She was too tired, too worn to play nice and Miri set her hands on the table, staring at him plainly. “Your name is Nik, right?” The witch coughed and her tough act lost some of its threat, but she maintained her steely expression. “Nik, I don’t think we have many options left.” The witch looked over at his glass, trying to will a whirlpool in the top of it. Within it, there was hardly a wobble in the water level. “I need your help, whatever it might cost.” She snorted, “A curse? I’m pretty sure we’re already fucking cursed and at this rate,” the brunette thought of Dio, and how worried Orion had sounded over the phone. “If I don’t die from this one, I’ll take whatever you’ve got to serve me from yours.”
Miri’s words were too much, it was too much excitement and irritation and she paused to cough in her elbow, shaking when the bout finally stopped. “Why do they keep it freezing in here?” Her gaze lifted finally, to find his. “Please, can you help me? I don’t know how to do it, how to ask the question properly.” She was a bad witch, a terrible student, and also— hadn’t read that far ahead in the book.
Listening to the plight of the wounded witch riddled the sphinx with worry, if only because this meant that Ava had likely been affected by what was going on too. This was why it was wrong to get involved in mortal affairs, he could already hear the scolding because whether it was in a month, a decade, or a century the end result was going to be the same. Nik reached forward and touched his hand to hers, he extended his magic towards her but it had no effect, this illness wasn’t physical but ran much deeper. “Is Ava-” He felt selfish even asking, “Is she sick too?”
A worried hand ran through Nik’s short hair before he simply nodded. “Okay, I’ll help. Or, I guess I’ll try. You’re right that sphinxes can answer any question, but you have to ask the right one. Ask the right question and I can tell you anything.” It was a big if on whether or not she could answer his riddle correctly though, otherwise the power did not activate, she’d only be cursed. “I tried to heal you with my magic, if you’re looking to save your siblings, then ask me how to cure whatever it is that’s going on with you.”