Callisto’s eyes softened a little as he listened to the man as he turned to face him, he waited beside him. This newcomer had really gotten under his skin, it was surprising to see Xevon muddle up his words in frustration.

“You don’t need to beat him up.” A heartbeat later. “I know you would beat him, I saw you fight before you joined me here.” Callisto’s eyes darkened for a moment at the memory, it was true. His friend was a good brawler, but it was useless against a living being.

“I understand, but they have not even been here one day.” He kept his tone light now, deciding he needed to cool off the situation. “When he understands more, then I am sure he will begin to take things a little more seriously. As for now, what dark corner are you planning to fade into and pout?” Callisto teased gently, soothed by the fact that Xevon did not in fact want to go wander the halls looking for trouble, at least not at that exact moment.

Lily glanced over her shoulder, an eyebrow drawn up at the comment. “I mean, I see what you’re saying. But if they’re the only other people here, we should probably try to keep on their good side, no?” Her eyes grazed over the wings once more, then to the lower feathers that seemed to have manifested out of nowhere. She hoped once more that her own surprise would not be too traumatic. Now aware of the time she was spending looking at Finn, she drew her eyes back up quickly.

“If they say sleep, I’ll do it. I don’t want to ponder on what he was talking about for too long.” She shook her head, lifting a hand to test the strands. They were still damp, but not uncomfortable to sleep with. Cautiously, Lily let herself sit down on the bed, eyes drifting up towards the roof, the few red speckles on the ceiling were stark against the bright white.

Her hands moved to brush non-existent dust from her covers, her chin dropping back down to look at Finn as he spread his wings out across his bed. What a strange image.

Callisto’s brows knitted together as he watched his friend’s disheartening display, his lips pressed together as he pondered his next words carefully. “Do you want company? Or will I be the receiver of some harsh words if I try to accompany you?” While his tone was calm and amused, there was truth to his question. When Xevon was wound up, he had a tendency to lash out. Nothing he held against the man, it would be petty to hold a grudge when they were the only two non-deadly god people around.

Lily’s eyes dragged back to her bed as she pulled herself onto it, laying on her side so that she could still see Finn half hidden by the squishy covers. She held her hands close to her chest as she debated continuing their conversation, but the closure of Finn’s eyes had chosen for her. A small hum drifted from her lips as she pushed her head into her pillow, trying once more to forget their current circumstances.

While it took a good long time to arrive, Lily was gifted the release of sleep. Falling into the darkness quickly once it came. For a long time, she remained still, almost peacefully sleeping. But then her sleep was corrupted by images.

Pitch black before something was removed from her head and her bleary eyes began to adjust to their surroundings. A shadowed hallway, a wooden door at the end. She was being walked towards it, muffled voices flooded her ears. Men and women, intermingled with each other. She could feel the panic in her chest, the confusion and distress, a horrid mixture that made her want to vomit. She could hear a clearer voice protesting behind her, a man.

They had reached the door, her hands were bound behind her back and she heard the only clear voice. An older, matronly voice that flowed into her ears.

“You will please Him, what a beautiful bride you will make.” A strike of fear jolted through her, electrifying all of her nerves.

Her body jumped from the bed, a gasp of air as she rocketed back into consciousness. She could still feel the fear rippling through her body, making her bones weak. Lily could not calm her breathing, it was coming in quick bursts, barely giving her time to take in oxygen before she was gasping for the next lungful. Her throat was tightening. A hand lifted to grasp at her shirt on her chest, her wide eyes portraying her inner panic as she fought to control her breathing.

Callisto’s form withered slightly as he was dismissed. He was never invited to dwell in Xevon’s room, after all these years he thought that the man would have opened up to him at some point. Even a trickle of his true thoughts to be confessed, alas it seemed like it still would not be happening. Even if the possibility of passing over was closer now that the living were here once more, albeit a slim chance, but there was a chance they would be parting ways if they were successful. A glimmer of emotion lit inside him, did he want to leave here if it meant ceasing to exist? He pushed the thought away in a hurry.

“As you wish, Xevon.” He kept his voice quiet as he watched the man turn and head away from him. Callisto watched him for a long moment before he drifted back into the room, noting the pair were now laying down. Considering his options, he decided he would lurk in a corner. So that they were not disturbed by his presence, sleep was important to keep a clear mind. With a soft sound of moving air, he dropped down onto four paws and curled into a small ball in the corner. Eyes flicking back and forth, keeping guard on the expanse of the room.

The poor woman nearly threw herself off of the bed when the sudden appearance of someone in front of her clouded her vision. Shifting slightly before she recognised the voice, halting her escape as he drew her hands from her chest to one of his own. Her ribs still heaving with effort as she tried to focus on him as he spoke, her eyes still wide with panic.

“I-I saw,” She tried to speak between her ragged breaths. “Something.” Water began to gather at the corners of her eyes, she didn’t know what she had seen, but it had struck her with such fear that it could not mean anything other than danger. “From before.” She crept out the words, her hands trembling in Finn’s grasp as she tried to convey what she had seen.

