Sunny must have been silent for too long, because Nephis shifted and opened her mouth, clearly intending to ask him for an explanation.
That would have been problematic, since explaining the meaning of Cassie's message aloud would risk revealing that information to Asterion.
If Sunny and Nephis were really going to challenge the Nightmare Desert, invade the Tomb of Ariel, and face a Cursed Terror in battle... then their task was already so perilous that describing it as absolutely fatal would be an understatement.
Trying to achieve these feats while also being thwarted by the Dreamspawn would reduce their chances of success to zero. Apart from that, it would be difficult to explain everything in a way that would allow her to remember — or perhaps even impossible.
So, Sunny spoke before Nephis could voice her question:
"I know what it means, but I can't tell you yet."
Nephis frowned.
Cassie seemed dissatisfied with his answer, as well. However, she knew the burden of knowledge better than anyone, so she did not insist on getting a clear explanation. Instead, she inhaled deeply, and then asked in a measured tone:
"If you know what it means... do you know what must be done, as well?"
Sunny nodded.
She hesitated for a moment.
“So what do we have to do?"
Sunny remained silent for a long while, then turned to Nephis.
"I guess, first and foremost... you have to trust me. Can you do that?"
It was an important question.
Nephis trusted Sunny, Lost from Light, implicitly. But did she trust Sunless, the Lord of Shadows, just as much?
The two of them had faced and defeated the Sovereigns together. They were partners, companions... and lovers.
Yet still, the nature of their connection was shallower than the bond between Changing Star and Lost from Light had been.
Nephis smiled faintly.
“Sunny... if I don't trust you, who can I trust?"
He chuckled quietly.
"That was the correct answer. I am the most honest person in the world, after all"
She shook her head and took a sip of the tea he had brewed for her.
“Just out of curiosity, what were you going to do if I said no?"
Sunny coughed.
"Well... you'd probably be sleeping on the couch for a few days. Or weeks. We don't really have a couch, I guess, so I would have had to craft one first, but yeah. That's what I was going to do."
He smiled and shook his head.
“But first, I would have reminded you that you owe me a favor... don't you remember? Back when you came to recruit the Lord of Shadows, the price I demanded was that you would do me a favor at a later date. That date is today."
Nephis blinked a few times.
“You remember that?"
Sunny laughed.
"Of course, I do. That was quite a memorable day for me. You can't imagine how long I had waited for Changing Star to come pay me a visit... uh, I mean, in a not creepy way."
Both women regarded him silently.
Why did they look so doubtful?
Sunny hid his face behind his cup. Eventually, Nephis shook her head, hiding a smile.
“Well. It was a memorable day for me, too."
She paused for a moment, and then asked:
"So, what kind of favor do you have in mind?"
Sunny leaned back and shrugged.
"Oh, it's nothing much. I just need you to help me subjugate a Death Zone or two, defeat a Cursed Terror, and reclaim something that I lost a long time ago."
Nephis stared at him silently for a few seconds, then tilted her head slightly.
"...Nothing much, huh?"
Sunny nodded.
"Oh, and I also need you to trust me implicitly and not ask any questions."
This time, it was Cassie who spoke, her tone incredulous:
“You want Nephis to follow you into a battle against a Cursed Terror without asking any questions?"
Sunny opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, Nephis saint evenly:
"I'll do it."
He glanced at her, not knowing what to say. Nephis shrugged.
"I do owe you a favor, after all. Even if fulfilling my promise... would technically make you the most expensive sellsword in the history of mankind.”