His footsteps were sluggish as he moved silently through the forest he and Violet used to frequent. It was cold, the twisting branches cast shadows in the dark that made his paranoia spike. He knew she was just ahead, a tawny feather falling at his feet. He needed to reach her, to explain, apologise even. For what, he wasn’t sure. He would apologise for anything, for everything he had done, he just wanted her to look at him like he wasn’t a monster.

There, up ahead, he could see her perched on a branch, small in her wildshape. As he looked ahead he tripped on a tree root, his chin knocking as he landed harshly on the dirt path. As he moved to stand more roots began to sprout from the earth, twisting and pinning his limbs to the ground. He struggled against them but he was powerless. He felt no connection to his magic, it was like it had never existed within him. He grit his teeth, continuing to struggle, until a pair of eyes moved into his vision.

“Pathetic, aren’t you?” His father spat, leering down at him.

Fear spiked Cairus' heart and he began to struggle in earnest, his panic rising.

His thrashing woke him with a start, a grunt escaping him as he oriented himself.

Ah, of course. His nightmares were always more vivid when he drank, but sometimes that was the only way he could get any sleep at all. He adjusted himself on his stool at the bar and the bartender, Arthur, shot him a pitying look. Cairus sneered, turning back to his tankard before taking a swig. He pulled a face of disgust, he must have been asleep for awhile considering how warm his drink was.

He pushed it away from him, moving to stand.

“You’re not leaving without paying again, alright?” Arthur shot him a scrutinizing glare, and Cairus rolled his eyes as he reached into his coat pocket. He fished out some coins, unsure how long this collection had been accumulating. His gaze landed on the pile in his palm to begin counting and there amongst the coins was a golden metal that caught the light. It was different to the texture of the coins, slightly bigger too. He pulled it out from the pile and his breath caught as he took in the small compass Violet had made for him years ago, memories flooding his mind like a tidal wave.

His first night after he’d left, he watched it incessantly. Seeing the little needle flicker back and forth helped to ground him to earth in moments where he felt like he would float away. Odessa became exasperated with his fixation on the object, assuring him that she was doing just fine, to let it go. He couldn’t though, it was the last thing he had from his childhood and the only thing reminding him that he had been someone before all of this.

He watched now as the needle flickered north-easterly, and an ache formed in his chest. Whether it was loneliness or perhaps he just missed what he had, it hurt all the same. The idea flickered in his mind like a feeble firefly; he could follow the compass, he could find her. Though the thought of facing her made him feel sick with anxiety, he quickly squashed the idea before it could take flight.

He was snapped out of his reverie by the bartender smacking a hand down on the table in front of him.

“Earth to Cairus?” Arthur snapped, holding out a hand expectantly.

“You’d think one would be nicer to such a loyal customer.” He said, lightening his tone as he deposited what he owed into the man’s palm.

This time it was Arthur’s turn to roll his eyes. “I’d rather you weren’t a customer, kid. Get outta here.” Cairus allowed himself to be shooed out the door.

The sun assaulted his eyes as he stumbled down the steps and onto the pavement. In the moments it took for his vision to adjust, he felt the weight of another body as he was pushed to the ground.

“Say that again, I dare you!” A voice called angrily from his right.

The weight left him and his vision finally adjusted enough for him to make out the two figures colliding again, as the one that had been shoved into him went to retaliate.

“Can’t handle the truth? We’ll own you soon enough.” A red-skinned tiefling goaded the man that shoved him, continuing when he could see his words were working to anger him, “Mephistopheles is going to rule the hells, and then we’ll be coming for you little surface dwellers next. Maybe I’ll find you, give you the express privilege of changing my chamber pot.”

Cairus swiftly darted from his place on the ground, not wanting to be in the area when these two eventually drew the attention of the guards.

As he walked further towards the outskirts of town, he fished a small note from his pocket.

Merrin Dropbury

157 Morwin Terrace

Employed by Hook Harbour, works most days until sunset.

His notes were brief but had all the information he needed. His mark would currently be at work, he noted to himself as he made his way down Morwin Terrace, ducking into a alley between two houses briefly to cast an invisibility spell on his person.

One-fifty-five. He trailed his gloved fingers over the tips of the fence posts.

One-fifty-six. He continued to run his fingers over the roses that stuck out over the fence-line, enjoying their aroma.

One-fifty-seven. He paused at the waist-high gate, unlatching and closing it behind him as he approached the house and moved to the back door.

