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Gem's body shook with pain as she dragged herself across the floor. Blood smeared across the wooden boards, her wounds reopening. She didn't care. She was used to the metallic smell by now.
Jimmy was holding Scott in his arms, gathering up his equipment and armour. The elf had collapsed almost immediately, probably from starvation. Gem had held strong, more used to going without food for periods of time than he was. Her head still spun, body weak. Jimmy looked over at her.
"Gem, are you okay?"
Gem wanted to roll her eyes. He'd quite literally just found her and Scott in cells begging for help. But she couldn't be sarcastic to her rescuer, she supposed.
"Yes, Jimmy, I'm fine." Gem pulled out her belongings, fixing her wizard hat back onto her head and grabbing her staff. She used it to push herself up from the ground, like a walking stick.
"Right, good. Because I think you'll have to teleport us out."
Gem just stared at him. Her magic was almost depleted entirely, the dregs of it slowly leaking out of the gashes on her legs with the blood. Jimmy wasn't a wizard, he didn't understand what he was asking of her.It was asking her to do fhe impossible.
Then she caught sight of Scott, in Jimmy's arms. He was barely hanging on, eyes fluttering and glazed. Footsteps thundered overhead, someone coming back down. She locked eyes with Jimmy, both panicked. She nodded.
Gem placed her hand on Jimmy's shoulder, clutching the amethyst on her staff. She reached deep into her well of magic, head pounding, body screaming at her to stop. She cast the spell, bending the fabric of the world to her will and taking them far away.
They landed with a thud, on the boarder between Mythland and Gilded Helianthia. Gem collapsed on the ground, her body protesting even louder, biting her lip so hard that salty blood began to emerge.
"Thank you, Gem. We need to get both of you to Pearl, she'll-"
"No." Jimmy looked down at her in shock.
"Gem, what do you mean? Look at you, Pearl has to heal you!"
Gem pushed herself up with her staff again, shaking her head. "Scott's the priority. I can heal myself at home. I'll be fine."
He looked at her, and then down at Scott, conflicted. "Are you sure?"
Gem nodded rapidly. She pulled out a rocket, ready to fly away. "I'm sure. Update me on Scott."
She took off, wind tugging at her braid.
Gem had lied. Of course she had. If she'd gone to Pearl, she wouldn't have been allowed to leave until Pearl thought she was better. And Gem and Pearl had very different idea on what that looked like.
Gem didn't need to be the perfect image of health. She hadn't been that to begin with, with her inconsistent sleeping and eating habits. Getting properly healthy would take far too long, and she had to keep an eye on the dragon egg. Now more than ever.
She had been kidnapped because Xornoth was scared of the egg, and wanted it gone. It was logical, the first dragon had bound the demon for centuries. Gem trying to hatch the egg made her message clear, she was trying to get rid of him. She also owed it to the first dragon, who died because of the mistakes of her alliance and herself. Safely hatching and raising the next dragon would ease the damage they had all caused.
But now things were even more dire than before, it seemed. Sausage, one of her closest allies, had been the one to take her, to hold her in that cell deep underneath his empire. He'd been the one to kill her with those dark spells, weakening her well of magic further.
It was one thing for him and Joey to be mind controlled by Xornoth. That was understandable. But...there had been something else there. That desire for power, the rage when Gem told him he wasn't a real wizard.
What if Xornoth had fed on feelings that were already there? Maybe Sausage had been planning on betraying her all along. The thought saddened Gem.
Gem landed in her empire, right by the dragon sanctuary. She pushed herself up the steps, leaning on her staff, and relaxed when she saw the egg still there, sitting on its little platform amongst the steaming lava. She sat down next to the bubbling pool with a thud, sighing in relief.
"Oh, little egg. I'll always protect you, I promise," Gem murmured, reaching out to gently stoke the hard scales that kept the dragon safe.
She caught sight of her reflection in the polished quartz, and winced. She looked terrible. Her face was pale, eyes bruised with shadows and skin littered with cuts. There were veins visible, along her neck and arms, that were blackened, and Gem shuddered to see them.
The dark magic hadn't completely left her system, it seemed.
Part of her wanted to climb down the mountain, go to the apothecary and ask Lucy, the cleric that worked there, for help. But she would fuss, and Gem would be put on bed rest, and she'd get nothing of worth done.
