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Money.

Cyrus obviously has plenty of it. He’s had thousands of years to earnit.

And the Houses. There has to be a source that supports them in someway.

Of course it’sCyrus.

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I can take care ofmyself.”

It’s obviously not true. But I can’t stomach the idea of crawling to Cyrus and begging for his financialhelp.

Mina shrugs and doesn’t say anythingmore.

I pull into the parking lot of my apartment. “I’ll be right back, you can just wait here,” I tellMina.

With heavy feet, I trudge up thestairs.

Harvey, my slimy landlord waits for me at my old door, standing in it, an obvious sign ofnot a chance you’re getting back inside\, written all over his body language, his burly chest blocking myway.

Good thing Cyrus and I got everything lastweek.

He only scowls at me as I hand over thekey.

I hand over my freedom. My thread of adulthood. My backupoption.

I can’t even look up at him as I turn togo.

My stomachsinks.

It’s so final. I may not have had another choice in giving up my apartment. But this feels like the first item crossed off the list in saying goodbye to my humanlife.

Silently, I climb in the car, and we drive back to Cyrus’ house. Backhome.

We walk through the grand doors. And I’m just too heavy. Too tired. Tooeverything.

I barely even glance up at Cyrus as I walk in. His head perks up, but maybe he knows how to read me, now. He doesn’t sayanything.

I head up to my room. I curl up in the bed. And I just try not tothink.

* * *

Two more days,Shylock texts me onTuesday.

One more day, he sends onWednesday.

I’m sweating bullets. I don’t sleep. Anxiety crawls its way up my chest all day atwork.

I consider asking Emmanuel if I can borrow it. But then I’m just in debt to one more source, and then I’d be dragging him into mymess.

When I get home, I find myself scanning thehouse.

Anything. I could take anything from here, sell it, and have enoughmoney.

But that only makes me athief.

All I can do is show up at the meeting place tomorrow and beg for more time. Andmercy.

“I have a thing I have to take care of tonight,” I say on Thursday morning. “I’ll only be gone for about thirty minutes. I haven’t tried to run yet, and I don’t plan on doing it now. So Mina can take the eveningoff.”