The memories and voices surged faster, overlapping with one another until I almost couldn’t keep up. Marcus yelled in a rage as I slammed into the chair at the salvage shop, Damien bound and unconscious beside me.
Eris, you dumb bitch! You knew all this time I had Selene’s daughter? I’m not playing your fucking games anymore! Show yourself!
Damien’s words cut across as panic crept over me, my heart pounding like a drum, almost drowning out his voice as it built and built, threatening to explode.
Eris is the Goddess of Strife and Discord. She gets off on sowing chaos and ruining people’s lives. She’s turned countless families, friends, and Gods against one another, just for a good laugh.
Damien’s face melded into shadow, and once more, Marcus was before me backed against the frame of a salvaged car, my vision red as I fought him, every ounce of hatred pouring out of me as I slammed my fist into his face again and again.
What did you do to me?
That terrible grin spread across Marcus’ face as the venomous words poured from his lips.
Oh? Do you hear it? I was wondering why it got so quiet after I had you in that cell.
His final words slipped across my mind, his face turning to ash before me.
Thank you.
“Cassie! Wake up!”
I shot up from the darkness, air slamming into my lungs. Hands held me as I opened my eyes. I panted for any air I could get, but my lungs refused to expand, my chest collapsing.
“Easy; slow breaths.”
I couldn’t see for a moment, the world spinning so fast, whoever was with me was a blur of motion, but I knew that voice, the name I loved to be called.
“Dam—” I gasped, air finally finding its way into my lungs.
“You’re ok, Cas,” Zephyr said. “You fell.”
I looked around. We weren’t outside anymore, and I was in a bed, no longer in my owl form.
My mind reeled, the pieces falling into place. Eris and Marcuswereconnected, so much more than we could’ve ever imagined. Damien had told me how he changed after Vivienne died, how he’d snapped and nothing he did made any sense after that, but of course it wouldn’t—
Because it wasn’t him who’d done it all. His mind had been poisoned, corrupted.
“Damien!” I managed to get out.
Damien’s hand came to rest on my shoulder. “Easy,mea luna. Johnson is checking for any broken bones.”
“Eris manipulated Marcus!”
He steadied me, dark brows knitting together. “Slow down. What are you talking about?”
I couldn’t get the words out fast enough, my voice unsteady as air forced its way into my lungs in uneven bursts. “At the salvage shop, he said something to me, asked if I could hear it, then he said how quiet it had been since he had me in the cell.” My vision began to settle, and I winced as Johnson’s fingers pressed into my rib cage.
“She may have broken a rib or two,” Johnson said calmly over the chaos painting my voice.
Damien’s eyes burned into mine. “Hear what? What are you talking about, Cas?”
“You told me Eris had turned friends and families against each other before! I never told you; Marcus thanked me when I killed him. I couldn’t understand why he’d do that. It was because he didn’t have control over himself! It was Eris!”
The pieces began to click into place in Damien’s mind, realization dancing across his face.
“It wasn’t him who did all those things! She corrupted him. The voice I’ve been hearing, it was Eris!”
Foolish girl. You just couldn’t keep your mouth shut.
