"How do you know that?" The step I take toward him isn’t threatening. It's of someone who desperately needs to understand more.
"I know because she joined the Circle. As an Aphrodite first. Then when your mom left, she became a Hera."
I blink at him, shock rendering me speechless. But he doesn't repeat himself. He knows I'm not quiet because I don’t understand. On the contrary…I really fucking get it.
"Nyx's mom is Catherine." A bitter laugh escapes me. "My dad is married to her mom."
When, oh when, is fate going to stop fucking me over?
"If Nyx knows about that, she has all the reasons in the world for wanting to destroy the Circle. And Hermes started around the time Catherine married your dad. It wasn't big back then. The gossip wasn't even too bad last year. But since you started spilling our secrets to her? It's way worse."
I look at both of them, realizing this conversation wasn't to figure out if Hermes is Nyx or not. It's to decide what her sentence will be, and these men need me to slam down the gavel. They're not against me; they're giving me the chance to take the matter into my own hands.
"You're not going to give Nyx away to the Circle," I say quietly.
They both shake their heads.
"We'd never," Wren reassures me. "But it needs to end. Now. Then we can safely go back to how the hell we're going to stop your dad from taking over our lives. Or at least how to slow down the Circle."
Pretending to agree, I nod. "Of course."
We can hear women's voices outside before the door opens. Peach, Alex, and Ella walk into the living room with smiles on their faces that drop as soon as they see us.
"What's wrong?" Ella asks as she heads straight for her boyfriend. He pushes locks of bright blonde hair behind her ear and presses his lips to the top of her head.
"Nothing for you to worry about. We're trying to help Achilles."
"What do you need help with?" Alex asks as she approaches me. Her worried gaze is typical of her, constantly wondering how she can take care of her friends.
"Is this about Nyx being Hermes?" Loyal to herself, Peach doesn't beat around the bush.
"Trouble," Wren warns softly. "We already got into it with him. No need to add to it."
"Look at yourselves." I snort. "Little group of privileged kids who feel better now that they've found someone to blame."
I take a few steps away from all of them, truly separating us for once. It's me against them.
"Achilles," Alex calls out softly, the only one coming close to me again. "We don'twantto blame her. It's just the only possible conclusion we've come to."
Peach is a little harsher when she adds, "We can't risk being close to someone who could throw our lives up in flames. If Hermes exposes the Circle, we're all linked to it. We'll never recover, can kiss goodbye to all our dreams and futures. What? For something we desperately didn't want to be part of in the first place?"
Alex's brow furrows, shaking her head. "I know I'm not involved with the Circle," she explains. "And that it's easy for me to say, but can't we talk to her? At least give her a chance to explain herself?"
Chris shakes his head. "That would give her an advantage. A chance to lie." He eyes me pointedly. "She'll convince you she's not Hermes. You hardly believe us now."
"Hardly?" I cackle a sarcastic laugh. "I don't believe youat all. You're all fucking delusional and blinded by the fact that we all grew up together, and that somehow everyone in this college is innocent because they come from Stoneview."
"You're in love with her. Talk about being blinded," Peach snaps at me, unable to control her temper, as usual.
Wren puts a hand on her shoulder. "Don't," he murmurs. "This isn't an argument. We're trying to find a solution to protect each other."
"Of course I'm in love with her," I say through gritted teeth. "But it doesn't make me stupid like all of you." I point at Ella. "Fuck, the thingsyouforgave because you love the manipulative bastard next to you." My accusing finger goes to Wren next. "We all know what you two are capable of doing for each other. Yet somehow, it's worth it because, hey,love."
I spare Alex because she's too innocent to deserve anyone's wrath. What goes on between her and Xi has nothing to do with the Circle.
"So yeah, I'm in love with her," I hiss. "But it has no impact on how I use my fucking brain. Iknowshe's not Hermes, and I'm not going to let you accuse her, spread lies, or hate her from sheer stupidity."
I know Ella and Peach have both distanced themselves from Nyx in the last couple of weeks. Four people can come up with all the theories they want and convince each other. A group effect to reassure themselves that problemscanbe solved. That, eventually, they'll be safe. It must be some sort of survival instinct. But no one’s going to make me believe that the woman I love is destroying everything in my world.
