It was a good hour before Ava finally felt her mother was recovering, & leaving the woman to nap for a while, Ava moved into action, knowing that she & Andreios had to work quickly before her father grew suspicious & sent someone after them. But she could remember him now, she could remember how much she loved him, & how heart-broken she was when she had to live without him. But he stayed with her after her father found them, hadn't he? He returned to this hellhole just for her, & like her, gave in to his wicked demands to keep his loved one safe.

Coming out of Iris' room, Ava allowed Andreios no time to react before launching herself into her arms & burying her face into his chest. The amulet she gave him was cool as it pressed onto her cheek, her fingers clinging onto his cloak, clasping desperately. She wouldn't let him go right now, not even if he hit her for it.

"I'm so sorry," Ava apologized quietly, "You warned me about my father, but I couldn't believe it until I saw it for myself. You were trapped by him because of me. Because I lied about who I was."

Slowly, Ava loosened her grip on Andreios to look up at him. She could barely see his face, her vision blinded by her tears welling up & falling, almost without halting. She anchored herself by gently clasping his cheeks in her shivering, cold fingers & forced herself to calm down; being so emotional wouldn't help them move past this any easier.

"I wanted to tell you about my magic, but by the time I trusted you, you'd become precious to me," Ava added sullenly, "It was entirely selfish, but I was so convinced that I couldn't live without you beside me. I was proved wrong, but every day apart from you was so agonizing, & no matter how many people I healed, no matter how much good I did, I couldn't get over how I'd hurt you. I am so sorry, Andreious; if I could take all the suffering my family has inflicted on you upon myself, I would. You could kill me in the worst way imaginable & I still wouldn't have atoned for our sins."