He cast an unlocking spell on the door knob, his invisibility fading as he slipped inside.

It was cozy, he thought, as he sunk into the armchair in front of the hearth. He lazily flicked a spell towards each window that faced the front street, casting a glamour that would ensure no nosy neighbours would see anything if they were to peer in.

The house appeared humbler than those of his usual targets, no curtains to draw. The dining table filled with a mess of plates and old food, while the sink was piled with dirty dishes. A real bachelor, Cairus thought to himself amusedly.

The glamour was better anyways, and he often preferred it to any curtains as he could keep better track of the time of day as he awaited the sunset.

It had only been a short while, the sun slowly inching its way closer to the horizon when a puff of black smoke materialized in front of him. It only took a moment for Odessa to step out, her dress swaying with her hips as she observed him with calculating eyes.

“Comfortable?” She smirked, tilting her head in question.

“Look at this place, Odessa. I’m living like a king.” Cairus spread his arms wide over the armrests, returning her smile.

Odessa gave a small amused scoff before continuing, “We have business to attend to, darling.”

His smile dropped. “I’m attending to it, Odessa. These things take time-”

“I’m not referring to your own extracurriculars, my sweet. I am talking about something much more important.”

Cairus pouted petulantly at her referring to his business as less important, and she rolled her eyes.

“This will likely be war, Cairus.”

He sat up straighter at her words, his tone growing serious.

“What’s going on, Odessa?”

“My Lord has realised the potential of his influence.” Odessa gushed in a way Cairus had never seen as she perched on the arm of his chair, gazing down at him excitedly. “He is making preparations to expand his rule from the eighth layer to the entirety of the Hells.”

“Mephistopheles can’t possibly think that is feasible?” Cairus’ brow furrowed as he looked up at Odessa, her face shifting into a sneer at his disagreement.

“My dear Cairus, of course he is not planning to simply storm in with his current armies. He is recruiting,” She brushed his hair behind his ear absentmindedly as she spoke. “There will be work for us soon. Finish this job quickly, we have much to discuss.”

Before he could reply, she vanished in her usual veil of smoke, the feeling of her fingers lingering on his skin.

He pottered around for the next few hours, snooping through his target’s things and trying to keep himself from falling into a nap.

Aside from the ache of a hangover, his mind was occupied with what Odessa had said. A war was coming, and his side had been predetermined. The notion sat uncertainly with him, but he pushed the feeling away. Odessa would take care of him, she always did. She saved him. Where she went, he followed, she would always be there to steer him back onto the right path.

His gaze became focused again as he pulled himself out of his thoughts.

He was not mindlessly going through his target’s belongings, he was also assessing the structure of the house. Where would be the best place to hide?

He spotted a string dangling from the ceiling in the corner of the living room, slightly obscured by a bookshelf. He gave it a strong pull and that was enough to have a ladder spilling down onto the floor in front of him.

Climbing up, he came upon an attic that received minimal light from a small circular window at the highest point. Cobwebs lined the corners of the room and dust kicked up with every item of junk he lifted.

It was not ideal, his nose tickled with the threat of a sneeze, but it would have to do. The rest of the house had no adequate places for him to set up his ambush. He used his sleeve to wipe a film of dust from the window and peered out.

Afternoon was steadily drawing nearer and anticipation began to bubble in his chest. This was always the worst part, the waiting. But he didn’t have to wait long as a few minutes later, he heard the sound of a heavy lock thunking in its latch before a door creaked open downstairs. Heavy footsteps made their way inside and he heard the sound of a deep sigh as the springs of the armchair creaked beneath the occupants' weight.

Cairus stood frozen. His target was not meant to be home before sundown, and he had never deviated from that schedule in the time Cairus had been surveying him.

He quickly shook himself out of any panic he felt. Plans went awry all the time, this was no different, just another obstacle.

He slunk across the floorboards silently, making his way to the ladder that was still descended from the ceiling. If the man had noticed, he showed no indication of it.

Cairus had most of his short dark hair tied back, aside from a few especially short pieces that refused to stay behind his ears. He tucked the stubborn strands back again before coming to kneel at the edge of the hole in the roof, peering over and into the living room. The bookshelf interrupted his line of sight somewhat, but he could make out a balding head of red hair settled into the armchair; the man’s shoes had been kicked off at some point in his walk from the door to the chair.

Why he was home early, Cairus didn’t have a clue, but he was happy to not have to wait another few hours like he’d anticipated.

