"How about I go with you to see ck Spider before we bring Mavis back?" Uriah suggested, his brow furrowed as he took a sharp drag from his cigarette. "I don''t know every detail about him, but I''ve dealt with him a few times. That''s better than walking in blind, isn''t it?"


    "You''re off the mark,” Calliope replied, giving a casual shrug. "I''ve had even more run-ins with him than you. That''s exactly why I need to be the one who goes."


    "Then " Uriah started.


    "You take Mavis home. Her situation is urgent. I''ll give you a doctor''s number-you can call him, and he''ll walk you through what needs to be done."


    "Once you''re back, you''ll need to act fast. Do everything you can to help her wake up. I don''t want her stuck in this state forever." Calliope''s voice hardened as she looked him dead in the eye. "Uriah, you owe Mavis. You need to take responsibility and look after her."


    "I saved her life for you. Now it''s your turn to step up." There was an icy edge to her gaze a warning. If Mavis didn''t care about Uriah, or if Mavis didn''t need him, Calliope would''ve punched him already.


    "I know. Whatever it takes, I''m willing to do," Uriah replied, his voice thick with remorse. "Now I realize just how much she means to me. Before, I just... didn''t see it."


    Guilt gnawed at him. Ever since Mavis''s ident, every restless night had been haunted by the memory of how he''d pushed her away. He didn''t dislike her, but he''d always rejected her gestures, always turned down her warmth. He''d made her miserable.


    Now regret consumed him. But Mavis was unconscious. She couldn''t see his remorse, didn''t know how much it was tearing him up inside. It felt like she was punishing him—shutting him outpletely.


    "You''d better mean that," Calliope said, her voice colder than ever. "If she wakes up, you look after her. If she doesn''t, you still look after her."


    "I know. I won''t let anyone else near her. I''ll take care of her myself," Uriah said, eyes dark with


    determination. “Even if she neel.ne


    "1


    wakes up, I''ll marry her and look after her for the rest of my life."


    "Marry her-take care of her for life?" Calliope nearly scowled. “That''s not necessary. Mavis might not even want to marry you. Your only job is to take care of her."


    "Let''s get to the important part-1 need to go over what you have to do," Calliope said briskly. "How to care for Mavis, how to help her regain


    mconsciousness, and things youth need to be careful about on the way home."


    Sheid everything out, point by point-nothing left out. Uriah listened intently, flipping open a notebook and writing down every detail.


    "Don''t worry about what''s going on here. I''ll handle ck Spider," she assured him.


    "Do you want me to leave some men for backup?” Uriah offered, thinking it over. "You don''t have much of a crew, but I do. If things go south, at least you''ll have support."


    "No need," Calliope shook her head. "ck Spider can''t be pushed. If he''s provoked, things will spiral out of control can deal with him on my own it''s a problem I know how to fix


    “Alright. I''ll leave a few guys around just in case. Use them if you need to. Either way, we need someone here to keep an eye on the ce,” Uriah insisted.


    "Fine," Calliope said, not bothering to argue. She doubted she''d need them, but if he wanted to leave them, so be it.


    Uriah immediately threw himself into making arrangements to get Mavis home. Meanwhile, Calliope gathered her things, preparing to head into ck Spider''s territory.