Bright Water

October 1982

James gazed, enchanted, at the door before him. It was red—his favourite colour.

That, however, was not the reason he had agreed to buy the flat. No, it was because he needed a place of his own; he was twenty-two years old, and most people would have moved out by now. James reckoned it was about time, and, surprisingly enough, Sirius had agreed. If only he had known it would be so easy to convince Sirius to move, they would have left years ago. But James had always imagined it would be difficult for him to leave his first real home.

So, when Sirius had jumped up and down upon being asked, it had been… overwhelming.

Still, James couldn't help but feel a slight sense of relief and gratitude to be standing here with Sirius. He was getting to open a new chapter of his life—and with his best friend, no less! Could it get any better?

Well, perhaps only if Sirius knew that James and Regulus were… a thing (?), but that wasn't exactly an option at the moment. Sirius would likely throw James out of the flat the second he found out, so it was probably best to wait. To wait and hope that the two Black brothers would eventually sort out their conflicts.

Not that it bothered James too much.

And so, here they were, having just received the keys to their home. Their home.

The word felt surreal in James' mind. He owned a flat now? Strange. It was certainly something to get used to, but James was ready. They were hosting a housewarming party that evening to celebrate their move, and the whole group of friends would be coming over. Would they manage to set up at least some furniture before then? James hoped so!

If they could just get the old sofa into the living room along with the coffee table, then they’d have somewhere to sit. Some plates in the kitchen would be nice, too, but they could probably survive without them. The two of them didn’t own much furniture, so it was going to be difficult to fill the space, but at least they had enough for the living room.

They’d have to buy—or find—something to make the place feel more like a home.

James glanced at Sirius, who stood beside him, also staring at the door. Were they equally nervous? Judging by Sirius’ expression, he might have been a tad more anxious than James. But it would be fine—it always was with them. They figured everything out, so they would with this too.

He took a deep breath. “Are you ready?” he asked Sirius carefully.

The dark-haired boy blinked, as if he had just woken up. His long lashes fluttered slightly before he turned his gaze to James.

“Huh?” he asked absentmindedly, then looked back at the door.

James chuckled softly. He always found Sirius utterly fascinating and could never quite stop himself from laughing at whatever he did. It didn’t really matter whether Sirius was joking or simply blinking—James always found it amusing.

“I asked if you were ready to go in,” James said with a tentative smile. He was still slightly unsure whether Sirius would regret this. It was, after all, a big decision they had made, and there was always a chance he might change his mind.

So yes, a small doubt gnawed at the pit of James’ stomach, just enough to make his usually confident smile waver.

“Yeah,” Sirius sighed. “But fuck, this is terrifying. How are we ever going to get enough furniture to fill an entire flat?”

James laughed quietly, the doubt in his stomach shrinking like a raisin. It melted away like a snowflake on warm skin, like morning dew beneath the sun.

“Oi, we’ll figure it out! The furniture we do own is already in there, so we can just put it in place and hope the others show up with housewarming gifts. And our LPs take up a fair bit of space,” James’ grin was now confident, as bright as the sun. “Not to mention your far-too-many leather jackets. So we’ll run out of space pretty quickly.”

James received a light smack on the back of his head from Sirius at his last comment.

“You can never have too many leather jackets, James. My jackets are like your stuffed animals: a never-ending source of joy and something you can never have enough of.”

James couldn’t help but smile even wider. He rolled his eyes fondly, which earned him another slap, but it was worth it.

“Right, let’s get inside then, you idiot!” James said, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets to fish out the keys. With trembling hands, he pulled them out and waved them in front of Sirius.

“Do you want to do it, or should I?” he asked. James wasn’t entirely sure he could do it himself, but it was Sirius’ choice. James would do it for Sirius—or for that matter, for anyone. He was always ready to do something uncomfortable, as long as it was for his friends.

Luckily for James, Sirius snatched the keys with an elegant flick of his wrist.

“I’m the eldest, so I’m going in first!” Sirius declared, tilting his chin up dramatically.

James snorted. Sirius was only a few months older, so it was a terrible argument, but James let it slide. He was well aware that this was all about making a grand and suitably epic entrance. So instead of complaining, he bowed deeply in an almost theatrical gesture, stepping aside to let Sirius unlock the door.

Sirius hummed to himself and stepped forward, placing the key in the lock. But he hesitated just before turning it, glancing back at James, who gave him a small, encouraging nod to show that everything was okay.