It was silent down stairs, and the man was still slouched in his armchair making Cairus think he had settled in for an afternoon nap. The silence meant he would have to be even more careful, but ultimately it would be easier if his target was keeping still.

He kept his movements light and slow, following his previous steps to avoid any creaking floorboards. He made his way down the ladder and peered out from behind the bookshelf as a light snore reached his ears.

As he approached the armchair, he pulled at the magic in his core. It seeped from his palms in black, smoky tendrils. The man’s eyes were closed and his jaw was slack as he slept.

Cairus had a small moment of feeling, not quite guilt, but he acknowledged that the man did not stand a fighting chance. He pushed the thought away as soon as it formed. The man was a job to be completed, nothing more.

The tendrils of magic snaked out towards his target, curling snugly around his neck. Cairus clenched his hand into a fist and his magic responded in kind, tightening its grip around the man’s neck.

When he went to take his next breath, the man found himself unable to do so and Cairus watched as his eyes snapped open in a moment of panic. His mouth opened in vain, not a sound escaping as his face reddened. Cairus stared blankly into the man's eyes as he suffocated, seeing the confusion in his gaze. He shut down any emotions he might have felt at this moment, only allowing indifference to overtake him.

It used to be easier, he enjoyed the power he felt when he held a life in his hands, almost enjoying the kill. But he had done this so many times now, it was simply a job he did to survive. He wasn’t…good at anything else. He didn’t know any other kind of life. His chance for a normal life was over before it began, and he had come to terms with that.

He watched the colour drain from the man's face as his magic slipped back into his core, like a serpent curling up after striking its prey.

A few moments later, he jumped slightly as a banging started up on the front door.

“Dad!” He heard a young voice call out.

His head snapped up to the window where a young boy cupped his hands around his eyes to help him peer inside.

“Dad!” He extended the word in a singsong before pressing his mouth to the glass and puffing up his cheeks. He called out to his father again in a muffled voice and Cairus took slow, careful steps towards the glass.

The glamour ensured that the boy didn’t see anything other than an empty living room, as Cairus stood across from him with his dead father in his armchair.

Cairus had killed many times before, but they were lowlifes, bottom of the barrel scum that no one would miss.

Hazel eyes gazed up unknowingly into his and for the first time a feeling of guilt seeped through him. It was small, but present.

As he watched the blonde boy with the sun beaming down on him trying to peer further through the window, the feeling slowly grew.

He had taken a parent from a child with them a few steps away. He couldn’t just leave the body there. He thought back to when he was a young boy, this kid would find his way in here one way or another.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Odessa.” He whispered.

The boy had moved to the door and Cairus watched as the handle jiggled.

“Odessa now, please.”

A cloud of smoke appeared at his side and Odessa scowled as she stepped towards him.

“What?” She snapped. “Do you have any idea-”

“Shh!” He snapped back, stunning her into silence.

“I’m sorry, Odessa.” He continued, keeping his voice down. “Please, just do this for me.”

“What is it, darling?” She mirrored his hushed tone, a look of wary concern taking over her features.

“I need you to get rid of this body.” He gestured towards the armchair. “Phase it to another plane of existence or whatever it is that you do, just do it quickly, please.” He pleaded, aware that the doorknob had stopped moving and the child was back to the window. He grunted in effort as he tried to slide the pane up but was stumped by the lock.

Odessa’s eyes settled on the child and Cairus staunchly ignored the look of understanding she gave him.

“Oh, my sweet,” She began softly, a click of her fingers and the body of the man vanished, much like his father’s had all those years ago. She stalked towards him then, her fingers carding through his hair gently before they stopped at the nape of his neck. Her grip tightened suddenly and he hissed in pain as she pulled his hair taut, forcing his head back.

She looked down at him, her breath on his cheek as she continued to whisper.

“Now, on to more important business.”

His vision warped for a moment as she apparated them into his room at the Coldwater Inn. The royal blue curtains were already drawn as he hadn’t been back here in days. His bed was neatly made and the dark sheets scrunched under his weight as Odessa pushed him onto it.

He was a creature of the night, being a Drow, so his vision was barely impacted by the lack of light. However, Odessa still made the effort to light the bedside lantern, a soft glow highlighting her features.

“Odessa, I’m sor-”

“Silence, boy.” She interrupted, and her use of the word ‘boy’ made him feel fourteen again, still being pushed around by his father. He looked down at his lap, trying to suppress the feeling of shame and inadequacy that twisted his stomach.