If she wanted help, she would have gone to Pearl. Or Katherine, but Gem knew she was busy researching the corruption. Like Gem should be doing.
So, instead of going downwards, Gem made her way across the mountains tops, until she reached her wizard tower.
The study was just as she'd left it, papers and textbooks scattered across the floor and desk. Gem sighed, and went to close the door.
The heavy metal bars, locked shut, trapping her in that tiny space where she could only look at the food they'd left beyond the cell to taunt her. Keeping her from looking at Scott, who was growing weaker on the other side of the wall.
Gem didn't want to close it. But if she left it open, what if they came back? Snatched her away, taking her alone this time. Scott was the only thing that had kept her sane for so long. She didn't know how she would manage alone.
She locked it, and left the doors leading onto her balcony open instead. Her desk faced it, and she would be able to watch for threats, escape quickly to the skies
The wind blew bitterly cold through the doors, and Gem shivered, wrapping her cloak tighter. Picking up her quill, she opened a new page in her grimoire. She would have to write down the incident, record it and study how the corruption had overtaken people.
Gem had to keep working. She wasn't worthy of rest, of help, until she proved herself as capable of it.
Pearl had been shocked when she opened the door of her home to find Jimmy and Scott in such a state. She hadn't asked any questions, just let them in and got to work.
It wasn't until Scott was asleep, the colour returning to his face slowly but surely, that Pearl spoke to Jimmy.
She took him to her kitchen, fetching tea for him. He looked shaken, and Pearl didn't blame him.
"What happened, Jimmy?"
He just held the mug in his hands, not taking a single sip. His voice was quiet.
"Sausage and Joey have been corrupted by Xornoth."
Pearl felt her heart drop. She had had her suspicions, but living in denial felt easier than confronting such an idea.
"So they...took Scott?" Jimmy nodded.
"I don't know when. I just stumbled across the dungeon when Sausage wasn't there, and I...I don't know how long they had been trapped."
Pearl blinked. "Sorry, did you say they?"
Jimmy nodded again, finally taking a sip of his tea. "Scott and Gem."
It was Pearl's head was underwater. "Sorry?"
"They were taken together, I think. But Scott was almost unconscious, and Gem didn't give an explanation for why they had been the ones that were taken."
"The dragon egg." Pearl murmured it to herself, but Jimmy heard. His eyes widened.
"Of course. That makes so much-"
"Where is she?" Pearl cut him off. He looked guilty.
"She went back to the Crystal Cliffs. She said she was fine."
"And you believed her?" Pearl was getting angry now.
Jimmy opened and closed his mouth like a fish. "Yeah, I did. She teleported us out of the dungeon onto the boarder of your empire, so it made sense that she was feeling okay. She told me to prioritise Scott, and flew away before I could go after her."
"You-" Pearl stood up. It wasn't his fault. Of course it wasn't. But Pearl wanted to kill him right there in the kitchen. "You let her perform a teleportation spell. Then she flew away, instead of coming here for help."
She wanted to run right out of the house, and go straight to Gem. But her mind went to Scott, still asleep. She couldn't trust Jimmy to treat him. He meant well, but knew nothing of medicine, especially for elves.
"Pearl, I'm sorry. I didn't realise -"
"It's fine." Pearl turned back to him. She tried to smile. "Let's focus on Scott for now. When he's awake, I'll see if we can get him over to House Blossom."
"Katherine?"
Pearl put away the tea. "She's a good healer. And she's been working on curing the corruption, so if there's something more serious that's wrong with Scott, she's the best person to go to."
Jimmy nodded. "Okay. Sure."
Scott came too the next morning, sitting up in bed, confused, scared.
"Where am I?"
"Jimmy got you out, Scott." Pearl kneeled by the bed. "You're safe now." He gave a sob of relief, relaxing significantly.
"Oh, thank Aeor." He looked around, at Jimmy and Pearl. He frowned. "Where's Gem? Is she safe?"
Jimmy took his hand. "Yeah, she went back to the Crystal Cliffs before I took you here. You were the priority." Scott's eyes widened.
"Excuse me?!" He looked horrified. "What do you mean I was the priority? Gem was the one they were torturing!"
Pearl's blood ran cold. "Torturing in what way, Scott?"
"They killed her. Over and over again. With dark magic." He shuddered, tugging on his blue braid of hair. "It was like they were withering her." He looked at Jimmy. "You just let her go off on her own?!"