With that little reassurance, Sirius turned the key and pushed the door open.

James took a sharp breath and straightened up from his deep bow. He cast a quick glance at Sirius’ uncertain expression and immediately knew what his best friend needed. He understood because he knew Sirius as well as he knew himself.

“Last one to the kitchen owes the other a pint!” James called out, and then he was off.

He heard a faint That’s unfair behind him, but then something yanked at his arm to slow him down. Sirius was right behind him. His arm was tugged hard again, but not enough to stop James.

He reached the kitchen first.

“That wasn’t fair!” Sirius panted as they came to a halt in the kitchen.

“You pulled my arm!” James protested, but he couldn’t help smiling at the sight of a breathless Sirius. “Besides, you’re out of shape, so I would’ve won either way,” he added cheerfully, studying Sirius closely.

“As if! My breathlessness is due to my upsetness—”

“Of your body.”

“—over my cheating flatmate!” Sirius finished, shooting a fiery glare at James. It had no effect whatsoever; James was far too used to those looks. They had calmed down a bit since they left school (probably because Sirius no longer shared a dorm with Remus), but James still saw them quite often.

He laughed brightly and gave Sirius a light pat on the shoulder as he passed him, heading towards a moving box sitting on the kitchen counter.

“You’re always welcome to join me on my morning runs. It’d be refreshing to have a running partner.”

It wouldn’t. James loved running alone. He relished his morning jogs, where he could clear his head and plan his day. But James would never say no when it came to Sirius.

“No thanks, I enjoy sleeping in!” Sirius replied, and James could easily picture the grimace on his face just from his tone.

James shrugged and opened the moving box on the kitchen island. He hadn’t packed anything kitchen-related except for a bit of cutlery, but that didn’t have its own box. Maybe the movers had put it in the wrong place? But when the box was fully open, James saw nothing but beautiful, dark green plates stacked inside. He definitely hadn’t bought those!

“Sirius, did you buy these ceramic plates? In green?” James asked, puzzled, looking up at Sirius. A few years ago, Sirius had inherited a massive sum of money from his late uncle Alphard, so he could easily have spent some of it on plates.

“No, why?” Sirius asked just as curiously, striding over to James, who was now peering back into the box. Sirius carefully lifted the top plate. They had been meticulously stacked with paper between each one to prevent scratches and damage. As he lifted it, James noticed a small note underneath. He picked it up between his fingers. It wasn’t much bigger than a playing card, but the quality of the paper was excellent. He quickly unfolded it, and a smile spread across his face.

In a neat, small, and very familiar handwriting, it read:

To my two sons,
I wouldn’t be a proper mother if I sent you off without a proper dinner set, so here’s my favourite set.
Hugs, Mum <3

Ah, James had never been more grateful for his mother than he was at that moment. She was always so practical and the most loving person he knew. Knowing Effie Potter was an honour, and being raised by her was a dream. James had never been dissatisfied with her, which might sound odd. Most teenagers went through a phase where they resented their parents, but James? He had never been anything but thankful for the Indian woman who had loved him for as long as he could remember.

Maybe it was also because James had seen how Walburga treated Sirius—and Regulus, for that matter. He had seen the scars and wounds Sirius carried and knew that his mother would never treat him like that. It had made James acutely aware of just how lucky he was.

“What does it say?” Sirius asked curiously, having set the plate aside.

James handed him the little note. Sirius chuckled as he finished reading it.

“What would we do without Mum?” he asked, shaking his head.

“I have no idea, mate, absolutely no idea,” James replied with a smile.

Together, they unpacked the plates and placed them in the cupboards.

Effie hadn’t just given them dinner plates but also deep plates, small plates, and even a gravy boat. The wonderful woman had thought of everything. It wouldn’t surprise James if she showed up with a box full of various glasses—wine glasses, champagne flutes, water glasses, coffee mugs. If she had a specific glass that was only to be used for juice, James wouldn’t be surprised either.

When they had finished putting the lovely green dinnerware away, they exchanged satisfied glances.

“Shall we get started on the living room?” Sirius asked eagerly, clearly excited to settle in.

James understood him—this was absolutely brilliant.

“We can definitely get started. Remus has just finished work, I believe, so he’ll probably show up soon to help,” James said. “I think he’s bringing Peter along—and probably some of those tacos you love so much.”

