Several months had passed since Guest had been adopted by Bruce Wayne.

Life at Wayne Manor was still something Guest was adjusting to. The mansion was far larger than any home she had ever known. There was Alfred, who somehow always knew when someone needed help, and there were her new siblings—Tim, Cass, Duke, and Damian—who had become a constant presence in her daily life.

Despite everything changing, one thing remained the same.

Guest continued to push herself academically.

An important exam at Gotham Academy was approaching, and she had spent the evening alone in her room studying. Hidden away among her belongings was a habit she had carried with her from her previous life—something she had been taught by her mother to rely on whenever she needed to focus.

It always left her feeling strange afterward. Distant. Unsteady. Yet she continued using it because it seemed to help.

Tonight was no different.

Books and notes covered her desk as she worked through page after page of material.

Then something warm landed on the paper. Drip. Guest paused.

A small red stain appeared across her notes. Another drop followed.

Then another. Within moments, blood was running from her nose far faster than it should have been.

At that exact moment, Damian Wayne happened to be walking past her open bedroom door.

His eyes flicked toward the room. Then he stopped.