He scrambled to explain. "She said she was fine!" Scott shook his head.
"She must have gone to look at that egg. That's why she was taken. They were demanding her to give it up, and killed her whenever she refused." Scott shook his head. "Gem was weaker than me. I remember now, before I fainted. She could barely stand."
Jimmy looked so guilty. Pearl pitied him. He wasn't the first to fall for Gem's act. "Scott, I didn't know. I'm so sorry. It's just, you collapsed! Gem was awake, she was using magic, she said she was fine and I believed it."
Scott shook his head, and looked at Pearl. "You have to go her. I collapsed because they've not been feeding us. Both of us. You need to go to her."
She nodded at him, glad he didn't feel abandoned. "Are you okay to make your way to Katherine's? She'll be able to keep an eye on you, get you fed, and you can work on the corruption with her."
Scott nodded. "Jimmy will take me. Go, Pearl."
She left without looking back.
Gem tried to ignore the way her hands shook. It was making her job a lot harder as she tried to extract a small piece of corrupted vine.
She got her sample, carefully placing it in a jar and setting it beside her. Gem pulled open her grimoire.
Hypothesis: Katherine's potion healed flowers that have been corrupted. This method could apply to the corruption itself, eg the tentacles. By extension, could be used to heal people? Stop the demon??
"Whatcha writing?" Gem almost jumped out of her skin.
"Gods, Pearl. Don't do that to me." She was leaning down, her golden brown hair almost hitting Gem's face. "Did you need something?"
Pearl straightened back up, becoming serious. "Gem, have you gotten help for your injuries?"
She played dumb. "What injuries?"
Pearl gave her an incredulous look. "The injuries you received in the dungeon while you were imprisoned." Gem flinched at the memories.
"I, um, went to Katherine."
Pearl just shook her head. "I was just there. She's not heard from you since you and Scott went missing."
Gem tried to think of another excuse. "I went to...my apothecary?"
"I just spoke with Lucy. She didn't even know you had left or returned."
That hurt, slightly. It was Gem's own fault, her citizens had grown accustomed to her self imposed isolation, and stopped checking up on her. She knew Jimmy had been looking for Scott, not her. No one had probably even noticed Gem was missing.
"Oh, Gem." Pearl kneeled down next to her, full of pity. Gem blinked away tears, and got to her feet carefully.
"I'm fine, Pearl. I've got work to do." Her friend got a funny look on her face.
"I'm giving you two options here, Gem. First one, you let me take care of any injuries you have."
"And the second?" Gem crossed her arms. Pearl just smirked at her.
"I pick you up and carry you to the apothecary, kicking and screaming, in front of your people." Gem's eyes widened.
"You wouldn't." Pearl raised a brow. She would. And Gem had a reputation to uphold. She sighed. "Fine. But we go to my wizard tower. I need to put these samples away. And, you leave when I tell you to." Pearl nodded in agreement.
The climb up there was strenuous, Gem's body aching. Something had happened to her left shoulder, that made it impossible for her to reach any of the wounds on her back. Of which there were many, and it hurt quite badly. She leaned more of her weight on her staff, hoping it wouldn't snap from all the force she was putting on it.
When they got to the staircase that led up to the tower, Gem just stared at it. Pearl looked down at her.
"Come on, I'll carry you up there." Gem wanted to refuse immediately, deny that she needed help. But she was weak, unsteady and shaky. And Pearl was looking at her with such kind eyes.
Gem just nodded, avoiding her gaze. She refused to look at Pearl as she was picked up gently, bridal style, and was carried up the staircase.
She was finally still, for the first time since escaping. It made Gem hyper aware of everything that hurt, the aches and stinging wounds. She realised with a jolt that she still hadn't eaten, hadn't slept in days, and her stomach felt like it had been hollowed out.
Her eyes slipped shut, just for a second, and her exhaustion finally caught up to her.
Pearl felt herself let out a breath of relief as Gem finally fell asleep, head against her chest. It was going to make her job a lot easier.
She didn't blame Jimmy at all for his mistake. Gem had been so awake, so aware, nothing like Scott at all. Pearl likely would have been convinced if she hadn't seen the signs.
Gem's hands had been shaking, and she winced at every slight movement. Pearl was more worried about how easy it was to carry her, she was so light. Scott had said they'd not been fed when kidnapped, but had Gem even eaten since returning, or slept? Had she even treated her injuries at all?