Sirius squealed. “Ihh, I love that man!”

James couldn’t help but nod. Whether Sirius would ever realise his feelings for Remus was a mystery. Their little love story—or tragedy—had been going on for far too many years, and it had clearly drained Remus. But getting Sirius to acknowledge something he refused to see? Hopeless. Sirius had hurt Remus for so many years by shagging half of London’s population that it was almost unbearable to think about.

When Remus had finally found happiness with a wonderful bloke, Sirius had ruined that too. Remus had been happier than James had ever seen him—he was happy with Grant—but the day Sirius met him, he had not only been horrible to Grant, he had clung to Remus as well. James had watched in horror as Sirius managed to hurt both his best friend and his lovely boyfriend. It was tragic. Sirius had clearly been jealous, but it hadn’t brought him any closer to the tall boy—no. Sirius had been so weighed down by guilt that he had barely spoken to Remus for weeks after the breakup. That little bit of joy had been taken from Remus, but James still hoped they would find their way to each other. Remus deserved it. They deserved it.

They always walked side by side through the city, their shoulders brushing, without even realising they were doing it.

If Sirius ever faced his feelings, they would become an unstoppable pair.

Marlene sat at her overcrowded desk, painting her nails with the deep red polish Dorcas had gifted her last week. She was always so good at knowing what Marlene liked, and dark red was one of those things. Dorcas had taken her to Regulus’ place, where they had stayed overnight. Marlene had gone through all of Dorcas’ things, and her gaze had lingered just a little too long on the red nail polish. Dorcas had given it to her without further comment.

Regulus himself hadn’t been home, and Marlene had a growing suspicion about where he had spent the night. He had sneaked in early in the morning, but he had accidentally knocked over a chair, and the noise had woken the two girls. Dorcas had smiled knowingly but had said nothing to Regulus. When Marlene later asked about it, she had refused to say anything. Her silence was answer enough.

Regulus had been with James.

Marlene had known about James’ feelings for Regulus ever since he had accidentally mumbled Reggie in his sleep, and she had known about Regulus’ feelings since that party she had been invited to. So yes, she had known since August that it was only a matter of time before they got together. But that they had got together? That was something else entirely!

Sirius would not take this well.

Did he even know? Marlene strongly doubted it. If Sirius was aware, they probably wouldn’t be in the middle of moving in together. That had to mean it was a secret. A big secret. She would have to be very careful not to say anything.

Well, now they were throwing a housewarming party, and Marlene was determined to make everything perfect for them. They deserved it.

Marlene had been out with Mary to buy a little gift. At first, they had looked for kitchen utensils like knives or glasses, but that idea was quickly discarded when they wandered into the bathroom section. That was where they found the perfect gift!

Marlene and Mary had nearly collapsed on the floor laughing, and they fully expected Sirius and James to do the same. Their brilliant gift was a toilet paper holder in the shape of a dinosaur. Its outstretched arm was meant to hold the roll.

Dorcas, on the other hand, had found a much classier gift—a plant. Marlene couldn’t help but love her a little bit more for it. It was a strange thing to love someone for, but maybe it was just that Marlene was utterly fascinated by everything Dorcas did. The way she furrowed her brows in frustration made Marlene’s heart skip a beat every single time. It was ridiculous, but so was love.

Dorcas had settled well into their little friend group, and it thrilled Marlene. Seeing her fit in with the closest thing to family Marlene had was like waking up feeling completely refreshed in the morning—a thing that shouldn’t happen, yet somehow did.

Marlene sighed softly. That woman would be her downfall one day, that was certain.

She carefully screwed the lid back onto the bottle, making sure not to ruin her nails. They would be dry in a few minutes, but not dry enough to avoid scratches. The moment she placed the bottle back on the shelf, the telephone rang in the hallway.

Ugh. Mary could get that. Marlene had no intention of ruining her nails.

But it just kept ringing.

Was Mary not going to answer? She had to! But no, it just kept ringing and ringing, much to Marlene’s irritation.

“Mary!” she called. “Could you get that? My nails are wet!”

There was a pause before a very indistinct reply came back. Marlene had to strain to hear, but she could make out a rather firm no.

That irritating cow! Mary loved talking on the phone—so why not now?

With heavy steps, Marlene stomped into the hallway. Whoever was calling, this was going to be a very short conversation. Probably an annoying one too, because she was already more than a little provoked by Mary’s attitude.