He looked back up to her after a few moments, and it seemed as if a war of emotions was raging within her, annoyance and excitement both fighting to be at the forefront. The excitement appeared to win out as she began to pace in front of him. He waited, allowing her time to think and hoping her annoyance would dissipate.

“You have no idea what awaits us.” She turned to him, her eyes sparkling.

“Please, enlighten me.” He said, continuing to watch her as she perched next to him on the bed. She took his hands in hers before she spoke again.

“I received a summon from Mephistopheles himself. He has a task for me.” She cleared her throat, trying to calm her excitement. “For us.” She clarified.

“What do I have to do with this?” Cairus asked, his brow furrowed. He understood that Odessa was a devoted follower of Mephistopheles, but she had never involved him in her business. She had never brought him into her circle, into her world.

“Because, my dear,” She purred the pet name sweetly, “I know you. I know what you crave. I also know of your power, I have never doubted what you are capable of.” She tucked his hair behind his ear, her gaze appeared far away for a moment before she snapped back to the present.

“If we do what my Lord requires of me, there will be rewards for you too, of course.” She promised.

“Imagine it, Cairus. You and I at the side of the most powerful and influential devil in all of the Hells. Imagine the power.” She knew what she needed to say to get him to agree, but just to ensure her point was received, she gripped his shoulders and forced their gazes to connect as she invaded his mind.

She showed him himself dressed in fine robes fitted for a warlock, and she was by his side looking immaculate as always in one of her floor-length dresses. He cast spells he didn’t recognise as hellfire blazed around them, his power evident.

The scene changed to one of him walking up the marble steps of a manor and he didn’t know how, but he knew it was his. The thought of a place to call home excited him more than he expected, but before he could see any further the image was whisked away as Odessa’s amber eyes came back into focus.

“What do we have to do?” He asked.

Odessa's sharp teeth came into view as her smile grew with a predatory edge.

“We have been tasked with gaining the favour of an old God, Mezithios. A name I haven’t heard in many centuries.”

“How do you gain the favour of an old God? What could we possibly have to offer them?” Cairus doubted he could offer much that a God would need. He certainly wasn’t going to prostrate at their feet for a shiny new robe.

Odessa shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. “Find something they want.” She must have noticed the dubious look on his face as she continued.

“I was taking a trip to Moonsea when you summoned me. The locals are less than friendly, but that is to be expected of the cult that follows a God such as Mezithios.” She scoffed derisively, “After some…encouragement, I was able to learn of a tiefling. A sacrifice gone awry eighteen years ago. She was stolen before the ritual was done, but it had been partially completed. Mezithios wants the little snack that was taken from him.”

Find a tiefling, he summarised to himself. That would be easy enough with Odessa’s help. He imagined they could have this done in a few days or so. Mezithios would be appeased and an alliance would be formed for Odessa’s lord Mephistopheles. He would gain favour alongside a dizzying amount of power and riches and call it a day. Everyone goes home happy. Well, except the little tiefling.

His mind wandered momentarily to the boy from earlier. He tried to target only those who deserved it, those who wouldn’t be missed, but sometimes he didn’t always have the luxury of knowing. He needed the coin, it was as simple as that.

Which reminded him, he needed to collect.

“I need your help, Cairus. According to those cultists, the sacrifice has been completely untraceable.” Odessa said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Do you even have a name? A general description?” He asked, worried about her overestimating his abilities.

“There was a tiefling there, he said it was his brother who stole the girl during the ritual when she was an infant. They don't know her name, but his brother’s name is Silas.” Odessa quickly forced another image into his mind. It was a tall, lean man with mauve skin, he appeared young but his face was sunken with exhaustion. Black hair framed his face, similar to Cairus’ own but more untamed. Its wildness disguised two short pointed horns that curved back slightly atop his head. Cairus seared the image into his mind, determined to not lose a single detail.

“Silas.” He murmured before his vision was returned to him.

Odessa stood.

“I will see what else I can discover, I expect you to do the same.” He didn’t have time to respond as she disappeared in her usual fashion.

It took a moment for Cairus to realise that Odessa must have searched the Tiefling’s memories to get that image. He had no idea she could do such a thing. Had she ever searched his mind…? He hoped not, the idea made him uncomfortable.

It took effort to rise from the bed, but he knew he needed to collect tonight. He received half the payment when he accepted the job, and half when it was completed. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could grace Arthur with his presence. He was sure the man missed him.

