Circle Of Twelve

Chapter 10: "Black Magic"

The early morning light filtered through the large windows of the mansion as Henry quietly made his way to the kitchen. It was still dark outside, the sky a soft indigo, and the rest of the house was silent, save for the gentle hum of the appliances. He moved with purpose, the familiar routine of brewing tea a comforting one. His mind, still a little clouded with thoughts of home, cleared as the steam rose from the cup in his hands. He had decided to get an early start, hoping to shake the lingering homesickness with a solid workout.

With his tea in hand, Henry headed down the hallway toward the training room. The mansion's vast halls were still and peaceful at this hour, and he welcomed the quiet. He wasn't sure why, but ever since their training had intensified under Astria's watch, he found solace in the early hours before the others woke. It gave him time to clear his head and focus before the day's challenges began.

As he reached the door of the training room, he paused, hearing the faint sound of movement inside. His brow furrowed in surprise. Who could be training this early? He quietly pushed the door open, peeking inside.

There, in the center of the room, Helena was in the midst of her exercises. The Guardian of Scorpio moved with fluid grace, her lithe form twisting and spinning as she practiced her combat maneuvers. Her shadowy energy swirled around her like a living entity, darting in and out of the shadows cast by the morning light. Her focus was intense, her dark eyes narrowed in concentration.

Henry was about to step back, feeling like he had intruded. "Oh, I didn't know the training room was occupied," he said awkwardly. "I'll come back later."

Helena paused, her movements slowing to a halt as she looked over at him. She wasn't one for many words, and her expression was unreadable as usual. For a moment, Henry expected her to send him away, preferring the solitude she was known for. But then, she gave a small nod, her voice soft but firm. "No, you can stay. I was about done anyway."

Surprised but grateful, Henry stepped inside, setting his tea down on a nearby bench. "Thanks. I didn't want to interrupt."

Helena shrugged, wiping the sweat from her brow. "You didn't. I've been here for hours already." She walked toward the corner where her gear was stashed and began to untangle the wraps from her hands. "Couldn't sleep."

Henry nodded in understanding. "I know the feeling."

For a moment, they fell into a comfortable silence. Henry began his warm-up, starting with some light stretches. Helena watched him for a moment, then resumed her own cooldown stretches. The training room, despite its size, felt intimate in the quiet of the morning, and neither of them seemed in a rush to break the peace.

After a few minutes, Henry finally spoke, his voice casual. "You train hard," he said, glancing at her as he moved into a set of push-ups. "I mean, we all do, but... you take it to another level."

Helena didn't respond right away. She finished her stretch, then stood, her dark eyes flickering with a hint of amusement. "It's what I do," she said simply. "Training keeps me sharp. You should try it sometime." There was a slight smirk on her lips, but it wasn't mocking-more of a challenge.

Henry chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, well, I'm trying. I'm not quite at your level yet."

Helena picked up her water bottle, taking a slow sip before responding. "You're not bad, you know. Just... distracted." Her voice was soft, but her words were pointed. She had a way of seeing through people, and Henry had learned quickly that there was no hiding anything from her.

Henry paused mid-push-up, then resumed, sighing. "Yeah, I guess that's true." He didn't offer more, but Helena didn't push. She rarely did.

After a moment, she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, watching him work through his routine. "You're thinking about home, aren't you?" she asked, her tone neutral.