Helene’s return to Ms Pink’s castle is completely out of my mind by this time so I am rudely surprised when she appears in the room, standing before us.

“Ma fille. Who took you out?”

If I were only listening to Helene’s voice, I would think she is calm but I am looking at her also and the flames spewing out around her indicate the opposite.

Ms Pink pushes herself up, absurdly unperturbed by her lack of clothing and reaches for her silk robe. Meanwhile, I am looking about for my undergarments but they are nowhere to be found, leaving me no choice but to don my clothes without them.

Fortunately, my newly acquired supernatural power of speed reduces the duration my embarrassment and I am standing beside Ms Pink, clothed, within a couple of seconds. Helene narrows her eyes at me, clearing noticing the difference in me.

“Was it you?”

I open my mouth to answer without really knowing what to say, but Ms Pink takes me hand and beats me to the answer. “Erika’s blood saved me, Maman.”

Helene’s intensity doesn’t let up much but she does take a less aggressive stance, relaxing her arms and shoulders a little. “You don’t have to protect her. She is now stronger than you are.”

“I took Erika’s blood before meeting Qas.”

Helene’s eyes flash in understanding. “That was risky.”

“I knew the risk.”

“Fine.”

“Are you?”

“I’m fine.”

I hope my eyes don’t give anything away with their glance at Ms Pink.

“How much did you lose?”

Ms Pink grips my hand just a little harder. “Some.”

Helene smirks. “Let’s see.”

A blast of fire shoots at Ms Pink and I find myself raising my hand to stop it. The flames bend around the curve of my force field and Ms Pink is safe.

“Why are you doing this?” I raise my voice in a fury.

Helene doesn’t answer. She simply applies more pressure, forcing me to focus on the energy she is expending. I am bending her energy away with the force field but the amount of energy is indeed incredible. Yet, she is supposed to have been weakened after trying to convert me repeatedly?

“You’re weak!” she hollers and blasts another ray of flames at me.

I raise both hands, feeling the energy, moving the energy and close my eyes to focus. Energy isn’t seen. It is experienced. It pulses in the air and right now, it is pulsing in great torrents towards Ms Pink and I.

“Maman, stop.”

The flames persist for a moment longer but they stop coming for us and I can finally relax my mind. It is taxing, I realize. Yet, in the heat of the moment during the battle of the Dark Thicket, I was not struck by fatigue at all. Could it have been the adrenaline?

“She is strong enough to keep you safe for the time being. But you must regain your strength.”

Ms Pink takes my hand again, squeezing it gently. “I will.”

Helene takes another look at me and this time, I hold her gaze with a strong, defiant chin. To my surprise, Helene smiles and it isn’t sinister. “Everything was for you. Protect Pan Ni with your life, Erika.”

I swallow my surprise and nod, keeping my expression neutral. “That goes without saying.”

Helene laughs, flicks her luxuriously velvety black cloak-like dress, and exits the room without another world. I am mystified. Did I just earn the approval of my mother-in-law or something?

“Helene seems happy,” I say, testing the waters a little with Ms Pink’s opinion of her ‘mother’.

“She has always wanted me to be with someone powerful.”

“So I did pass the test.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It was a test. She fired at you to see if I could protect you and I did. I protected you.”

“You showed your hand.”

Ms Pink’s answer stuns me a little. “Don’t you trust Helene?”

With arms reaching out for my waist, pulling me in, Ms Pink looks into my eyes. “The only person I trust completely, is you.”

“Not even Seo? Cartu? Glazia? You sent them to help me.”

“I trust Seo with my life. However, Seo is loyal to justice also. While you,” Ms Pink smiles and my cheek, “are with me, body, mind and soul.”

“Is there no one else you t