The wizard tower was in a total state of disrepair upon entering. The floors were covered in loose papers, scribbled notes, and mugs of cold tea. Pearl had to step carefully to avoid knocking into small vials of ink, just scattered around. It only deepened her worry.
Gem's bedroom, by contrast, looked completely untouched. The bed was made, sheets tucked in tight and severe. There was a plant on the bedside table, but it was on the verge of dying, Pearl noted sadly. Gem likely hadn't been there for a while.
She carefully laid Gem on the bed, removing her large hat and gently prying the staff out of her grip. Gem stayed asleep, and didn't look like she'd be waking up anytime soon.
Healing her could wait, Pearl decided. For now, she would let Gem sleep, and try and tidy the tower for her.
After clearing up the absolute mess downstairs, Pearl was prepared for it to be even worse in Gem's study. Instead, it was neatly organized, everything put away recently, to her surprise. It was freezing though, and Pearl shut the balcony doors quickly to block out the chill. After checking the time, she went to go run a bath, so Gem could wash her hair. She had reeked out corruption.
Gem was still on the bed, fast asleep. She always looked so much less serious when sleeping. Pearl smiled down at her, and noticed her grimoire on the bedside table.
"Might as well read it," she murmured to herself. It felt like a slight intrusion, but it wasn't like it was a diary. Gem was always very insistent on that. It would probably help if Pearl actually understood what she was trying to study. Maybe there was something she could do to assist Gem's research, ease her workload.
She flipped through pages of notes and spells, with scribbled diagrams and lists of ingredients. Pearl went to the end of Gem's writings, looking for her most recent studies, and-
She stopped.
A detailed account and analysis of the Mythland abduction, by the Wizard Gem
Gem had written it down. All of it. Pearl was scared to read it, scared of what she would find. But, looking down at Gem next to her, pale and weak, she knew she had to understand. All of it. Gem could lie to Pearl, but she wouldn't lie in her research.
Pearl began to read.
A detailed account analysis of the Mythland abduction, by the Wizard Gem:
The incident began when I, Gem, made the journey to Rivendell. I was there to create an embassy from the Crystal Cliffs, strengthening my alliance with King Scott. I brought him to the building, showing that I had completed construction as requested.
This was when Emperor Joey of the Lost Empire showed up. He was wearing a strange sort of crown, similar to the horns of the demon Xornoth. This made both of us uneasy, especially because his eyes were an unnatural red colour, as if possessed.
We had brief discussion, the details of which I don't recall. Before I could understand what was happening, King Sausage of Mythland appeared, throwing an unidentified splash potion onto Scott and myself.
This made us both become exhausted, and collapse into a deep sleep.
When I next awoke, I found myself in a very small cell, surrounded by three walls. The fourth wall was made of metal bars, with a very small hatch by my face. After quick investigation I realised that Scott was to my left, in a cell of his own. We were unable to see each other, but we could communicate.
Together we came to the conclusion that we were firstly, in the kingdom of Mythland, secondly, stripped of our tools and armour, and thirdly, placed under some sort of restriction that left us unable to break any blocks. It was very similar to the mining affects one might experience from a guardian.
I am unsure how long we were kept in those cells. However, I can confirm that the demon had corrupted the minds of Joey and Sausage.
They introduced themselves as servants of Xornoth, and demanded that I hand over the dragon egg that is in my protection. When I refused, they took turns maiming and killing me. The specifics of this have been omitted, as they are irrelevant to the study.
I did made the observation that Sausage had been equipped with very strong dark magic, which he used to kill me. The overextended use of this took a toll on my physical health, and made each respawn more painful.
There was a visible upside to my repeated slaughtering was that my hunger reset each time. We were not given food at any point, our captors instead choosing to leave potatoes on the floor outside our bars to taunt us. I was doing better in that regard in comparison to Scott.
King Scott of Rivendell was not directly hurt by our captors during imprisonment. However he suffered from a lack of food, and grew weak very quickly. I gather that he was taken due to his connection with the demon Xornoth, which he defined as brothers from a 'past life that were then reincarnated'? I will need to confirm this with him, as he could have been lying in an attempt to throw our captors off, which would be completely understandable.
We were eventually rescued by the Codfather Jimmy, and Scott was taken to Gilded Helianthia to recover.
