“But you didn't take mine,” I murmured as I internally freaked out.
Poor Nemesis; she'd only been trying to do her job. And poor Morpheus; he had lost yet another family member. And the Fates; they had to be dead too. On top of that, another god had manifested the ability to steal magic from other gods. Damn it all!
“I'm only holding your magic; keeping it safe,” Narcissus assured me as he used my arm to pull me closer. “Behave, and I'll return it to you.”
I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat. I had no misconceptions over his idea of behaving.
“I'm not having sex with you,” I repeated firmly.
“Then I shall keep your magic,” he said simply and withdrew.
My breath returned to normal, and I calmed enough to think again. “Did you kill Hestia, Hera, and Hephaestus too?”
“That sounds like a nursery rhyme.” Narcissus chuckled. “Hestia, Hera, and Hephaestus. Or a tongue twister.”
“Did you? And the Moirai? If you killed the Fates, Narcissus, we could all suffer for it.”
“Would you like to go for a swim?” He asked. “Or how about a massage?”
“Did you kill them, Narcissus?!”
“Yes!” He shouted.
I didn't flinch. I just stared at him.
“Those bastards put me in the Mirror,” he sneered. “I knew you had weakened Hera so I went after her first. She was easy, and her magic—the little of it that you left her with—strengthened me. I was able to grab Hephaestus next. And then I was more than strong enough for Hestia. Next, I'm going after Apollo.”
I knew it. I nearly said something, but I kept it together. If he did go after Apollo, Athena might still be able to lock onto him and catch a ride into his territory. Except, that might kill her too. Would Narcissus automatically take Athena's magic when she passed through his mirror-border? Damn. I didn't know what to do.
“I tracked you on Olympus,” I said carefully. “Your trail just disappeared. I know now that you took Hestia through her mirror, but your trail didn't lead to her mirror.”
“Is that a question?” He smirked at me.
“I'm just curious about how you managed to disappear scent-wise before you entered the mirror. Care to enlighten me?”
“I don't know about scent.” Narcissus shrugged. “If I had to guess, I'd say it's because I was consuming her power as I took her. Maybe our scents blended for a moment.”
I let that process and then asked the question I'd been building up to. “What about the Fates?”
Narcissus grimaced.
“Narcissus?”
“Their magic is different,” he muttered. “I can't consume it; it waits in my mirror along with yours. They're how I knew I could bring you here without killing you.”
“Then they're alive? They're here?”
“Yes, but I won't let you see them, Vervain,” Narcissus said firmly.
“Fine.” I held up a hand. “I'm just glad to know they're alive.”
Narcissus' expression went pensive. “I'd gladly share my territory with you,” he whispered. “If I command it to, it will listen to you; provide you with whatever you desire.”
“I have my own territory, Narcissus. I know how they work.”
“Not like mine,” Narcissus said with a secret smile. “My territory is like the Mirror, it holds the power of illusion. I can create anything from nothing; whole landscapes in seconds. I can even change my appearance to anything you wish.”
Narcissus was suddenly more muscular, his face more chiseled and less feminine. Basically, more the type of man I'm attracted to. But I still wasn't attracted. I'd seen this trick before, except when Morpheus had pulled it on me, he had shifted into my husbands. That had been far more disturbing.
