Just knowing is not enough, is it? I have to become stronger, Todor thought as the taxi stopped in front of his house. I proclaimed to Midnight Breeze I will protect this city, but how? I only have your borrowed strength, Ezezu. Without it, he would have overcome me, like an adult could overcome an unruly child. Ezezu sent a calming wave of emotions which Todor rejected. He wanted to calm down but somehow he felt he doesn't deserve calmness now. His eyes almost closed by themselves as he exited the vehicle and stepped on the concrete.

Todor shook his head trying to clear his thoughts before he made his way across the yard, swaying slightly from exhaustion. Using the potion the day before, and then that spell that he didn't know what really did to him. Those small wounds and bruises that he got from a beating haven't healed yet and they still ached him. On top of that, he was so tired he hadn't noticed a large man in a suit standing by his door. He almost bumped into him before raising his eyes to regard the stranger.

"Hello mister Corpus," agent Hillard said but Todor waved him off.

"I don't have time for your glares and issues, man. I need my bed now."

"Yes, sir. I will be in that van over there watching for dangers," agent said in a clipped tone. "One more thing, the governor said you can take the next two weeks off to heal and recuperate." Hillard stopped talking nodded and stormed off in the direction of the parked vehicle.

Todor unlocked the door just to be attacked by Mihos who's large head bumped into his shin. He smiled at the cat and as quickly as he could fill his bowl before going upstairs and dropping down on the bed. He was asleep before he hit the sheet.

He had dreams, but the memory of them fled once he woke up. His phone was vibrating in his pocket. He glanced through the window noting it was still dark outside. How long have I slept? He wondered groggily getting up on his feet. Bringing phone to his ear without even checking the caller.

"Yes?" he said massaging his eye with a palm.

"Teddy, you sound tired," Cassandra's voice came from the speaker.

"You got that from my one uttered word, eh?" Todor replied smiling.

"Well, I thought it is more political to say you sound tired instead of saying you sound like shit," she said with a chuckle.

"I bumped into Midnight Breeze," he said walking down the stairs. I need a shower, he thought as he walked past the large wall mirror.

"That vamp that roughed you up? Did he hurt you?" Cassandra asked quickly.

"No, but he has your roommate. Wendy was it? And I manage to ... " he stopped for a second. "Well, can you come over to my house and we can talk?"

"Neat, I'll bring my favorite movie. Flower of Maritong Clan," she said and dropped the line.

A few seconds later his phone buzzed again. It was text from Cassandra asking where he lives. He chuckled as he typed the address. He showered and waited for her to show up.

The rest of the night they spent talking in front of the TV, commenting on the action in the movie, joking around and overall having a great time. They fell asleep on the couch in each other's embrace.

Todor got woken by a ring on the door. His first thought was to panic and go for his weapons, the second was to look at Cassandra whos head rested on his chest. He smiled and let his palm go over her raven black hair. She mumbled something that Todor didn't understand before jamming her thumb into her mouth. She sucked on it for a second or two before turning to the other side of the couch, her feet hitting Todor into the face. He managed not to laugh out loud as he evacuated himself, walking slowly to the door.

"Just checking if everything is in order," agent Hillard said before adding, "Sir."

"Shhh, not so loud. She is sleeping," Todor said a bit annoyed at the agent who camped at outside of his house. Yeah, I feel safer but this is just dumb.

Before Hillard could say anything more Irry came jogging up the trail. Agents opened mouth closed as he stared at the Anadori woman before his jaw dropped again. I forgot the effect Irry can have on other men, Todor mused trying not to laugh.

"Hello agent Tight Butt," Irry said winking at dumbstruck Hillard who opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

"G-good day, miss S-sunhawk," he managed to utter staring at her.

"You keep my friend Teddy, safe? Being all brave and strong?" she inquired as her fingers moved across his shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am. Just doing my duty," he blurted out his hand almost going up to salute her before he caught himself.

"Well, keep up the good work while I chat with my friend for a bit, alright?" Irry said as she moved past him and entered Todors home.

"I'll just go, go back to my van," he murmured avoiding Todors eyes as he trailed back to his van.

Todor shook his head. Is that the same man who stared down a vampire and took a beating like it was nothing?

"And you, you must start your training. You might awaken your magic one day but for now, you must learn to use that pistol," Irry said with a grin as she leaned on the wall.

"I don't need to learn how to shoot, my coat does it for me, mom," Todor said still in good mood. He grabbed his coat and turned around to face Irry. "But sure, I'll do my homework. Let's go."

"What, now?" Irry said surprised.

"Cass is sleeping in the living room, I don't want to wake her up. Huh, I must leave a note I guess," he said running back and scribbling a message which he left at the table next to sleeping, Cassandra.

They spent the entire morning at the shooting range. Ginger gun shop owner brought them breakfast which Todor devoured gratefully. Around noon they headed back to Todor's place. Where they found Cassandra still sleeping on the couch in an impossible position.

"We should wake her up," Irry said looking at Morg woman.

"Yeah we should, but she looks so cute sleeping," Todor said grinning.

"She does? Look at her, she made herself into contortionist pretzel. That can't be comfortable."

"She is very flexible," Todor admitted.

Irry's eyebrow climbed up as she nodded. "Yeah, I give you point there," she said a bit colder.

