The royal infirmary of Mehrawan lay beyond the marble corridors, a sanctuary of healing shaded by jasmine-draped archways and lit by lanterns of soft saffron glow. The air rang with the muted drip of medicinal oils and the rustle of silk as the healer moved between tinctures and scrolls, her silver-streaked braid swaying like a pendulum of fate. In the center of the outer chamber, Iravika and Raidant stood before a carved sandalwood desk, their hands still trembling from the night's terror.