—

He stumbled from the bar a few hours later, his pockets heavy with coins. The world tilted on its axis as his hands grabbed for the stair’s railing. He needed to lay down, he thought to himself as he decided on the quickest route to get back to his room. As he made his way down the cobblestone path, his mood worsened. He didn’t want to go back to his room. The thought of being alone in the dark, trying to sleep with the conversation that had happened there only hours earlier replaying in his mind was not a desirable one.

He wanted what Odessa offered, but there was a conflict in his mind. This faceless tiefling meant nothing to him, so why was he struggling with the idea of this hit? When he imagined the target, he couldn't help but picture the baby that would have been sacrificed. He knew logically that they would be older by now, maybe by this point they would have done something to deserve it.

His expression grew dark as he continued aimlessly down the empty streets, only a few shady characters out at this time.

He needed to turn it off. Whatever feelings he had that were holding him back, he needed them gone so he could do what he needed to do, become what he was meant to become. He shoved it all down into the void inside of him, making his mind a blank slate in which he could do the things Odessa asked of him with no remorse. He didn’t need to be held down by such a feeling.

As he wandered, he found himself a few yards away from a familiar doorstep.

One-fifty-seven Morwin terrace.

The neighbours had few lights flickering through their windows at this time, but one-fifty-seven was as dark and silent as the air around him. His feet carried him towards the front door without conscious thought to do so, and as he lay his hand on the cold doorknob, it creaked inwards with little effort.

Just as he had suspected, the boy would find his way in, see that his father was absent and have skipped home to his mother.

He crept slowly and cautiously in, noticing that some of the furniture had moved, and some of the food that had been left out on the table was missing. He continued to wander further into the house, observing the silent stillness of the night as he walked through like a phantom, a spectator to the world around him.

He came to a stop in the man’s bedroom doorway and the sight in front of him almost made the emotions he had locked away earlier rear their troublesome heads.

The boy from the window lay curled in on himself, he still wore his clothes from earlier that day and his shoes had been kicked off into the corner. He was asleep, and the furrow of his brow led Cairus to believe that he was having a bad dream. There wasn’t much moonlight finding its way in through the window and Cairus’ dark-vision was helping him to make out a lot of the details, such as the bruising shadowed across the boy’s cheek and the hole in the collar of his shirt.

Cairus swallowed, his footing unsteady as he knelt near the bed. He fished around in his pocket, thinking that maybe he could leave something for him. But in his drunken state his dexterity wasn’t nearly at the level it usually was, and he cursed under his breath as coins spilled out noisily onto the floor.

The boy startled awake and Cairus forced himself to sober up slightly as he clamped a hand over his mouth before his scream could reach his neighbour’s ears.

“Shh, I’m not going to hurt you.” Cairus spoke, trying to sound reassuring but his voice came out gruff from lack of use.

The boy thrashed against his hold and Cairus sighed. He cast a spell around them that would muffle the noise the boy would inevitably make before he let go.

“Get away from me!” The boy’s words were immediate once he was released, and he scrambled back into the corner where the bed met the wall.

Cairus held up his hands in surrender. Granted, as a warlock this was not the placating gesture it usually would be, but the boy didn’t yet know what he was.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Cairus apologised.

“Yeah, then what the heck are you sneaking up on me for!” The boy’s words were shrill but he wasn’t diving for the window, so Cairus felt he still had some control of the situation, he just had to get him to go back to sleep. In Cairus’ still drunken state, he decided to try something that sober him would never think to attempt.

“This is just a dream, go back to sleep.” He stated with confidence.

The boy scoffed. “If this is a dream, why would I have to go back to sleep? You’re pretty stupid.”

Cairus frowned. “I’m not stupid…”

“Yeah-huh.”

“Nuh-uh.” Cairus argued.

“Are so, you’re the most stupid person I’ve met, ever.” The boy crossed his arms, still on the defensive, but his voice had come down a few octaves.

“Well you dreamt me up, which makes you the most stupid person, ever.” Cairus mocked, and then realised he was arguing with a child that he had scared awake in the middle of the night, but somehow this was working to ease the tension in the child’s posture as he became more incredulous.

“I know I’m not sleeping.” He insisted.

“How do you know that?” Cairus argued. He didn’t know why he was insisting on this lie, but he was defending his crumbling story, nervous about the prospect of what would happen if he couldn’t convince the boy to just go back to sleep.

“Because…” The boy paused, his voice becoming quiet, “I remember what I was dreaming about.”

