Sleep with the Lights On ✔️

9. Decisions

Cassie woke to the faint smell of food. Peros was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at something in his hands, a plate of food rested on the bedside table.

"You're awake." Peros said as he turned to look at Cassie. Her eyes were ringed with dark circles. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I feel fine." Cassie said as she pulled the plate of food into her lap. "So what are we going to do today?"

"The centaur will be here in the evening ... I think you should read Basic Magic and try to find useful spells. If this doesn't work we need to find some way to train for combat." Peros said. He was holding the little velvet bag that had furnished the apartment.

"Combat?" Cassie sputtered. "I'm not strong enough. There's no way."

"We'll be fighting a nymph, we're doomed either way." Peros muttered.

"So its a lost cause." Cassie sighed. "Have you given up?"

"No. I swore to keep you safe. Even if it means sacrificing myself -" Peros said, his voice full of conviction.

"There is no way that I'll let you do that for me. No way. Peros we've known each other for so little time, I haven't done anything good for you. I won't let you." Cassie said.

"I'm going to fade anyways, I might as well be useful. This isn't just for you Cassie, I was thinking about it, and if the Nymph wants you specifically for a purpose, that purpose can't be good for anyone but himself. Getting you home or getting rid of the Nymph is the best for the underworld and the natural order of things." Peros explained.

Cassie sighed. "I don't want to talk about this anymore." She finished her food and returned to laying on the bed. "Wake me up when the centaur gets here."

Cassie, Peros and Calliope stood in front of the apartment building, Peros' eyes were fixed to his mother who was gazing around at the air in front of her. Cassie stood close to Peros her fingers itched to hold on to him, she felt exposed on the empty street.

"He should be here any moment." Calliope drawled. "I don't even remember why I'm doing this for you." Her head snapped around and smirked at Cassie. She rubbed her hands together, "Oh yes, I remember now." She laughed. The rings around Cassie's eyes had faded considerably but she still looked worn out.

"Maybe we should wait inside." Cassie whispered to Peros.

"No, you've got to wait outside." Calliope snapped, without turning around again.

There was a soft thud and a small gasp. "Oh! Hello." A smooth voice said from behind the three. Peros pulled Cassie behind him as he turned to face the newcomer. "I didn't expect to see you all out here. This saves me the trouble of knocking on every door!" It was a woman, she was incredibly petite but her body had the soft curves of the nudes in renaissance painting. Her lips were full and pink, her red hair fell in soft waves around her round face.

"Who are you." Peros snapped, unaffected by the ethereal looks of the woman.

"My name is Fion. I'm from a group of underworlders who help people like you adjust to living in the underworld, to better your chance of survival. It took a while to find you" She said, her voice was soft, lyrical. The whole time she was speaking she was gazing kindly at Cassie.

"People like you?" Calliope asked. She was glaring at the woman.

"We don't say... human ...in open air, just in case anyone's listening." She said with a smile. Peros' frown remained set. Calliope was growing impatient.

"What do you want?" Cassie asked.

"I want to take you to a safe place where you'll be taught how to take care of yourself." Fion said, she took a step forward and to the side, to get a better look at Cassie.

Cassie looked to Peros and then back to Fion. She could tell Peros didn't trust Fion, but Cassie couldn't help but to trust, she didn't want to keep being a burden to Peros.

"You'll be perfectly safe." Fion said, her warm smile unwavering.

Cassie opened her mouth and suddenly there was a crash and a man with the bottom half of a working horse stood before Calliope. "Where is this human girl." He bellowed.

Calliope barely turned to address her visitor before Fion flicked her wrist. "Vade ad inferiores orbes" She said in a voice full of power unfitting for such a small frame. The sound of a rattling wind filled the air and Calliope and the Centaur disappeared in a shadow. "Now, would you like to come with me?" She held her hand out to Cassie, ignoring Peros as she had since she appeared.

Peros spun around and held Cassie by the shoulders. "I don't think this is a good idea." He whispered.

"I trust her." Cassie said. "I'll be out of your hair! You need to take care of yourself."

"If you go, I'll go with you." Peros said. Cassie sighed.

"I don't want to waste your time anymore!" She begged.

"Its not like I have anything else to do anyways." Peros replied.

Cassie sighed and clenched her fists. She looked over Peros' shoulder at Fion who was turned away poitely paying attention to some invisible point on the grey horizon.

"Listen. I feel like this is a chance for me to to something, even if it gets me killed at least I've made a real decision for myself." She spoke frantically.

"Alright, I get it. So you've given up on survival too." Peros rolled his eyes.

Cassie glared at him. "Please just understand."

"I'm still coming with you." Peros said firmly. He took a step toward Fion, and coughed.

"I'll come with you." Cassie said, "Peros will be coming with me."