“They said Him. Like how those ghosts say Him.” Lily’s back curled slightly forward, wanting to tuck herself into some type of protective ball. “That I was some offering, a bride.” She spat out, ingenuine laughter following, mocking the idea. But the laugh could not compete with the overwhelming dread that was drowning her.

Her rough laugh divulged into sobs as she was gathered closer to the warmth of Finn, her neck bending to hide her head into her own shoulder. Pressing one side of her face against Finntello’s bare chest, cradling the other side with her own shoulder. Her knees drew up to her jaw, trying to form the smallest possible crumple of a person she could manage. His words were comforting but the pure terror that she felt when in that memory made her bones ache with an urge to flee. To escape. But she couldn’t. They were trapped here, apparently with a Him that she was intended to be married off to. Lily doubted the proposed Him was in reference to the man that now held her close, newly formed wings encircling them in a cocoon of warmth. No, the way that woman had said it, it was not Finn.

She could hear his heart beating like thunder against his chest, her eyes only slightly open in the darkened space his wings had created. It was pleasant, like they weren’t in some hellscape. Despite her efforts to control her shakes and trembles as his hand tried to soothe her back. He was right, she wasn’t living that memory now, it had already happened…which meant she was wherever that woman intended to send her. A sharper cry pulled from her throat at the realisation. Without her memories she had no clue what any of it meant. She felt helpless.

“They took me somewhere. I didn’t want to go.” Lily fought against her ragged breathing to try and elaborate. Knowing the poor man had probably received the fright of his life from her sudden outburst. “I think they were sending me here.” She slowly lifted her head, tilting it so she could peer up to where Finntello’s face hung above her. Wet ears stained her face, sclera beginning to show bloodshot veins.

“Someone was with me, they didn’t want to go either. I don’t know who it was.” Her eyebrows were knitted together weakly as she peered up at him, pleading with her eyes for any kind of explanation.

Callisto’s ears perked up as Lily jumped from her bed, quickly rising to his paws as he watched Finn leap from his own bed to hers and begin consoling her. His pale eyes flicked around the room, trying to see Him. Surely it was Him. But how did he get in here?

Nothing.

He wasn’t here. With ears angled back, he closed the distance between him and the bed as Finn wrapped his wings around the both of them. What had scared her so badly? He strained to hear through the muffled feathers. His eyes narrowed, picking out little pieces here and there.

Then his eyes widened. She was talking about the god, she was remembering. He winced. He had hoped a smaller, gentler memory would arrive first. Callisto could surmise from her sobbing that she had remembered being taken, to be offered up to this realm on a silver platter. He had witnessed others remember this, but his own was a foggy mystery.

At first, he had wanted to sprint down the halls and call out Xevons name to proclaim her progression. But his form did not move, the way Xevon had looked at him before he had parted ways. It left an uncomfortable tightness in his chest, something akin to hurt. Callisto did not want to be screamed at today, but this news was important. He was torn.

Her hands that were pulled close to her chest began to loosen their grasp on each other as she felt her body being swayed by the breathing of Finn. Carefully ebbing away the initial terror she had been struck with. She did not have those people touching her now, they were gone. It had happened, she could not save herself from the memories. Even if it tore at her mind like a vicious animal. Lily had to correct herself, continuing her blubbering wouldn’t help anyone.

His voice was calming in its softness, listening she began to fight to slow her breathing. A few small gasps here and there as the remnants of sobs left her body, gradually bringing her attack under control and putting a leash on it. His hands relieved themselves from her torso, her eyes glanced down to follow one as it moved away. The fact she was now huddled up in a very small space with him dawning on her a little, enough to make her feel a wave of embarrassment, but little more.

“Thank you, Finn.” Lily let out a longer sigh, her eyes falling to stare at the feathers that were almost brushing her nose. Her head tilted back down, still leaning against him. “I hope they will be able to help us.” Her shoulders slumped gently, eyes still trained on the intricate fibres of each feather. Her mind was searching for a distraction from the questions and dark images that played behind her eyes.

Deliberately slowly, Lily lifted a hand, still plagued with slight trembling to brush against the soft feathers in front of her eyes. Watching as they shifted their position before falling back to where they were before. They were pretty.

Callisto lurked around the bed, trying to make his mind up. To leave them here unguarded to tell Xevon about the progress and risk his wrath or stay put and be yelled at later for not telling him sooner. He let out a small irritated mew before flicking his tail. Turning towards the door, he scampered out of the room and headed down the hallway. He knew where Xevon would be, he always knew, but he never followed him. Just as he would do now, he would not overstep his welcome.

Approaching the end of the hallway on the second floor, Callisto rose to his full height quickly. Lifting a hand to push some hair from his eyes as he peered into the darkness. He could see a single light near the end flickering before a void of black. He did not take another step. Instead, he gritted his teeth and remained where the lights were still glowing brightly.

“Xevon?” He called out quietly at first, testing the way his voice carried down the hallway. Callisto repeated it, a little louder this time. His pink eyes narrowed as he tried to make out anything in the black beyond. “Xevon!” Growing a little frustrated by the lack of reply, Callisto raised his voice, letting some of his annoyance to leak into his call.