"There," Hestia said, spinning once with exaggerated grace. "Satisfied?"

"That'll do," Adrian said, stepping toward the passageway. "Let's get out of here before you decide to settle back in for another century."

Hestia gave an exaggerated yawn as she pushed off the sarcophagus, stretching her arms high over her head. "You say that like it's a bad thing," she murmured, her voice carrying a faint note of mischief.

"Not debating this," Adrian replied, motioning for Selene to follow.

Hestia trailed after them at her own leisurely pace, her steps unhurried and light. Her marine blue eyes roamed the dim walls of the passage with faint interest, as though she were appreciating the architectural effort of the catacombs for the first time.

"You know, Adrian, you really should try to relax more," she mused. "All this rushing—it's bad for your health."

Adrian shot her a glance over his shoulder. "I'll rest when the Shadow Court is dealt with, all the goddesses are freed, and Elena is back. Until then, relaxation isn't exactly on my to-do list."

Hestia gave a soft laugh, shaking her head. "Ambitious. I like that. But ambition without balance? That's just a recipe for burnout."

Adrian didn't respond, keeping his focus on the winding path ahead. But he couldn't shake the faint tug of truth in her words.

Hestia, walking quietly beside him, broke the silence. "How do you think the others will react?"

Adrian shrugged, though his expression remained serious. "I don't know. They are your sisters, so you tell me. But let's see. Lilith will make a sarcastic comment. Abyss will scowl. Ava might ask what she can get out of this. Eris will try and cause trouble as usual."

"And Medea?" Selene asked.

"She'll just want to know if Hestia will pull her weight," Adrian said with a wry smirk.

Hestia laughed softly. "Typical Medea. You know, she's the one who cares most, even though she tries to deny or hide it."

Hestia stretched her arms slowly as they walked up the passage, taking her time with each step. "Medea acts like she's all fury and focus, but trust me, she cares more than anyone. She's just… bad at showing it."

Adrian glanced at her skeptically. "Medea? Caring?"

Hestia nodded, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Oh, absolutely. She's the eldest, you know. It's practically written into her essence to look out for us, even when she doesn't want to. If you pay attention, you'll see it in the little things—how she'll always put herself between danger and the rest of us. How she watches everyone when they're not looking."

Selene, walking silently beside them, didn't react outwardly. Her silver eyes remained fixed ahead, her detached demeanor unchanged. Inside, however, a flicker of curiosity passed through her thoughts. Is that what caring looks like?

Hestia's gaze shifted to Selene, and her smile softened. "She'll probably try to do the same for you too, eventually. That's just who Medea is."

Selene glanced at her with an unreadable expression. "I don't need anyone to protect me," she said flatly.

Hestia chuckled, unbothered by the cold response. "Of course not. But needing and deserving are two different things, aren't they?"

Adrian cleared his throat, steering the conversation back to their climb. "Let's focus on getting out of here first. Save the family insights for later."

Hestia shrugged, letting the topic drop as the faint glow of sunlight appeared ahead of them.

They reached the base of the final staircase leading up to the surface, the faint glow of sunlight spilling down to meet them. Adrian quickened his pace, eager to leave the oppressive weight of the catacombs behind.

As they stepped into the open air, the group waiting for them turned with varying expressions of relief, curiosity, and exasperation.

"Well, well," Lilith said with a grin, her crimson eyes gleaming as she took in Hestia's languid demeanor. "If it isn't the queen of nap time herself. Took you long enough."

Hestia smiled lazily, inclining her head in greeting. "Lilith. Always a pleasure."

"You're late," Medea said bluntly, though there was no malice in her tone.

"Am I?" Hestia replied, tilting her head as if genuinely considering the idea. "I thought we were on divine time."

Abyss rolled her eyes, her sharp gaze scanning Hestia from head to toe. "And what exactly do you bring to this team? Aside from the ability to nap in inconvenient places?"

Hestia yawned, covering her mouth delicately. "Endurance. Tranquility. Infinite warmth. You're welcome."

Ava crossed her arms, her golden eyes narrowing. "That sounds… vague."

"It's what I do," Hestia said simply.

Adrian raised a hand, silencing the brewing debate before it could escalate. "We have more important things to focus on," he said firmly. "We're one step closer to freeing all the goddesses. Let's not waste time questioning how we got here."

Medea nodded, stepping forward. "He's right. The Shadow Court won't stop coming after us. The sooner we move, the better."

Adrian turned to the group, his fiery chains flaring faintly as he adjusted the strap of his weapon. "Pack up. We leave within the hour."

As the others dispersed to prepare for the journey, Hestia leaned against a nearby tree, her marine blue eyes following Adrian with quiet curiosity. "You're a complicated one, Adrian," she said softly.

He glanced at her but said nothing, his face showing no emotions.

"You carry so much," Hestia continued in a calm voice. "Vengeance, duty, love, regret. It's exhausting just thinking about it."

"Good thing you don't have to think about it, then," Adrian replied, his tone sharper than he intended.

Hestia didn't seem offended. Instead, she smiled faintly, her gaze steady. "True. But now it's my job to make sure you don't crumble under all that weight."

Adrian sighed, shaking his head. "I'm not going to crumble."

"Of course not," Hestia said with a knowing smirk. "Not with me around."

As the group gathered their supplies and mounted their horses, Adrian couldn't help but glance back at Hestia. It seemed like she was never in a hurry when she moved, and her attitude was a mystery wrapped in laziness.

He couldn't decide if she would be a valuable ally or a constant headache. But one thing was certain—his journey with her had only just begun.

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