Page 169 of Court of Aether and Shadows

"Foolish, stubborn star,"Lord Helios murmured as I fell into darkness. "Always pushing yourself too far..."

Then even his voice faded, and I knew no more.

Celestial Concerns

~HELIOS~

She felt impossibly light in my arms, like starlight given fragile form. I caught her before she could crumple completely, gathering her against my chest as her consciousness faded. Heat radiated from her skin – not the normal warmth of exhaustion, but the burning fever that came from pushing magical limits too far.

"Reckless little star," I murmured, carrying her to what appeared to be a simple academy desk. At my approach, the furniture transformed, reality bending to my will until a proper bed materialized, complete with silk sheets that shimmered with healing magic.

As I laid her down, my power automatically reached for hers, assessing the damage. The strain was obvious – she hadn't just realm walked herself, but had forcibly dragged that stubborn wolf along, shielding him from corruption that would have shredded his essence. The fact that she'd maintained that level of protection while still participating in class was...impressive. Foolish, but impressive.

"Arrogant pup," I muttered, thinking of the shadow wolf's wounded pride. "More ego than power, yet she nearly drained herself protecting you." My fingers brushed her forehead, feeling the fever burn hotter. Her power responded to my touch instinctively, reaching for my celestial energy like a flower seeking sun.

The white fox jumped onto the bed, curling protectively near her feet. Its ruby eyes met mine with something like accusation.

"Oh, don't give me that look," I told it. "The trial was necessary. Though I admit, I didn't expect her to expend quite so much energy shielding her wolf." A slight smile curved my lips. "She's rather protective of them all, isn't she?"

Movement in the corner of the room drew my attention, though I didn't bother turning around. "Are you going to join us properly, or continue lurking in the shadows watching me tend to your Omega?"

Lady Nyx materialized from the darkness, her galaxy eyes fixed on Sparrow's unconscious form. "Impressive that you noticed me. Most can't detect my void presence when I don't wish to be found."

"Most aren't me," I replied simply, watching as she approached the bed. The void wolf moved with predatory grace, but there was nothing but concern in her expression as she reached for Sparrow.

"Your void doppelganger in the cafeteria is quite convincing," I noted as she checked Sparrow's temperature with a gentle hand. "The others won't notice the substitution."

"They're too busy arguing about lunch options to notice much of anything," Nyx said dryly, though her galaxy eyes never left Sparrow's face. "Though I should probably have it order something substantial. She's going to need real food when she wakes up, not just magical energy."

I studied the void wolf thoughtfully. Her power was impressive – maintaining a perfect duplicate of herself while hiding her true presence spoke of skill far beyond her apparent age. "You've been watching over her since she arrived, haven't you?"

Nyx's lips curved in a slight smile. "Someone has to. The boys are too busy posturing and competing to notice when she's pushing herself too hard." She shot me a knowing look. "Though I suspect you've been keeping your own eye on her."

"She's my student," I said neutrally, though we both knew it was far more complicated than that.

"Mmhmm," Nyx hummed noncommittally, her void energy gently probing Sparrow's magical reserves. "And I'm just a simple void wolf who happened to bond with the most powerful Omega in centuries. We all have our stories, Lord Helios."

The fox chirped what sounded suspiciously like agreement, making both of us look at it.

"Even your celestial manifestation is fond of her," Nyx observed, reaching out to scratch behind the fox's ears. It allowed the touch, which was unusual – normally it only tolerated contact from Sparrow or myself. "Though I suppose that's not surprising, given... everything."

I raised an eyebrow at her careful phrasing. "You seem remarkably well-informed about certain matters, Lady Nyx."

She met my gaze steadily, galaxy eyes swirling with ancient knowledge. "The void remembers what others forget, my Lord. And some of us pay attention to more than just court politics and power plays."

Before I could respond, Sparrow stirred slightly in her sleep, power pulsing erratically. Both Nyx and I reached for her instinctively – void and celestial energy working in unexpected harmony to soothe her distress.

"She's going to be quite cross when she wakes up," Nyx said softly, brushing a strand of hair from Sparrow's forehead. "She hates appearing weak."

"Then we'll simply have to convince her that accepting help isn't weakness," I replied, watching as my celestial magic wove with Nyx's void energy, creating a healing matrix around our sleeping star.

Depths Of The Void

~NYX~

"Your power runs deeper than you let others see," Lord Helios observed quietly as we maintained our healing energies around Sparrow. "I wonder why someone of your capabilities chooses to hide behind chaos and mischief."

I kept my eyes fixed on Sparrow's sleeping form, not wanting to meet his all-too-perceptive gaze. "I don't hide anything," I said, though the words felt hollow even to my own ears. "I simply am who I am."

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