the bowl when he scooped up more soup. "We just had a disagreement."

The half-elf nodded. He was quiet for a while as Syryn drank his soup.

"Rowan reacted very badly to this incident. You should let him know it wasn't his fault."

The mage lifted his gaze to the half-elf. "Does he blame himself?"

"He didn't say so but it's easy to spot guilt if you look hard enough."

Syryn placed his spoon back in the half-empty bowl. The blond alchemist's care for his well being was apparent by how he paid attention to every situation and person that involved Syryn. "Thank you, Salem."

"There's nothing to thank me for," Salem replied. He put a hand to Syryn's knee and patted him on it. "Get some rest. I'll be in the workroom when you need me."

"What about Alka?" Syryn asked. "Are you two-"

"No," Salem replied. "It's just a little teasing. Alka still loves Qairu. And as for me, I cannot feel for anyone, not as long as the curse remains on me. If I'm freed of my death sentence, I may find it in me to love."The blond alchemist spoke without much emotion.

Syryn felt sorry for him. What was it like to live as Salem? Waking up every morning knowing exactly when death would claim him, then having to murder for the sake of extending his lifespan. It seemed a tiresome way to live.

"How long do you have?" Syryn asked, gaze fixed to Salem's neck though the curse mark was not visible.

"I have enough time. Don't worry," the blond alchemist smiled. His skin wasn't as luminescent as it used to be. The mage wondered if it was a sign of his exhaustion or something else more troubling.

"Salem, starting tomorrow, I want you to take a week's break. Hand over Neiro and Blaze to me, and I'll work them to the bone."

The blond shook his head and chuckled. "You just got out of a coma. You're the one who needs a week to rest."

"I insist, Salem."

"So do I."

"Fine. We'll both work then."

"Rowan will haul you bodily out of the workroom."

Syryn had forgotten about the anti mage.

"Look, you need to rest too."

"I told you I'm fine, Syryn," The alchemist replied and turned away letting him know their conversation had ended. "I'll see you later."