Last Hope ✔

4 - Risks

It had been three days since Amber had died and returned to Earth. As expected, the men hadn't found a lead to her made up abductors, but luckily nobody had called her crazy either. Juice was looking after her, he had presented himself as a real knight in shining armor. It was cute – but also exhausting. Especially because she wasn't in danger at all. As long as he was pretending to be her protector, she would never find a way to win Happy's heart. The past days she hadn't made any progress at all. Yesterday there had been one very short talk. Knowing that she didn't have forever, she had walked up to him. 

"Hey, I think I've spoken to everyone but you," she had told him, where after she had shown him her most charming smile. Apparently that smile was less charming than she had always believed, for he had just stared back at her with a cold glance. 

"Got nothing to tell ya. I don't trust you."

And after these words he had simply walked away. As it seemed, pretending to be the mysterious lady was neither a successful approach. 

Amber tried to shake off the gloom. She didn't want to give up – she couldn't give up because she would no longer exist next month! In front of the mirror she rolled up her shirt, exposing her skin up to her chest. Since yesterday the skin around her bellybutton was vague; slowly it became transparent. By mirror it was impossible to see, but she could see it when she looked directly at it and she could even feel it. Her body had turned into an hourglass – and the grains were falling in a quicker pace than she liked. With her shirt she could hide the blur, but what if it expanded to her arms? She could see crazy scientists lock her up in some shady facility to run countless tests on her like she was some failed superhero. 

Sighing, she stared at her reflection. "What should I do? This mission is so ridiculous! Why is it precisely Happy's heart that I need to conquer, out of all people? Why not one of the others, someone like Juice? That would have been easy!"

Suddenly the mirror bathed in a blue glow. A moment later a face appeared, with blood red hair and piercing eyes. Amber bolted, too overwhelmed to yell. 

"Are you crazy?!" she called out when she recognized the creep who had sent her on this retarded mission. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"That's okay, you're already dead, remember?" He lifted the corner of his mouth. 

Amber gritted her teeth, she really didn't need a reminder of that! "You gave me an impossible assignment! Let me do something else."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that. Your souls are already connected."

"Well he obviously can't feel it," she grumbled. 

"Has to be his nature; he's not blessed with a lot of feelings." The man chuckled. 

Amber stared furiously at him. "Yeah, laugh it up. This is my life that's depending on it! The guy has a heart of stone, what the hell should I do with it?!"

"I can offer you some help, give you a bit of guidance."

"Well yes please!"

"I have to warn you: according to some I have a bit strange sense of humor. Which is inevitable, once you guard the Domains of Death. It's not the merriest job. I don't rule out the chance that you won't appreciate my help, but I assure you it will lead to the desired effect."

Amber kept staring at him, her jaw shaking in anger. "Stop talking in riddles! Help me or get the fuck away from me!"

"Actually I can do both. It's up to you."

With a grunt, she clawed her fingers through her hair. He was driving her insane. "Who the hell are you anyway?"

"I'm known among many names."

"Let me guess; Hades is one of them?"

He lifted the corner of his mouth. "Bingo. Although I have to admit that I wish I had Hades' powers, then I would have been a king instead of a bored guard."

She rolled her eyes. "What's your most common name? It's easier to curse someone if I know his name."

"Most people call me Anubis. My real name is unpronounceable for a mortal."

"I'm no longer a mortal."

"Fair enough. But that's what you want to be again, right?" He tilted his head. "Have you ever wondered what great things are waiting for you in the Domain of Death? I will never understand why humans are always clinging so desperately to their miserable life."

"Some creatures are content with little. I just want my body back. One that doesn't fade. So can you help me or not? Cause I really don't know how to get through to that caveman."

"I will give you a chance to sneak into his heart. However, there are risks involved – without risks there's no fun for me." Again, his lips curled into a sinister smirk. 

"What risks?"

"I leave that open. I like the element of surprise."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"You will know when the moment's there. Follow your heart." He laughed quietly. "Or its replica."

"But..."

Someone knocked on the bathroom door. "Amber? Are you okay? To who are you talking? 

"Oh fuck," she grunted. 

The mirror glowed brightly, then it was covered in a red mist until Anubis was gone. 

Amber stared at the object until she was sure there were no traces of magic, then she opened the door and gave Juice an apologetic smile. 

"It's a strange habit of mine. I use to talk to myself in front of the mirror to feel more confident."

He raised his eyebrows, then he shrugged his shoulders. "I'll get some clothes, then I'm gone I promise."

Amber sat down on the edge of the bed. "Take your time. I already feel guilty enough for confiscating your room."

During the first night he had suggested to sleep in his apartment so she could use his clubroom. It was a great temporal solution, so she had tried to sound not too enthusiastic when she agreed with his suggestion. But it worked. For now. If he didn't barge into the room too often and if these strange mirror visits weren't going to turn into a habit.

With a strange feeling she thought back to the conversation she'd just had. His mocking smirk, that arrogant look in his eyes... she should have refused his help. And now it was too late.