S1 E64:Beauty Beyond Sight.

                                    

                                          
The journey to Helena’s domain was long and fraught with tension. The skies above were veiled in swirling gray clouds, and the air was thick with unease. Evelina walked beside Isabella, silent as ever, her steps heavy but purposeful.
Breaking the quiet, Evelina spoke, her voice low but sharp, “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
Isabella turned to her, surprised. “Afraid of you? Why would I be?”
Evelina hesitated, her gaze fixed on the rocky path ahead. “People call me a monster,” she muttered. “Children cry when they see my face. And my family… what should I even tell you about them?”
Isabella stopped walking, forcing Evelina to pause too. She looked directly at her companion, her eyes steady. “When you feel ready to tell me, I’ll listen. But for now, I’ll tell you this—you’re not ugly. People are fools.”
Evelina blinked, stunned by the response. She had never heard those words before. “Why?” she whispered. “Why would you say that?”
Isabella’s tone softened, but her words were firm. “It doesn’t matter how beautiful someone looks if their heart is black. Nothing good can come from it. But you… I feel your heart. It’s good. You gave me the crown without a fight. If it were anyone else, they would’ve clung to it until their last breath.”
Evelina’s lips parted slightly, not in a smile, but in a moment of quiet recognition. She felt something stir deep within her—a connection she had never known before. Isabella didn’t pity her. She saw her.
They walked on in silence, Evelina lost in thought, Isabella leading the way. Soon, the land began to change. The air grew colder, and the wind howled like a living thing. Ahead lay Helena’s domain, a swirling vortex of tornados and shadows surrounded by an army of dark figures.
Helena stood in the eye of the storm, her black gown rippling like water in the chaos. Her piercing gaze landed on them the moment they stepped into her territory. A sly smile spread across her face.
“So,” Helena said, her voice carrying over the storm, “you both finally arrived. Where is my crown?”
Isabella didn’t flinch. She held the crown up for Helena to see. “It’s here.”
Helena’s smile widened, though her eyes remained cold. “Hand it over, then. I didn’t expect you to give it so easily, Evelina.”
Evelina ignored the taunt, her face as still as stone. Helena’s laughter echoed through the storm. “Your heart is kinder than your face, ugly girl.”
Evelina’s eyes flared with anger, and she stepped forward, her fists clenched. Isabella quickly placed a hand on Evelina’s arm, holding her back. “Not now,” she whispered.
Turning her attention to Helena, Isabella’s voice was calm but firm. “Give me the cure for Lysandra, and the crown is yours.”
Helena tilted her head, amused. “The cure? Oh, how sweet. It’s not something I can just hand over. You’ll have to brew it yourself.”
“What’s in it?” Isabella asked, her tone sharp.
Helena smirked, then gestured to the storm surrounding her. “The recipe is simple, yet impossible for most. It requires a piece of your own soul, mixed with the essence of the Blood Lake. Dangerous, isn’t it?”
Isabella didn’t waver. “Fine. Tell me how.”
Helena’s amusement flickered, replaced by a strange curiosity. She gestured for the crown. Isabella hesitated, then handed it over. Helena held it in her hands, her expression twisting as whispers began to emanate from the ancient artifact. Her eyes widened as glowing Draconian symbols etched themselves onto the surface.