It was night when Yuki finally woke. Her face was still slightly bloody, though the skin was already knitting back together, healing from the brutal beating Princess had given her.
She stared up at the sky, watching the thin sliver of the crescent moon through the canopy. A faint, jagged smile formed on her face. She was alive. That was all that mattered.
Then she turned her head to the side and saw Helen sitting on the ground nearby, leaning heavily against a gnarled tree.
"See what you've caused with your hesitation…" Yuki said, her voice raspy. She looked at the witch, expecting an argument or a defense.
Helen didn't respond. She looked too exhausted to even breathe, let alone speak. Her face alone showed the depth of her worry, her eyes sunken and dark.
Yuki checked her own body, running her hands over her face and arms. Everything had healed with terrifying speed. Not a single bruise remained, and her dislocated joint had snapped back into place while she was unconscious.
