The night stretched quiet and serene over the mountains, the fire from the camp dimming to a faint glow as the goddesses drifted off to their separate resting places.

Adrian stood at the edge of the clearing, staring out at the darkened peaks that seemed to rise endlessly into the starlit sky.

The silence surrounded him, heavy and persistent, making him focus on his own thoughts. For the first time in days, there was no ongoing battle, no deadly traps to avoid, and no complicated discussions with seven strong-willed people.

This moment left him alone with his own thoughts and memories.

Adrian closed his eyes for a moment, clenching his fist tightly. He had always been in charge; in control. As the king of Meridia, he had confidently led his people. His words were law, his decisions were firm and calculated.

But the arrival of the Shadow Court had destroyed that control.

The attack on Meridia had been swift and ruthless.

He could still see the flames licking at the castle walls, hear the cries of his people as they fled, and feel the crushing weight of helplessness as he held his wife in his arms for the last time.

Her blood had stained his hands, and he had not been able to protect her—or the unborn child they had dreamed of.

That had been the cost of his failure.

Control had slipped from his grasp, and the world had fallen apart.

When the goddesses had offered him the deal, it had been his chance to reclaim some measure of that lost control. By freeing them, he had a way forward—a purpose.

Even though they were a handful, constantly challenging him, bickering, and throwing his plans into disarray, Adrian had held on. He had stayed in command.

But Hera…

Hera, the Goddess of Pride, had introduced a challenge he hadn't expected.

Her terms unsettled him deeply. To submit to her dominance went against everything he was, everything he had fought to rebuild after the devastation.

And yet, he knew he had no choice.

He needed her power.

If he was to have his revenge against the Shadow Court and rebuild Meridia, he had to gather every resource, every ally—even if that meant bending to her will in this way.

Adrian exhaled heavily, his breath misting in the cool mountain air. His jaw tightened. It's temporary, he told himself. A necessary sacrifice for the greater good.

And once it was done, he could focus entirely on his goals: revenge, restoration, and, maybe, peace.

"Can't sleep?"

Adrian turned sharply, startled out of his thoughts.

Hestia stood a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest, her usual lethargy evident in the droop of her shoulders. She looked half-asleep, her marine-blue eyes half-lidded as she shuffled closer.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Didn't hear you coming."

"Good. Means I still have it," she said with a lazy smile, leaning against a nearby tree. "But seriously, you okay? You've been standing here, glaring at nothing for a while."

Adrian hesitated.

Hestia wasn't someone he expected to ask probing questions—or even care about the answers. But there was something in her tone that held a surprising sincerity.

"Just… thinking," he admitted finally. "About everything."

Hestia yawned, covering her mouth with one hand. "Sounds exhausting. Want my advice?"

"Do I have a choice?" Adrian replied with a faint smirk.

"Not really." She stretched, arching her back as if the act of speaking required preparation. "You're overthinking. We've all got baggage, Adrian. You, me, the others—we're walking disasters, every one of us. But you? You've done more than most people could. You've kept it together, even when it's hard."

Adrian leaned back against the tree beside her, his arms crossed. "That's easy for you to say. You spend half your time napping."

"Exactly," she said with a grin. "You should try it. You'd be surprised how much clearer things get when you stop trying so hard."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "You're saying the solution to my problems is... sleep?"

"No," Hestia said, her tone uncharacteristically serious. "I'm saying you need to let go of the idea that you can control everything. Some things… you just have to let happen."

Adrian frowned, her words hitting closer to home than he wanted to admit. "I can't let things happen, Hestia. I've seen what happens when I do that. People die. I lose everything."

Hestia's expression softened, a rare moment of genuine wisdom shining through her usual laziness. "You're not the same person you were then. You're stronger. Smarter. And you're not alone anymore. We're here, Adrian. Like it or not, you've got a team—and we won't let you fall."

Adrian was silent for a moment, letting her words sink in.

She had a point, even if he hated admitting it. The goddesses were overwhelming, unpredictable, and chaotic, but they were also powerful and, in their own way, loyal.

"You know," he said finally, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "for someone who spends most of her time sleeping, you're surprisingly wise."

Hestia chuckled, pushing off the tree. "I've got plenty of time to think while I'm resting. But talking about it?" She yawned again, stretching her arms over her head. "That's the drag sometimes…"

"Most times," she corrected herself with a wink.

Adrian shook his head, watching as she started to walk back toward the camp. "Off to sleep again?" he called after her.

"Of course," she replied without looking back. "I've got to stay in top form and recover the amount of wisdom I just handed out."

"I thought you just woke up."

Hestia shrugged, a lazy grin on her face as she waved over her shoulder. "Doesn't mean I can't rest some more."

Adrian watched her go, a small, genuine smile on his lips. For all her quirks, Hestia had a way of cutting through the noise in his head. And for the first time in what felt like days, he felt a little lighter.

As the camp settled into silence once more, Adrian turned his gaze back to the mountains.

The Shadow Court was out there, plotting and gathering strength. He would face them soon enough. But for now, there was work to do—training, planning, and forging the bonds that would carry them through the storm ahead.

With a final deep breath, he turned back toward the fire, determination sparking anew in his eyes. This is just the beginning, he thought. And I'll be ready.

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