When she reached the phone, she picked up the receiver with some difficulty, still mindful of her wet nails. “Hello, I really can’t talk right now, so you’ll have to call la—”

“Marlene! Listen!” Sirius’ voice screeched through the receiver.

“Sorry, I—”

“No, I don’t care what you think is more important right now, because I have something absolutely massive to tell you!” he interrupted, not giving Marlene a chance to speak.

Something in his voice told her it was important. Excitement bubbled in her stomach—this was going to be interesting.

Maybe it wasn’t so bad that Mary hadn’t picked up after all. So she waited a little anyway.

"You have exactly 30 seconds to convince me that I should listen," Marlene hummed, actually finding the whole conversation amusing. It was fun to tease Sirius.

"Okay, so today, d—"

"I'm already counting!" she continued draging the last workd out and laughing at Sirius’ little huff. He got offended so quickly, which only made it funnier for her.

"For hell’s sake, Marlene, just listen for a damn second: We got a record deal," Sirius practically shouted into the phone. Marlene stopped laughing.

What?

Since when?

They had a… record deal? Nothing made sense in Marlene’s brain. Her biggest dream was coming true, but how? They had been playing together for so many years, so what had changed now? What had given them this opportunity? If Sirius was telling the truth, it meant their music could reach a much larger audience. If they had a record deal, they had a chance to get on the radio and—

Marlene struggled to put her thoughts into words or even make them connect. They had a record deal, okay, that was one thing, but how?

"Sirius," she croaked out. "Since when?"

Sirius cleared his throat. "Well, so—"

The line went dead.

What?

No, no, no! He couldn’t be serious! He called to inform Marlene about the biggest thing that had happened in her life, and then he just hung up? That was such an asshole move! She couldn’t even call him back because she didn’t have the number for their new apartment. Damn it, why did he have to be like this all the time! Some of her irrataion suddently came back ans she found herself scowling.

Just as she was about to slam the receiver down in frustration, it rang again. Sirius?
She lifted it to her ear and waited for a voice.

"Hey, sorry. We don’t have a phone, so I’m in a phone booth—I ran out of time, but umm, I found some coins in my pocket, so I’m back."

Ah, that made sense now. Maybe not such an asshole move after all, but it was the principle that mattered. Sirius had better start talking now!

"How?" was her only question, as her brain was still not fully functioning. Her voice was commanding in the way she knew she needed to get Sirius to reach the fucking point. He was known for talking just to hear his own voice, that prick.

"Well, so the concert where, umm… Reggi—Regulus showed up, right? Yeah, so there was someone in the audience who turns out to work for a recording studio called New Tunes. He contacted The Silver Serpent afterward, that is, today, they forwarded him to Remus, and now we have a deal with the label!"

Marlene squealed, and Sirius quickly joined in. They finally had a chance to show the world what they could do, a chance to perform.

"He was blown away by our ability to jump into James’ improvisational song. Wonder who that was about? It really sounded like a love confession, but he hasn’t told me anything. That’s not like James," Sirius mused. "But he was singing about a boy. Do you know who it is?"

Marlene fell silent. Now she really had to be careful not to reveal something Sirius didn’t already know.

"I think you’re just overanalyzing. James has never said anything about being, um… gay," Marlene said awkwardly. But what else was she supposed to say? This wasn’t exactly her area of expertise. She was much better at joking.

"Yeah, I probably am, but he’s also never said anything about not being, um… gay."

What a pair they were. It was actually ridiculous that they both hesitated to say "gay" when they both were. Or, well, Sirius wasn’t aware of it yet, but it was painfully obvious. He wore makeup, for crying out loud! And besides, he had liked Remus longer than Remus had liked Sirius. But yeah, it was a difficult thing to talk about openly, as not everyone was equally forgiving or understanding. Maybe that was even why their little group had found each other: they had been radiating gay vibes since they were kids. Because it was a little strange that most of them were attracted to the same gender.

• Remus
• Sirius!
• James
• Marlene
• Lily?

Marlene shook her head. Now was not the time to speculate—she had a record deal to discuss and a lot of planning to do.

"So, when do we have a meeting with the label?" she asked instead, to shift her thoughts elsewhere.

"We're meeting with Kingsley on Saturday to record a few songs. He’s interested in an album, but let’s see if it gets that far," Sirius replied quickly.

If it gets that far. They would make it, right? They had to!

