I’d had trouble falling asleep. If I told myself a story long enough, I’d find myself in it. Forcing myself to stay in the tale I wove, I knew I was relying on Mjölnir and Cynara more and more as sleep eluded me.
I’d tried medication, but I’d hated how they’d made me feel. It had been wonderful for the first few days, but then I’d started noticing strange things happening around my apartment, things that were just a little off. I’d wake up to find my stuff in slightly different locations and uneaten food sitting out on the counter. The last straw had broken the morning I’d gotten up to find my front door unlocked.
Frantic for answers that didn’t involve Neil somehow reappearing in my life, I’d searched my bathroom for the little information sheet my pharmacist had given me when I’d picked up my prescriptions. I’d scanned the pages for the list of side effects. As soon as I’d seen sleepwalking at the top of the list, I’d flushed the entire bottle of pills down the toilet and hadn’t tried since.
I couldn’t afford to have my mind playing tricks on me.
Cynara stopped in her tracks, drawing my attention to her and my imaginary space. Her body was alert, and her ears were pinned back. I dropped down in a crouch by her side.
What do you sense, Cynara? I asked telepathically so as not to give our position away to the enemy.
The undead, she replied.
I unsheathed my dagger, the sight of it in my hand still cut even though it had been so long since Aefir had last wielded it.
How many?
Only the one, but there could be more hiding beyond my perception.
As we crept through the underbrush toward the monster that waited for us, my hand stilled on Cinder’s fur, and I succumbed to sleep at last.
What felt like seconds later, I woke to the sound of my phone’s alarm and Cinder still sleeping on my chest. My eyes felt heavy and tired as I blindly grabbed for the phone lying next to me. Lifting it, I squinted at the light as I swept my finger across the screen, silencing the too cheerful sound.
Groaning, I flopped my arm back down, giving a little stretch as I yawned. Cinder—not appreciating my movement—stood on my chest and stared down at me in indignation. I winced at the feel of her weight digging into my chest.
“Sorry,” I said as I placed my hand on her side and gently pushed her off me. “But it’s time for me to get ready for work.”
Tossing back my blankets, I chuckled as they landed over her body. If there was one thing Cinder hated, it was being under the covers. Meowing angrily, she squirmed her way free and gave me a look I can only describe as a death stare.
“You know you love me.” Turning toward the bathroom, I smiled at the sound of her feet hitting the floor behind me. Looking back, I confirmed she was following and not too mad.
Leaving the bathroom door open for Cinder, I used the toilet, laughing as she rubbed her head against my leg and purred, not giving a single thought to my privacy. After taking a minute to wash and dry my hands, I turned to her and gestured toward the kitchen. “Lead on, Your Majesty.”
Following my command, Cinder turned and guided me to the kitchen and her food bowls. Opening the lid of the plastic container that held her food, I used the measuring cup I left inside and scooped up some of the hard pellets. I gently sprinkled some into her dish and then return the cup to the container for next time.
I watched as she sniffed her food gingerly before taking her first bite. Satisfied she was eating, I picked up her water bowl, rinsed it out in the sink, and slowly refilled it with fresh water. Turning back, I gently lowered the water bowl back into its assigned spot on the floor. Happy I’d taken care of her needs, I moved into the area that I called my bedroom and pulled out a clean uniform from the old, worn dresser I’d found at a yard sale for a steal.
Clutching my clothes to my chest, I glanced around my apartment, taking in the small living space I called home. I had a tiny kitchen with a small oven, a faucet that dripped, a refrigerator that made an awful sound when the freezer kicked on, and peeling