It had been two weeks since Lict had been asleep. Vierne got up by herself, prepared her own food, cleaned the house, made her bed and did all the laundry herself. It was tough without him. She missed him every day from the moment she woke up till she went to bed. Aleksei visited often to have a look at his condition.

"It isn't getting any better," He said, "And this might be the best time to kill him without making him go through the pain."

"No, I won't let you do that." Vierne said, "This is my star spirit so I decide his fate, not you." He had nothing...