"Okay, okay, I actually don’t have more to say right now, but um, see you later—I’m off to terrorize Mary!"

With those words, Marlene slammed the receiver down and did a little happy jump. This was amazing! They had a meeting with a record label on Saturday! She felt ecstatic! It was a dream coming true. Thousands of tiny bubbles popped in her stomach, filling it with a faintly fizzy sensation. Not butterflies, but bubbles. Ahh, more than anything, she just wanted to scream into a pillow and kick her legs, but right now, Mary needed to know. So Marlene dashed through the rooms, bursting into Mary’s room.

"Okay, I’m still annoyed that you didn’t answer the phone, but I have something very important to say!" Marlene panted as she yanked open Mary’s door.

The other girl let out a small shriek of surprise at the sudden entrance. The shock caused Mary to smudge lipstick across her face. Marlene couldn’t help but smile smugly. Now she had gotten her revenge.

"Hey—"

"We got a record deal!" Marlene interrupted, not caring what Mary was about to say. "We’re recording a few songs or something on Saturday!"

Mary gaped. Like, her mouth hung wide open, and her eyebrows were raised high on her forehead. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before she could say anything.

"Who’s offering?"

Marlene shrugged. "Someone from a recording studio called New Tunes. He was super impressed by how we made music to James’ song. Apparently, it was obvious we hadn’t heard it before. He’s interested in an album!"

Mary squealed in pure delight. It was even funnier that she still had lipstick smudged all over her face. A lunatic, that’s what she looked like.
"So, now we have two things to celebrate!" Mary grinned. "We’ll probably get even more wasted than we originally planned. Do you think Sirius and James have room for us to crash there?" she asked thoughtfully, and Marlene knew Mary wasn’t expecting an answer. Sometimes talking out loud helped Mary think. It gave her more ideas or solutions. So Marlene just hummed and looked fondly at her best friend.

"We should have a glass of wine to celebrate," Marlene said, grabbing Mary’s hands. "This is a new chapter in our lives, Mary, and we’re stepping into it together. That’s quite the achievement," she said, looking warmly at Mary, who smiled again. Hand in hand, they walked to the kitchen. The smudged lipstick and chipped nail polish were long forgotten.

Regulus' fingers had a light grip on the long, clumsy, blonde locks. He was careful not to pull too hard and damage the scalp. He crossed them quickly with practised movements, slowly forming an elegant pattern. He didn’t really need to keep his eyes on the braid, but the way it quickly took shape was fascinating. Pandora had asked for help getting it out of her eyes while she sewed, but Regulus had found the task far too entertaining, and instead of simply tying it up, he was now working on a complicated braid.

It was his cousin Narcissa who had once taught him the art of braiding when they were children. He hadn’t seen her since she married Lucius Malfoy, a tall, loathsome man who had prevented their contact from being maintained. She was practically the only one in the family Regulus cared to spend time with. The rest could fuck off.

Well, and then there was Sirius. It was quite impossible to ignore him, considering Regulus’ boyfriend (?) was best friends with Sirius. It was complicated. On one hand, Regulus desperately wanted to reconnect with his older brother, but it would destroy Sirius if he ever learned the truth. Even if Sirius could forgive him, he would never forgive himself. Regulus carried a secret so heavy it would crush them both – so he did the only thing he could. He kept his distance.

For Sirius’ sake. For their sake.

Some truths were meant to set you free; this one would only chain Sirius to grief.

Regulus sighed. It was a mystery how things would turn out at the Halloween party.

"Are you finished?" Pandora asked brightly. "I’ve just finished the collar, which was the last bit, so I’d like to try it on now!"

Regulus nodded, but he quickly realised that Pandora couldn’t see him when she was sitting with her back turned. "Yeah, I’m just tying it off at the bottom, and then I’m done."

With those words, Regulus tied a neat bow at the end of the intricate braid. Perfect timing!

Pandora smiled at him and then stood up to go to the bathroom. Regulus sighed and flexed his sore fingers. He looked around Pandora’s room. Scraps of fabric and lace trimmings covered every surface, but her bed was empty. So, he decided to settle down there.

The bed was soft beneath him, and it was like being swallowed. Not that Regulus had ever experienced that before, but he could vividly imagine being swallowed by water. Letting the harsh waves wash over him like a cold, wet embrace. How his lungs would burn from the lack of oxygen, and his eyes would itch in a silent plea to close.

