A.N.: Yay! Another chapter! It's REALLY short, though...
Disclaimer: I do not own The Riddles of Epsilon.
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James woke up feeling sore, but he was no longer exhausted. It was a fair trade. He sat up, slightly disoriented until he placed himself in Jess' room. He must have drifted off again after she had told him she would try what he suggested. Blasted power constraints. This never would have affected me before. But I am out of practice. Stretching his arms above his head, he froze. Someone was watching him, and it wasn't Jess.
"Some guardian you are."
James rolled his eyes and got to his feet, turning to face Epsilon. He was sitting in the chair by Jess' computer, his legs sprawled out before him and a humorless smile on his face.
"You know, Athaniel, you're not very good at your job. Perhaps I should replace you." The Light One's eyes glinted menacingly.
James tensed and stuck his head out the door, looking up and down the hall before shutting the door behind him. "That won't be necessary," he grunted.
"Tell me, Athaniel, have your thoughts been straying?"
"It's James," he snapped.
Epsilon ignored him. "Because we always knew the temptation of this world could be too much for you. Termination is always a possibility." The smile had disappeared and Epsilon's eyes were hard.
James' fists were clenched at his sides and his jaw was tight with tension. "That won't be necessary," he repeated, this time with more force.
"Let's hope not, James. This is your final warning. Whatever it is you did last night, never do it again. This is a critical time, and we can't have you sleeping through it. Remember what is at stake here."
James nodded once and turned to go in search of Jess, but before he could even open the door, Epsilon spoke again.
"By the way, consider yourself confined. Unless you are here, with Jess, or checking in with me, you are to stay at the house assigned to you. Is that understood?"
The usual sarcasm was in his voice again. "Yes, sir." And then he left Epsilon to fade away as his little heart contented.
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Jess couldn't be sure exactly when James had fallen asleep, but after saying his name a few times and nudging his still body with her toe, she decided to let him rest. After all, it was her fault he was sleeping on a hard, wooden floor instead of his own bed. And all over a dream. Now that she thought about it, it sounded ridiculous. And he was being so supportive about it, so kind. Why would she call him like that? She didn't really know.
So she left him there, laughing a little as she thought about how creepy it would be for him if he woke up and found her staring at him. A frown soon replaced the smile, though. If she did that, he would probably never talk to her again. He already had to think she was crazy, calling over a practical stranger so she could tell him about her nightmare.
What's wrong with me? I helped defeat Cimul, why am I so scared by this? Besides, I thought Agapetos pooped on my head for protection or something.
Dark Ones couldn't touch her and she had Epsilon and now James, so why should she be so worried? Perhaps it was because she didn't understand why she trusted James. He hadn't done anything to convince her he was trustworthy. There was just something in her mind, almost forcing her to trust him…
Jess put a hand to her head and she collapsed onto the stone bench halfway to Epsilon's cabin, which she had aimlessly wandered to. Her head felt like it was going to explode. Reality and dreams were spinning so close, she could no longer tell which was which.