Calliope and Portia spent most of the afternoon with Mavis, keeping herpany.


    Eventually, Calliope turned to her. "So, are you nning to keep pretending you don''t know Uriah? Forever?"


    Mavis nodded. "Yeah. Thest job''s over. I think it''s time for me and him to go our separate ways."


    Calliope nodded thoughtfully. "Alright. When you''re feeling better, I''ll help you find a new job."


    Mavis let out a smallugh. “Sure, just pick something you think I can handle. Honestly, I don''t even know what I''m good at anymore."


    Danger had been her whole life with Uriah-normal jobs were a mystery. Still, if Calliope was arranging things, she felt at ease; Calliope had always been the dependable one.


    "Don''t worry," Calliope assured her with a smile. "That''s the easy part. For now, you just focus on getting better, and I''ll make sure the job''s something you''re good at— and something you''ll actually like."


    "Thanks," Mavis said quietly.


    Portia chimed in, leaning forward. "But what if Uriah doesn''t back off? Even with you pretending, he looked pretty upset when you acted like you didn''t know him. He''s not the type to just let something like that go."


    Even if Uriah didn''t have feelings for Mavis, he couldn''t stand the idea that his apprentice had forgotten him. He was proud and stubborn-he''d do everything he could to force her to remember.


    Mavis dropped her gaze. "Give it time. He''ll get used to it. Right now, it''s just new and he doesn''t know how to handle it."


    "Well, then we can''t let the secret slip,” Portia said seriously. "The fewer people who know, the better."


    Calliope agreed at once. "Exactly. Just the three of us. That''s it."


    Portia nodded. "This way, there''s no way Uriah finds out you''re just pretending."


    Mavis nced at her two friends, warmth rising behind her eyes. She was lucky to have them. No matter what, she knew they''d always be there-ready to back her up, ready to weather any storm with her.


    Calliope and Portia stayed through dinner, chatting andughing to keep the mood light. When it was time to leave, they offered to stay overnight but Mavis waved them off. She insisted she''d be fine with just the nurse forpany. Before they went, Calliope gave her a quick reminder.


    "If anything happens, call me or Portia right away—no matter what."


    But both friends knew what was really on their minds-Uriah. Chances were, he''de back to the hospital soon. There was no way he''d let go of Mavis so easily. He''d be back, wanting answers, desperate for her to remember everything.


    "I know, don''t worry about me," Mavis said with a reassuring smile. "I''m pretty convincing, right?"


    "Yeah," Calliope said. "You''d fool almost anyone."


    "That''s good enough for me." Mavis nodded, feeling more determined. "If I stick to my story, he''ll have to give up eventually. He was annoyed by me before, even when I was in love with him. Now that ve supposedly forgotten him? He''ll try for a while, but he doesn''t have the patience to wait forever. He''s not that kind of man."


    Calliope and Portia finally left for the evening. Since Calliope had to leave on a work trip the next day, she made sure to pull Portia aside before they parted "Keep an eye on Mavis for me, and if anything and I mean anythinges up call me first."


    Portia grinned. “Rx. If anything happens, you''ll be the first to know."