Sleep with the Lights On ✔️

12. Knight in Shining Armor

Cassie stumbled into the suite just before dinner every night. For the first few nights she would call something to Peros, probably goodnight or hello, either way he would mumble a response. Since arriving at the mansion on the Wastes of Bane City, he'd hardly spoken to her. They would mumble a good morning before breakfast, but Peros still couldn't look at her in the eyes. After the underworld chill had returned in full after stealing her warmth, he still couldn't forgive himself. Most days he spent wandering around the mansion, looking for the clue to his feeling of impending doom. He found nothing.

Fion refused to acknowledge him, and if there were places he wasn't allowed to go, no one told him. The hierarchy that Roan had described seem to put Fion at the Apex, with all the others far below. In his wanderings he rarely came across those who ate their meals with him.

Roan was always in the Library, and after days of fruitless searching Peros began spending all his time there. There were many books that he'd never had access to, there were so many things in the underworld that he didn't understand. He cursed himself for knowing so little, he could have helped Cassie better if he'd known more.

"What are you reading there?" Roan asked, from his usual spot at the desk.

"A book about human-underworlder relations." Peros replied. He'd taken to sitting on the floor, out of sight from Roan whose probing eyes bothered him.

"To better get along with your human friend?" Roan laughed, he was always in the best mood when he felt he knew more than anyone else in the room.

"No, to better understand my parents relationship." Peros said.

"You're part human? Before or after she was turned to a Blight?" Roan asked, his ego obviously bruised at his mistake.

"My father was still a blight when I was born." Peros said, he made no attempt to meet Roans eyes. He had seen the expression often enough to know what the underworlder was thinking.

"What a shame. I am sorry." Roan replied. Peros tensed, he knew that Roan had really meant, like ever other underworlder who knew; You are weak, born to be weak. "And how old are you?" Roan asked, the logical progression, the same conversation for the millionth time.

"Nineteen." Peros replied. He gripped the book, subjected to the same pity he had experienced countless times. He hated being weak.

Roan gave a low whistle, of surprise. As usual. "I'm sorry for prying, I'll let you get back to your reading." Roan said, the jovial manner returning to his voice. Of course he felt more proud, he was far stronger than Peros could ever be.

Peros slammed the book shut and stood. "I was just going, I'll reading in my suite." Peros said. He tried his best to sound polite, and indifferent as he always was.

He sat in the ornate sitting room between his and Cassie's bedrooms. The book was heavy, and smelled of dust.

Romantics believe that despite the disadvantages, keeping company with humans is so appealing because of the love they can offer. There is no comprehensive answer to the question of human relationships, aside from being perfect for siphoning. A true, full siphon from a strong essence can keep an underworlder warm for weeks. A strong essence will last years, but with the weight of the underworld, the human will undoubtedly fade. Blights will fade faster, their warmth significantly weaker than that of humans.

Peros read the words and sighed, no new information. He had assumed of course that his parents were in love, or something like it at least. That still didn't explain what a Nymph would want with a human. Peros skimmed farther into the book until he found the heading Nymphs.