- Honey, are you sure you want to leave already? - Auriel smiled sweetly, stroking Artemis’s shoulder. – Maybe you’ll stay a couple more days? Your guys seem to like learning from our martial artists.

Temi returned her condescending smile, but her decision was formed and she was not going to back down. In fact, she wanted to leave the day they had a fight with Raphael in the thermal springs, but Ivrim persuaded her to stay for a couple of days and cool off.

This was more than enough for the men to practice, the gunsmiths prepared weapons, and she talked a lot about the old days with Auriel laughed and cried.

But like all good things come to an end, it’s time for them to leave this insanely beautiful, colorful and hospitable place.

- I don’t want to bring it to the moment when you yourself ask me to leave. - she giggled, as if giving her answer.

- Well, in that case, I would like to give you something. - Auriel held out a rather large box tied with a silver satin ribbon. – I know that your and Princess Riliya’s powers are currently being infringed and cannot be used to their full potential, as you literally absorb each other, but I still hope that my gift will be able to return some of your powers that were once transferred to you by my spouse.

Artemis took the box from the elf Queen’s hands, noting that it was quite heavy. She pulled the ribbon, allowing it to slide smoothly off the box and hang in her palm before opening the lid, watching the gift presented to her with a sinking heart.

Inside was an absolutely exact replica of her royal crown, which Ivrim had given her on her wedding day with Raphael. It was truly a valuable gift that no one else could appreciate only by seeing it from afar.

- I know that your old crown remained only in memories after it dissolved in the womb of Queen Riliya, giving her its powers, but I hope that this new one will give you even more strength. You’ll need it. -The elf queen said.

- I don’t even know how to thank you for this gift. - she whispered almost inaudibly from overflowing feelings. – In fact, because of this artifact, too many troubles have happened that have changed our lives for the worse, so I don’t know if I should accept this gift.

Auriel gently touched her hand holding the crown.

- People’s greed, selfishness, and arrogance have never come from a mere desire to possess an artifact, my dear. They cultivate these human qualities in themselves and if there is no this artifact, then there will be something else. There is no need for a reason, it’s all the fault of harmful human dependencies, in this case, dependence on power, on magic, on the feeling of omnipotence and permissiveness.

She paused, assessing Artemis’s reaction.

- Therefore, if you refuse, I will accept your decision, but by doing so you will weaken yourself, while I believe that you came to this world for the second time not just like that, but to end the evil that was born before your eyes.

- I’m still not sure that I can do anything, even if I have more strength. It’s quite difficult to explain... as if I’m just a little bug, which is very easy to accidentally crush with your foot. Lillian has lived for so long, avoiding enemies, managing to hide from Raphael and yet she is still alive. So what can I do against her? These are the thoughts that sometimes spin in my head.

Temi tried to sort out her inner mess, but everything rested on the fact that her thoughts were closely intertwined with Thea’s thoughts, their memories merged together, and their feelings.

When she made it clear to herself that she wanted her husband back, her mind seemed to block her from Thea and she gave herself up to her feelings and passion, but after a while everything came back a hundredfold, and with it a sense of guilt and despair.

Raphael left the same day they had a fight, but she allowed her feelings to cool down much later, so now her anxiety was reaching a new frontier, by making her suffer from the guilt that she did not ask him for forgiveness for her words and actions.

The only thing that brought her a little relief was that she addressed a request for forgiveness to Thea, she knew that she could hear her and feel her torment, but it was very important for her to say it out loud and explain her behavior.

And if only she could see Raphael now, she would be able to assure him that she would return his beloved girl’s body to him soon, that she would let go of her mind, and she would go into oblivion. But she couldn’t tell him that yet.

What bothered her most was that Thea hadn’t tried to contact her at all. Being on different sides, Those were her inner voice that helped Thea and protected her, but now everything was different, and Artemis could not understand the reasons. Was it out of jealousy or a sense of betrayal, or out of resentment? It was all just her own speculation.

- I do not know what awaits me tomorrow, but even coupled with my uncertainty, I am ready to fight to have a chance to win. - Temi said firmly.

- So you accept this gift? - Auriel beamed with a smile and Temi nodded, pulling the crown out of the box and carefully placing it on her head, feeling as if the metal melts on her head, but does not burn, but gently envelops and penetrates inside under the skin.

Of course, these were just her feelings, and from the outside it looked like just a crown on her head, but what mattered was that no one else could remove it from her head, except to cut off this very head from the body.

- It fits you perfectly. - The elf queen praised. – I do not know when we will meet next time, but I ask you to be careful.

There was boundless concern in her voice, and her eyes, like saucers covered with glossy glaze, radiated sadness.

- And you take care of yourself. – unexpectedly, Temi hugged Auriel so tightly and so informally, as if they were best friends. – I appreciate everything that you and Ivrim have done for me and for everyone in general.

She pulled back, returning to her original position, and closed the box, putting a beautiful ribbon inside.

- Well, now perhaps it’s time for me to assemble my brave brigade, otherwise it will drag on for several more days. - she chuckled.