Trivia obeyed, quickly envisioning her stomach and torso,followed by her lungs and throat. A whoosh of air filled her lungs as she inhaled a rattling breath. She gasped deeply, the rush of oxygen almost painful to her now corporeal body. She envisioned her arms, elbows, wrists, and fingers. Then her shoulders, chin, nose, forehead, hair, and ears. One by one, she pictured each part of her body, then checked to ensure it had solidified. Her fingers wiggled. Her legs shifted. She raised her shoulders, then extended her arms.
“Am I here?” she croaked.
“Yes.” A dark shape hovered in front of her, but she couldn’t make out their face. The deep voice was vaguely familiar, though, like someone she had only encountered once or twice in her lifetime.
“How did you know how to do that?” Trivia asked, frowning as she squinted at the blurry shape before her. “Who are you?”
“A companion,” said the voice. “Someone who has been sentenced to the same fate as you.”
Trivia stiffened. Anyone who was here with her could not be trusted. All manner of dark magic existed in this place.
“Rest assured I am no friend of Pandora’s,” the voice said, disgust tainting their tone. “I wish to destroy her and escape this place. Will you work with me? If you do, I promise to bring you with me.”
Trivia hesitated. She didn’t trust this entity, whoever they were. And the deal seemed too easy. “What would I have to do?” she hedged. Years of being manipulated by Pandora taught her to be more cautious when accepting help from someone powerful.
“You will need to train your mind to shield from her,” thevoice said. “Once you do that, we can plan. I have been here for a long time, and I have discovered how to reach the magic lurking inside the box.”
A chill whispered over Trivia’s skin, and she inched away from the stranger. “No. It’s too dangerous. The darkness in here… It feasts on everything.”
“I have found a way to weave wards around it,” said the voice. “I’ve been here practicing for quite a while, Trivia. Itworks.”
Spell-weaving?Trivia’s brow furrowed, and her skin prickled with awareness. She knew someone who could weave spells. Someone who was powerful and experimental with magic and…
Trivia jerked away, her eyes flaring wide as the figure took shape before her. The tanned skin and golden beard, the familiar kingly attire and black leather gloves.
“Midas,” Trivia hissed, her nostrils flaring as fresh rage coursed through her.
But Midas only nodded. “Your anger is a good thing. Cling to that fury, Trivia. It will help keep you awake.”
“Why should I listen toanythingyou say? It’s your fault I’m even in here!”
“Ah, but from what I heard from your conversation with Pandora, it’syourfault, isn’t it? You blame yourself.”
“Shut the hell up! I willingly gave myself up to save those I loved, but if it weren’t for you, Ineverwould have had to make that sacrifice.”
“My point is, there are many layers to the truth. Nothing is one-dimensional, even in this vast space. What do you see right now?”
“Why the hell do you care? You betrayed me and my sisters. Leave me alone.” Trivia closed her eyes, prepared to go back to the empty void, but the panic in Midas’s voice stopped her.
“Don’t! Trivia, if you leave now, Pandora will know.”
Trivia opened one eye to glare at him. “What do you mean?”
“The void isherdomain. What she doesn’t want you to know is that youdohave a modicum of control in this place. She wants you to think you are imprisoned and powerless. But you aren’t. And I can prove it to you.”
Trivia scowled at him. She didn’t trust this bastard. Not for one moment. “Why should I believe you? For all I know, if I do what you say, it’ll bring Pandora here and she’ll punish me. You could evenbePandora in disguise. I have no way of knowing.”
Midas’s mouth pressed into a thin line as he considered this. “You can’t trust me. There’s no way to prove I’m being truthful. But… I can be forthcoming with you. And hopefully, that will help.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I’ve been cursed for nearly a thousand years. Doomed to never touch another. To neverfeelanything against my skin. Do you know how miserable an existence like that is? Do you know the burden of carrying such an enchantment on your shoulders for so long?”
Trivia’s entire body stilled at his words. She wasn’t nearly as ancient as Midas was. But shedidknow the burden of carrying a curse she would do anything to be rid of.
“I was desperate,” Midas said. “For years, I was mad with rage and depression. I lost my daughter. My wife. I washunted for what everyone claimed was a gift. But it was only a curse. A wretched curse put on me by that bastard Apollo.” He grit the words out, his teeth flashing with fury.
Yes, if there was anyone Trivia hated more than Midas, it was Apollo. Herfather.
The word made her want to retch.
“Go on,” she murmured. She still didn’t trust him, but she wanted to hear the end of this.