Coming out of this incident I hope to confirm that the people that took me were not the friends that I know and care about. They seemed to be mind controlled. However, the demon seemed to use personal desires to corrupt them.
With Joey, he seemed to be tempted by a desire for love and power, referring to Xornoth as his lover. The demon using this attraction is very clever, as Joey now wishes to protect him, and has an emotional attachment to him.
With Sausage, it seems to be more complex. For a long time now, he has wanted to become a wizard like me, but did not have the natural abilities. He originally resorted to using magic crystals, provided by me, and mushrooms from the Undergrove. Sausage was insecure, and had a strong desire for power, which made him receptacle for corruption. This may have been my own fault, as I dismissed this in the past and did not make an effort to instruct him effectively in magic. He often acted out of jealousy when harming me, claiming he was more powerful than me, as if convincing himself. He has become destructive.
Coming out of this incident, I have officially broken my alliance with the Lost Empire, and Mythland. I will urge my fellow members of the Wither Rose Alliance to do the same. Originally, my brother and I were hesitant to oust Sausage, due to our closeness in the past. I now have no hesitation, and I am sure my brother will follow me.
A list of injuries I acquired as a result of this specific incident:
- A pain in my left shoulder that prevents me from lifting my arm up.
- Large gashes across my back
- Cuts across my legs and arms
- A faint ringing in my ears
- Weakness and general unsteadiness
- Fatigue
- Reduced magic
- Blacked veins, likely from the dark magic
- Aches across my entire body
- Extreme hunger
I leave this incident with more urgency than ever before. The demon was corrupting the empires themselves, but now he has crossed a line. Xornoth has corrupted my fellow emperors, my friends, by manipulating insecurities that make them human.
That is a step too far.
Further studying is required. The dragon egg remains in my care, unharmed.
I will keep working, to keep the ones I love safe.
Signed
Wizard Gem
When Gem woke up, she became aware of the pain that ran across her body. It throbbed and ached, making her head pound. It seemed resting had only heightened her senses, making everything hurt even more.
That was when she became aware of sniffling beside her. Gem turned her head, wincing at her stiff neck. It was Pearl, tears brimming. Gem recognised the book she was reading with confusion.
"What are you doing?" Pearl jumped, wiping her eyes rapidly.
"Gem, you're awake." She tried to smile. "How are you feeling?"
"Pearl." Gem pushed herself up, grunting from the pain. "Why are you reading my grimoire?" She raised her eyebrows.
"Sorry, I just wanted to see if I could assist in your research, make your job easier for you." Pearl scrambled to close it, and Gem caught sight of what she had been reading. Her stomach dropped.
"Pearl, I-"
"It's okay, Gem. You don't need to talk about it." Gem sighed, taking the book from Pearl's shaking hands.
"I wanted to tell you myself. But I don't need to now, clearly." She got off the bed. "I appreciate you taking me up to my bedroom, but there is no need for you to stay, now that you have the information you were seeking."
Pearl's eyes widened, slightly horrified. "You think I was here for information?"
"I think you came here because you can't seem stay out of my business. And you felt some obligation to check up on me, I suppose." Gem slowly made her way over to her hung up hat and cloak. She had to keep working. "Now you know my business. So now you can leave."
"Absolutely not." Pearl snatched the hat and cloak out of Gem's grasp. "You need to be helped. You need to be healed."
Gem shook her head rapidly. She needed Pearl to leave. She didn't need help, didn't deserve help. Not until she understood what was going on.
She needed to know if the incident truly was her fault.
"What I need- it isn't your concern, Pearl."
"Gem."
"Pearl."
They stared at each other, equally defiant. Pearl grew sad.
"I ran a bath for you. It should be ready by now. If you want to...wash your hair." Gem looked down at her long braid, tangled and wild. She probably looked a state.
"I can't." She spoke quietly.
"Why is that, Gem?" Gem's face grew hot.
"I can't reach. I hurt my shoulder. So I can't reach to wash my hair. Or treat the wounds on my back." Pearl gave her a look, a silent offer. Gem sighed. "Fine. You can stay. Just for a while longer."
Gem was silent after emerging from the bathroom, wrapped tightly in a robe. Pearl didn't push her to talk, just started working her way through the tangles in Gem's damp hair.
She kept going over the grimoire in her mind. The way Gem had laid out her own kidnapping in careful, analytical detail. Even listing her injuries, but not talking about the mental effects, or how she had personally been hurt.. It made Pearl's stomach tie itself into knots.
