One. Two. Three. Diana was frustrated. She only won three bronze coins. Her service was worth at least a silver coin, after all, she needed extensive knowledge to use medicinal herbs. However, how could she demand a better payment when they were giving away almost everything they had?

- Do not forget to give the infusion every three hours - Diana advised - and constantly change the cold water compress until the fever subsides.

Diana felt the child's mother's attentive and apprehensive look on her back. She turned back and tried to give her a reassuring smile. After all, it was just a cold, something common for the autumn season. After these words, she saw the tension coming from the mother lessen a little.

With a few steps, she reached the door and put on her cloak. Diana looked around, confirming again what she had thought before: this family was very poor. The house had only one room. That village was not known to be prosperous, but even these conditions were relatively uncommon. So she ignored how little the payment was, she just hoped that those three bronze coins wouldn't be too much missed by that family.

The contrast between the stuffy, dark interior of the little house and the cool air and the bright sky was welcomed with relief by the little woman. Diana found it was fascinating how, even with a bright and cloudless sky, the air could be so cold and the leaves, which were once a vibrant green, were increasingly in its orange shade. She definitely loved to see all changes in the environment around her because of the changing seasons.

That child had been her last appointment of the day and it was already mid-afternoon, and although the sky was shining brightly, Diana knew it would take little time to get it all dark, after all, the days were getting shorter and shorter. “How about some vegetable soup?” She thought excitedly to herself since her stomach starting to complain of hunger. Although it was not her favorite dish, the feeling of the heat that the soup left on his body during a cold night would be welcomed.

Her house was not within the village, it was almost half an hour away on foot. While some might think living outside the village was lonely, Diana liked it nonetheless. After what happened, she preferred to stay in more remote places. She didn't like being in the same environment as many people. She was afraid of being found.

A shiver went up to her back and, shaking her head, Diana pushed those dark and unpleasant thoughts out of his mind. After all, Marcos has cast a spell, so that her existence would be forgotten, as if she never existed. “There is nothing to worry about, I am sure”, Diana did not know how many times she had repeated those words in her mind every time she felt fear tighten on her throat.

Diana frowned, wondering at the four horses standing in front of her house. As far as she knew, neither she nor Marcos was expecting guests. The closer she got to the house, the more loud voices coming from inside she could hear. She was apprehensive of what she would find when she walked through the door, but Diana couldn't leave Marcos alone in a situation like this.

As soon as she opened the door, a tense silence fell over everyone in the room. Her eyes soon sought those of Marcos, who looked like two stones of ice despite smiling with kindness, with his lips thin and wrinkled by time. He was sitting quietly in his favorite chair with his hands folded in his lap. Anyone who did not know him would think that Marcos was dealing with close friends and was not prepared to act at any time.

There were three more people in the room. All three men were big and strong and their presence made the room feel small and cramped. She noticed that all three of them had guns with them and that she could not recognize any of them. Who were these people?

Heitor Braga did not know that the magician and healer Marcos lived with someone. From the information collected, he was a reclusive hermit who lived in an insignificant village within a small territory without any political influence. Hector was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad, athletic chest when that Diana crossed the threshold.

She was a small woman, Hector doubted she would reach his shoulder, with big honey-colored eyes. Immediately he was mesmerized by those eyes that seemed to express everything its owner felt. Her bright red hair was messy, probably from the wind. He was sure you would never saw such a hair color like that anywhere, so why did a feeling of recognition took over his heart the moment he saw her?

- Diana, my dear, you are finally here - Marcos' voice was soft and welcoming even though his eyes expressed totally opposite feelings - Start preparing dinner, please. These gentlemen will join us.

The atmosphere seemed a little calmer, "Are they controlling themselves because of me?". Thought Diana, as she took off the cloak and her bag with the equipment, placing each one on them in a hook near the door.

- I was thinking of making a soup, Marcos, what do you think? - she forced herself to say, pretending certain normality. Diana hoped her voice would not reveal her nervousness, instead, she received a warm smile from her tutor and a nod.

Diana crossed the room, taking care not to make eye contact with any of the visitors. Arriving in the small kitchen, she put on her apron and started to prepare the ingredients.

- Is the wizard your relative? - Diana heard a soft voice over her shoulders and instantly felt her soul leave her body and return it in seconds, how could she not hear him approaching? - Fuck, you cut yourself! - He said, his eyes wide with concern.

Diana looked at her left hand as if it were not hers and the stranger was right: there was an ugly cut in the middle of her palm.

- Give it to me, here." He said in exasperation, taking Diana's hand carefully - I'm sorry if I scared you - He continued in a calmer voice while making an improvised dressing.

Diana definitely didn't expect that kind of attitude from that man. Nor did she expect his large hands to be delicate while he touched her. She felt her face getting hot, murmured an awkward thanks, and, as soon as she could, took her hands off his and went back to cutting the vegetables.

Hector laughed inside the little woman definitely looked like a scared rabbit. Why would she behave that way?

- You did not answer my question - he tried to make his voice sound as comforting as possible since he did not know why he was bothered by the fact that she was frightened - Is the magician your relative?

- No, Marcos is my tutor - she replied softly after a long silence - I have no one but him - for Hector, Diana's voice seemed terribly sad and lonely.

- How do you want me to leave my home and my patients without knowing what or who I will treat? - Exclaimed Marcos, after slapping the table, exalting everyone.

- We have already explained that this information is extremely confidential. We can't talk about it - said one of Hector's companions, Raul Bellini, after a tired sigh.

- Without this information, I cannot abandon everything in the dead of night - the wizard's voice was firm and decisive - I'm sorry.

- Do you know what it means to refuse our request? - Something in Raul's voice made Diana freeze from head to toe. As much as she tried, she couldn't hear the rest of Bellini's speech, but Marcos' reaction was enough for her to know that their lives were threatened.

The house fell into an uncomfortable silence, such that the atmosphere made Diana restless, wanting to run and find refuge. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hector observing the scene. Apparently, the tense atmosphere that involved everyone did not seem to affect him, his posture was more than relaxed while whistling some song. Was he stupid or just a good actor? She couldn't say.

The dinner took place without further incident. The visitors seemed satisfied with the food and thanked Diana countless times, stating that for almost a week they had not tasted anything so tasty. Meanwhile, Diana thought she was going to have indigestion because, despite the supposed friendly climate, she knew that this truce was fragile.

Then, as soon as she could, she apologized to the guests, saying that she was feeling a little bad, and went into hiding her room. The tightness Diana felt suffocating her chest loosened a little when she closed the door behind her. What exactly was going on? What did these strangers say to Marcos? And why did he seem so upset to help these people?

The more she thought about it, the more questions arose in her mind to the point of feeling her head tight from thinking so much. But she felt that everything would end well, after all, Marcos would solve it as he always did. Or at least, that was what she was trying to convince herself of.