The sadness in his voice made Cairus hesitate. He did not feel prepared to deal with an upset child, so he attempted to redirect him.

“What's your name?” He asked, his eyes narrowing in question.

“James, but my friends call me Jamie.” The boy answered, still appearing guarded.

Cairus nodded.

“Alright then, Jamie-”

“James.” The boy quickly interrupted.

“Right… James. Why not go home to your mother? This house is really dark and scary when you’re all by yourself.” Cairus tried his best to look earnest, but the way James glared at him made him think he was not successful.

“I’m not going home to her. I’d rather be in the dark by myself!” James was clearly getting upset, his voice wobbling, and Cairus was worried he had accidentally moved their conversation into sensitive territory.

“James, I’m sure she’s worried about where you are.”

“She’s not!” James snapped, Cairus watched his wide hazel eyes flash with amber before starting to water. “She’s not worried about me at all. She said herself she’d rather I was gone.”

Cairus frowned. He had his own history with parental struggles, but that didn’t mean he was good at being empathetic.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean it…” .

“She did. She always says it.” His voice became softer as he withdrew into himself, arms wrapped around his knees and his eyes downcast.

Cairus wasn’t one to care about other people’s problems, but something about this sad boy spoke to him in a way that reminded him of his younger self. It was difficult to think about it, but he knew that if someone had intervened during his own spiral, things might not have ended the way they did that night.

But no one did. He dealt with the problem of his father by himself, and it built him into who he was.

Bitterness laced his thoughts as his mind was pulled back to that night. It wasn’t fair. No one had thought to save him while he was being tormented, why should he give when he had never received?

He stumbled to his feet, noticing the boy watching him with trepidation. A strange mix of resentment and sorrow twisted within him and he found himself speaking before he could stop himself.

“So, you’re just going to stay here?” Cairus asked.

James nodded. “My dad will be home soon. I was s’posed to have dinner with him tonight, but he must be busy at work.”

Cairus swallowed, his guilt becoming caught in his throat as his emotions warred within him. He felt immobilised by his internal conflict.

“Are you going to leave?” The boy asked. Cairus expected him to say it like he wanted him to go, but instead James looked at him with sad, pleading eyes.

Cairus sighed, resigned. He could give him this, at least. He perched on the end of the bed and scooted back until his shoulders leaned against the windowpane, his neck arched as his head came into contact with the glass. He closed his eyes, beginning to feel weary.

“I’ll stay, if you sleep.” He said quietly.

He heard the sound of blankets rustling as the boy quickly moved to tuck himself in.

“My dad sings to me before I sleep, to protect me from nightmares.” James said nonchalantly, as if it was just an interesting fact he was sharing.

Cairus cracked open an eye to see James watching him expectantly.

Another sigh escaped him as he searched his mind. A memory surfaced; Isabel held him late one night as he cried into her shoulder. She rubbed his back soothingly as a younger Violet held a small hand on his shoulder.

“Hush, little baby, don’t be afraid,

The stars are shining softly, in the sky they’re laid,

Close your eyes and rest, the night will sing,

A lullaby of love on angel wings.”

He remembered his tears settling as she sang to him. It was the first, but not the last time he would hear these words from her.

“The moon is watching, glowing bright,

It sings softly through the night.

I’m right here, my love, so near,

Nothing can hurt you, have no fear.”

Those words were particularly comforting, as he often found himself looking up at the moon and thinking of his mother, and the thought of her watching over him soothed his mind.

His own voice reached his ears as he continued the lullaby in a low timbre.

“Rest, sweet child, let the night unfold,

In your dreams, you’re safe and bold.

I’ll stay with you, through the dark and light,

Holding you close all through the night.”

As the last words fell from his lips into the dark, he glanced over at James and found him sleeping soundly, the blankets rising and falling with his rhythmic breaths.

He waited for a few minutes, the silence surrounding him interrupted by nothing but quiet, steady breathing. He wasn’t quite in the mood to go back to his bed, but the allure of drinking the night away was lost to him. He knew he couldn’t stay, so he tried his best to leave James undisturbed, leaving a few coins on the dresser in a much quieter fashion than earlier.

He slipped out the back door, moving like a spectre through the night. He had no destination in mind, none of his options appealed to him, and so he wandered as the crescent moon glowed above. He knew he should rest, that Odessa would expect action from him tomorrow, but still he continued to wander further into the night as his troubled mind spun.