Pearl braided Gem's hair into a thick rope, and draped it back over her shoulder. Her friend was quiet, staring at the long braid of ginger hair.
"Thank you, Pearlie." Pearl smiled.
"My pleasure. Can I look at your injuries?" Gem nodded, not meeting Pearl's eyes. That was fine.
Pearl became focused, similar to when Scott was brought to her door. She stitched shut the open wounds of Gem's back, brewed the right potions to relieve her pains, and cleaned up her cuts.
It wasn't until Pearl was almost done wrapping Gem's arm, sat on her bed together, that she noticed how much she was shaking. She looked up, finally.
Gem was weeping, tears streaming down her face silently as she struggled to hold back sobs. Pearl felt her heart ache.
"Gem, come here." She took Gem in her arms, rubbing her back gently. She felt the front of her dress grow damp from tears. Gem began to jolt, properly sobbing now.
Eventually her crying slowed, and she began to talk. Pearl felt like she'd been holding everything back for a while, and stayed silent.
"I'm so tired, and I thought -I thought I was going to die, forever. I thought... I would be gone and- and Scott would be alone. Sharing a dungeon with- with a corpse." Gem pulled back to look at Pearl, wiping her tears. " I'm sorry, Pearl, for fighting so hard. It was so much easier to just pretend nothing bad had happened to me. It's why I didn't treat any of my injuries."
"What do you mean by that?" Pearl tilted up Gem's chin, looking into her eyes. Gem blinked more tears back.
"If I looked at them...if I talked about what happened...it would mean I would have to accept that it had happened. I would need to accept that my allies...my friends, turned against me and hurt me. It makes me damaged, broken. It makes me weak." Gem took a sharp breath in. "If I'm weak, they can hurt me again. They could take me back there."
Pearl blinked back her own tears. "I'm not letting you go back, Gem. I promise." Gem nodded, picking at her bandages. Pearl didn't have it in her to reprimand her.
She looked back up at Pearl, her green eyes sharpening.
"Go on. Tell me I'm wrong, and that I'm stupid for thinking it. I know I am."
Pearl thought of the written account. The way Gem had thrown herself back into research immediately, forced herself to record the entire traumatic event to prevent it from happening to anyone else. The way she'd always blamed herself for letting the dragon be killed.
"You're not wrong. You're allowed to feel like this, Gem. But you're also allowed to feel. You're worthy of help. You're worthy of love." Gem's eyes filled with tears again, her lips twitching. Pearl took a deep breath in. "Let me help you. Let me love you, Gem. Because I love you so much that it hurts, and I want to take all the worries from your mind, just for a while." Pearl looked down at her folded hands. "Please?"
Gem reached out, placing a hand over Pearl's. Pearl looked up at Gem, who had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Yeah," she whispered. "Okay."
Outside, there was chaos. Corruption pushing its way into peoples homes. Into their minds. A war was brewing, and people were preparing to battle for their empires.
In the Crystal Cliffs on the other hand, it was quiet. But it wasn't the tense quiet, the one of isolation and fearful. Instead, it was something softer, and warmer.
At the top of the wizard tower, a fire roared in the corner, casting a glow over the room. A grey cat purred softly, stretching out in front of the flames.
Gem burrowed herself further into Pearl's arms, deeper into the blankets. She had finally eaten a real meal, her first in far too long. No rushed snacks between studying. A rabbit stew, warm and flavourful.
She had talked. It wasn't a documented report, with lists of injuries and explanations for why her friends would act that way. No excuses for why they would hurt her, why it could be her fault. Just the story, the pain she had felt as the scythe sunk into skin and flesh. The way she had cried silently, curled into the corner of her cage. The way she had been so exhausted that she just ignored Scott's desperate ramblings as he tried to make sure she was alive. Pearl had listened, holding her hand tight.
When Gem had finished, she'd nodded firmly. "They are no allies of Gilded Helianthia. Not anymore."
Pearl was asleep, curled around Gem tightly. She gazed at her face, hair spread out over the pillow. The queen of golden sunshine.
Gem felt sleep pull at her mind again. She allowed herself to rest, for darkness to approach.
She would be kept safe, even if it was just for the night. Knowing Pearl, it wouldn't be.
Gem was protected, loved for the first time since her escape.
She wasn't alone.
She wouldn't be for a long time.