He sighed.

Drowning was violent, but there was also something peaceful about it. To surrender to the water and just be… consumed. If it was as peaceful as lying in Pandora’s bed, then Regulus might actually prefer that kind of death.

He was pulled from his thoughts when someone cleared their throat in the doorway. Regulus blinked and looked up. Pandora was smiling at him, bright and beaming. He let his eyes glide down her figure to admire the masterpiece she had once again created.

Wow, she had really outdone herself this time.

The pale lilac colour shone against her semi-dark skin, and the large collar drew all attention to her face.

The Lilac Fairy from Peau D’âne.

Regulus had shown her the French film early in their friendship. He had watched it two years prior with his cousins, which had been a nightmare, but when he met Pandora, the memory of the film had immediately resurfaced. He had secretly bought it on tape, and they had watched it together in the basement og Hogwarts. The fairy had captured her attention, and now, ten years later, here she stood, wearing the same dress she had admired for so long. It was absolutely marvellous.

"What do you think?" she asked, spinning around so the dress swirled around her in a lilac mass. Glitter sparkled in the weak sunrays breaking through the window. She truly looked like a fairy taken straight out of a dream.

"It looks good," Regulus said dryly, because what else was he supposed to say?

Compliments rarely came from Regulus, and when they did, they were vague. Fortunately, Pandora seemed to understand, because her smile grew even wider, practically glowing.

"Now I just need to find a wand!" she said cheerfully. "I’m so glad James and Sirius invited you. Now I finally have the chance to attend a big Halloween party. Just think of all the admiring looks that will be glued to my dress!"

She clapped her hands together and looked dreamily up at the ceiling. Regulus scoffed but remained silent. He agreed; the anticipation for the party was practically killing him.

They remained quiet for a while.

Pandora swayed back and forth on her feet, as if she were already standing on the dance floor, surrounded by sparkling lights and whispered admiration. Regulus watched her in silence, his hands resting lightly on the armrest of the chair. She was completely consumed by the joy of expectation, and he almost envied her.

"Have you found your costume?" she asked suddenly, tilting her head slightly.

Regulus shrugged lightly. "Something simple."

He really hadn't thought about it, but now the thoought gnawed at his mind. Of course he was supposed to wear a stupid costume, James surely would.

Pandora sighed dramatically. "Regulus Arcturus Black, if you show up in something boring, I will personally enchant your clothes to match mine."

He raised an eyebrow. "You’re not a real fairy."

She pretended to consider it for a moment. "Maybe, maybe not," she said with a sly smile, and Regulus sighed.

Pandora was very drawn to the obscure world, far more than Regulus cared for. It became a bit unsettling at times when she started talking about dreams she’d had or dark auras. Where there wasn’t fabric in her room, there were crystals. Evan often spoke of how she had protective rituals if she got a bad feeling about something. So, Regulus sighed, which Pandora ignored.

"I don’t want you looking like you’d rather be anywhere else than at the party."

He looked away and brushed an invisible speck of lint from his sleeve. It wasn’t far from the truth. Yes, he wanted to be there, for James, but talking to Sirius felt overwhelming. But he had promised James, and if they were lucky, they might just disappear during the evening.

"I don’t want to look ridiculous," he said finally.

Pandora stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You could never look ridiculous, Regulus. You’re far too dramatic for that."

He couldn’t help but smile slightly. "Dramatic?"

She threw out her arms. "Yes! Dark, mysterious, always a little melancholic. A tragedy waiting to happen."

He rolled his eyes, but her words created an unexpected knot in his chest. That was the problem.

She was eerily right because Regulus knew full well that his life would end in tragedy. One day, Walburga would demand him back to France and insist he joined her and her fanatical cult. He didn’t want to, but how could he avoid it? He simply couldn’t, because it wasn’t as if he was surrounded by harmless people.cThen the reputation he had spent so long building would be shattered. Shattered like thin winter ice on puddles. He would once again be remembered for the cult and not his achievements.

Regulus swallowed a lump in his throat. Now was not the time to dwell on such matters.

"How is Galena, by the way?" he asked instead. "It’s been a while since you updated me. She’s probably recovered from the injuries she had when I found her, right?"

Pandora’s eyes lit up at the mention of the cat’s name. "She’s doing wonderfully! Shall we find her?"

Regulus nodded. It was easier this way.

So together, they headed into the living room to find the little cat they both held so dear.