Altera paced through her private room. Jareth had already left and returned to the other guests.

How could she prove Quin’s guilt? There was plenty of evidence, but implausible deniability could give excuses for every piece. All the clues lay in front of her. Once she could present the connection, Quin would face justice. She should start with a drawing board.

Her eyes hopped through the room, but the objects she wanted to find didn't exist.

Altera grumbled.

Dammit, why was there no chalkboard or a marker? How could she solve the case without tools? That was so unfair. Someone tried to sabotage her.

A knock thudded against the door.

Altera’s feet and thoughts came to a halt. She sighed and turned to her back.

Who was it? Didn’t Avici keep the suspects under check? How incompetent. Or was he conspiring against her ?Had the world become her enemy?

“Come in.”

The door opened, Ragna entered the room, and Altera’s face became brighter.

“Ragna.” Altera smiled. “Why are you here?”

“I wanted to continue our talk. Well, before your brother dying interrupted us.”

“Sorry, but that has to wait. I’ve to arrest someone.”

Ragna didn't retort and walked to Altera.

"Ragna?"

“Say.” Ragna reached with her hand. Her fingers drew lines on Altera’s cheeks. “I’ve always wondered. Do you want to be alone?”

“What do you mean?” Altera moved backwards and looked away. “W...Why would I?”

What was Ragna doing? And why was she touching her?

“You say you wanna be a guiding angel. But if you want to light that path towards righteousness, or whatever you’re saying, you have to walk before us. We’ll only see your back, and you’ll never get close to anyone.”

“Why are you saying that?” Altera removed Ragna’s hand and moved further away. Her back came in contact with the orichalcum wall, its cold metal sending a shock through her spine. Altera’s body straightened like a tree trunk.

Ignoring Altera’s rejection, Ragna grabbed Altera's wrist and threw her into her bed. Altera backed away from her, but a second time, her back pressed against the wall. She couldn't retreat further.

“My point is that you can’t have it both.” Ragna crawled on the bed. One hand after the other, she closed the distance to her like a cat. Her head looked up, staring at Altera. Ragna’s eyes turned to slits, and a smile appeared on her face. “But then, you’re quite a greedy woman.”

Altera looked away. “I’m not.”

“You sure?” Ragna tilted her head. “You want to be loved by everyone. You want everyone’s attention. And only for you. You don’t like to share. You’re a hungry, greedy woman lusting for love. So, please, don’t pretend to be a Valkyrie. Just admit it. You would be so much happier.”

“That’s not true. I...I'm a Valkyrie.” Altera's body tensed up, and her eyes zapped through the room, looking at everything but Ragna. “I don’t have such thoughts. I’m righteous. I’m noble, and I’ll achieve perfection.”

Ragna snickered. “Will you?” She leaned over her. Her finger pressed against Altera’s chin and raised it. “Then, I’ll let you on a secret, my little angel.”

“W...What do you mean?”

“I'm going to leave you once this is all over. We'll part ways and never talk again.”

Altera froze. Her eyes lost all luster, and with every word she spoke, her lips trembled. “W...Why? Why would you do that? I thought we were -”

“Friends?" Ragna giggled. "Don’t be stupid. We’re way too different for that. You’re an angel. I’m an imp. You’re medicine. I’m poison. And on top of that, you’re selfish. You’re useless. You’re naive and stupid. What would anyone like about you? Your childish, self-centered dream to be a Valkyrie is all you have. I only talked to you because we had the same mission. Once this is all over, I’ll be gone.”

“So…” Altera gulped. She swallowed, the lump stuck in her throat, trying to prevent the tears from escaping her eyes. “You’re going to leave us?”

“No.”

“You don’t?”

Altera forced herself to smile.

"I don’t have any reason to leave Eric.”

“Huh?” Like a mirror, Altera shattered. The hope that Ragna gave her, she took away, and in that void, despair and shards started to wallow.

Altera tried to speak. Syllables were all her lips could form. Her ability to articulate, she had lost, and her ability to think had ceased to function.

“You see, I like Eric. He’s handsome. He’s sexy. And he’s just the kind of man I like. Eric gets me. When this is all over, I’ll move in with him. I mean, what do you think happened while you were away?”

Altera tried to speak, but not even syllables could she form. Caws left her mouth as if she were an animal, unable to comprehend the humans around it.

“But I’m not cruel.” Ragna chuckled again. “Well, I am. I’m an imp, after all, but I can be nice. You know how poison can be sweet? And if you administer just the right dose, it won’t kill you. So, I’ll give you some of that sweet, sweet poison of mine. And if you do the right thing, it won’t kill you.”

Altera raised her eyes. In her broken mind, those words would penetrate her brain and connect with her thoughts. She understood, Ragna offered the possibility to stay with her.

“Your personality’s trash, but you’re a bombshell. So how ‘bout this? I’ll stay at your side. And hey, I’ll even pretend to be your friend. In exchange, I just wanna one thing.”

“One thing?”

“Your body.”

“W…What?”

Ragna fell on Altera. Her head rested on her breasts, and her slitted eyes seethed their desire into her. Ragna’s finger drew lines on her body.

“What else are you good for?" Her nails scratched Altera’s skin.

"P...Please...Stop."

Altera's breath increased. She shivered every time Ragna touched her. Sensations raced in her brain, and pain numbed her thoughts. Ragna's finger caressed her body from her breast to her stomach, over her legs, and further. They tickled and bit into her skin like spices. Her strength left Altera's body as the massage continued with its stimulation.

“You should be honored. That someone even bothers to pretend to like a worthless wannabe Valkyrie like you. Give it all up. Become my pet, stop pretending to be a Valkyrie, and you can be happy.”

If she wanted to stay with Ragna, she had to...had...to...give up?

Altera raised her eyes open. Her runes activated all at once.

No, she couldn’t. Not in a million years.

An ice boulder double as wide as the two women bulldozed into them and slammed Ragna against the wall. Within a second, a layer of ice covered Ragna and glued her to the Orichalcum.

Altera stared in horror at her actions. She covered her mouth and backed away from the wall.

What had she done? She had assaulted Ragna, and only luck had prevented her death.

“You’re an idiot.” Ragna let her head fall. Blood dripped from her forehead and ran down the ice like crimson snakes. Chuckles escaped her lips, and she looked up. Her slitted eyes seethed in malice. Even against Clockwork, she had exhibited less hatred.

“Do you know what I hate most about you?” Ragna deepened her voice to a contralto and laughed. “You’ve eve-ry-thing. But you’re never happy. I’ve lost everything, but unlike you, I’m not wallowing in self-pity. You’re a disgusting piece of shit. You can’t ever be happy because then, no one would pay attention to you. It makes you feel better, you spoiled, entitled, selfish girl. Go on. Hide behind your facade of misery, pretend to play a Valkyrie, and the day will come when you’ll crash and burn.”

Ragna didn’t try to break out. Her laughter filled the room, and Altera ran out of the door.

She didn’t look where she ran, didn’t think, and didn’t care. Everywhere was fine. She didn’t want to see anyone.

“Altera!”

Altera opened her eyes. Eric was shouting at her. She bumped into him, and the two fell to the ground.