"What? What did I say?" Todor asked uncomprehendingly.

Irry just smirked and rolled her eyes before she grabbed Cassandra's shoulder shaking it.

"Wake up slacker," Irry said in sleeping Morgs ears.

"What do you want, do you know what time is it? Not everyone wakes up with dawn," Cassandra finally said.

"It's noon, and do you even know where you are right now?" Irry asked her.

Todor observed the scene, confused.

"What kind of question is ..." Cassandra started then stopped. Next second she jumped to her feet looking around. "Morning," she added sheepishly as she saw Irry and Todor standing around her.

"What is a knife-ear doing in your living room, hon?" she added after her eyes cleared of drowsiness a bit.

"Oh, you two were never formally introduced? Cass, this is Irrindonila Ramadish Hawallo Roddoensole Sunhawk," Todor said gesturing towards Irry. "She was my coworker at the factory, and I guess my only friend until recently."

"Well, don't be modest, I hear you had few friends from Mind Space as well," Irry said teasingly. Oh right, I haven't even visited that place since before Irry's party.

"Irry, this is my girlfriend, Cassandra," Todor continued, purposefully omitting her real name and title.

"A friend, huh? I forgot to ask you how did bloody Sunhawk scion end up as your friend. It picked at me since we butted heads with that Governor broad," Cassandra said flatly walking to Irry. Irry strengthened her spine and looked at crimson Morgothlite woman.

To Cassandra's surprise, Irry proferred her palm for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Warchief," Irry said. "Don't hurt my friend, alright?" she added, putting her palm outward again.

"I ... what ... fine," Cassandra said gruffly, taking her palm in a bone-crushing handshake. "I don't plan on hurting anyone, especially him."

"Mmm, you two know that I am right here?" Todor said uncomfortably. Both women let go of each other's palms and looked at Todor.

"So?" they said in unison.

"Never mind," Todor said confused.

"I should go, and leave you with your girl," Irry said a moment later, turning to go.

"Hey, knife-ear. Wanna stay for a bite?" Cassandra asked suddenly.

Both Irry and Todor looked at her surprised.

"What? Friends are important, even if they are flimsy knife-ears," she said. "Plus she is clearly your confidant and we could use the extra brain to figure out how to stay breathing and ahead."

They spent most of the afternoon debating how to protect themselves while they snacked on whatever was left in Todor's fridge. Todor informed them about his talk with a memory of No Terror and real nature of Ezezu, and how he went over again how he managed to cast a spell by using books mana pool. That caused quite a stir with the girls who showered him with questions to which he had no answer.

"I don't like it," Cassandra finally said.

"What you don't like?" Irry asked squinting at Cassandra.

"That my boyfriend has a ghost of a woman in his mind. The only girl on his mind should be me."

Both Todor and Irry looked at her like she was crazy. Cassandra stared at them for a couple of seconds before bursting into laughter.

"You should have seen your faces," she said through bursts of chuckles.

"Well, it's great that one of us is having fun," Irry said getting up. "I have to go do some chores. My mother waited until I quit my job to pile tonnes of work on my shoulders."

"Ha, I called sick today. Although I missed university classes today," Cassandra said leaning on the table and staring at Irry.

"Smart woman takes some time for herself," Irry said gracing them with one of her signature smiles.

"But I just ordered more food," Todor said putting his phone back.

"I am sure you two can handle any amount of food, after all, you will be using a lot of energy," Irry replied with a wink. "And speaking of using up energy I'll go pick up that agent outside of your house."

After Irry left Cassandra turned to Todor and put her fists on her hips.

"Alright, mister. We need to get you in shape so that next time we run for our lives you are not out of breath in five minutes," she stopped and smirked."There are other benefits as well."

So they ate the lunch he ordered before they spent the entire sunlight time left on running around the block and working out. Cassandra had no mercy for his wounds, he was drenched in sweat when the light of the day shone its last rays. They took a shower and cooked the dinner from the leftovers. Once they ate Cassandra got up on her feet.

"I should head home," she said.

"Why? You can spend the night here?" Todor said dropping the fork on the table.

"Both of us are too tired after that work out for anything fun to happen," she said grinning.

"True but we can watch a movie that I picked," Todor countered.

"What, you didn't like Flower of Maritong Clan? It's a Morg classic."

"It was nice. I just thought you should see some Mundane Era classics since you know, you are studying the era."

Cassandra perked up at that. So again they fell asleep in front of TV.

Which became a template for succeeding days. He would spend mornings at the shooting range, sometimes with Irry, sometimes alone. From noon to lunch he would read Ezezu trying to find some clever potions that can help him as a constable or just as an insurance policy in case of Midnight Breeze trying something. After lunch, he would work out with Cassandra until they would drop from exhaustion. Some nights they would spend watching old movies, while others they would add a bit more of physical activity to end the day, falling asleep in each other's arms. Mab would visit from time to time, asking on Todor's progress with a maharoon, but he was always in a hurry, never staying too long.

It became a routine and frankly, Todor didn't mind it at all. The idea of returning internet back to people was still in the back of his mind. The threat that loomed over them from Midnight Breeze and mysteries cult of death still bothered him. But overall his life became more vivid and more fulfilling than it was before. A week passed before anything changed.