For a little while,and several glasses of wine later, I almost forgot that I was surrounded by these bars. Pia had been telling me stories of a time when Eryx had been someone different. Hehadn’tbeen any less intense, but he had been someone she had thought was redeemable.
The ultimate pitfall of their marriage? His inability to understand the chaos of the heart, whether his own or that of others. The irony of it all. The god of discord, born of chaos, had been unable to handle how fragile a heart could be, even when it wreaked havoc on multiple lives.
Itwasn’tjust the wine warming my blood but a deeper understanding of the complicated god holding me here.
Our conversation drifted into lighter topics, both of us giggling over stories from our past.
“Did he really not realize the chalicehad been switched?” I wiped imaginary tears from my eyes as my laughter lingered.
Pia shook her head as her hand tried to stifle her giggling.
The skies outside turned grey, storm clouds rolling in like angry fists pounding against the sunshine until it retreated. A sharp flash of lightning cut through the sky, and the crack of thunder that followed vibrated through the house.
Pitter.
Patter.
Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter.
Raindrops began slowly before creating a steady rhythm against the windows, a damper on the atmosphere and somber draw back into reality.
A heavy sighescapedPia’s lips. “Zane’s in one of his moods again. I should be going before he decides that the mortals need a reminder of who controls the skies and their fragile little infrastructure.” The words came out laced with boredom as though she had seen this sort of tantrum before.
Rising from her seat, she approached the cage door. I pushed myself up from the floor to meet her, curling my hands around the bars. Pia’s hands covered mine, giving them a light squeeze.
When she spoke, there was a gentle reassurance in her tone. “Charlee, the next time we meet?—”
Whatever sentiment she was about to give was cut off by the bedroom door swinging open with enoughforce to convey pure impatience. Eryx’s silhouette filled thedoorway,arms crossed in front of his broad chest.
“It sounds like you’ve been called away from this precious bonding time,” hestatedwith a husky dryness to his words.
The mix of lavender and violet hues in Pia’s eyes shone with something unsaid between us. Thiswouldn’tbe the last time we saw one another.
She gave one final squeeze to my hands before she stepped back and transformed into a picture of composed elegance once more.
Eryx twisted his position just enough to let Pia pass by. There was a momentwhereshe paused, looking up at him. Her voice was low enough to be inaudible, but whatever words were exchanged had Eryx bristling. His muscles flexed underneath the crisp white shirt he wore.
Then, just like that, she was gone from sight.
Steady was the downpouroutside,the only reminder that the world continued while everythinghere seemed to beat a standstill.
Ididn’tdare move,justwatched as I waited to see who stepped into this room. The man whom Pia had described as misunderstood, or the god who relished in tearing apart anythingrepresentingcalm stability?
He moved with a predator’s gait, heavy with intent. The door drifted closed behind him with hardly a sound worthy of drawing his attention away from his prey. From me.
“Enjoy girl time?” he asked with feigned interest.
I straightened, standing there in the lingerie he had placed me in earlier. The blanket I had used earlier to preserve my modesty had been left abandoned on the floor.
“It was enlightening. I can see why you were once drawn to her.” My voice came out steady, refusing to let him hear the uncertainty that I felt with my nerves on edge.
He barked out a bitter laugh. “Does my littleHeartspitethink she understands me now?” A strained smirkcurled athis lips.
Lifting my chin, I stood tall, even if my knuckles were white from grasping the bars of this prison too tightly.
“Understand? No.I think that youare a product of your own creation. Youdon’tjust inflict discord on others, but you use it as a shield for yourself.”
He stepped over to the window,observingthe precipitation with detached interest. The reflection of his sharp features and earthy hues gave away nothing.
