Silver gasped. “You remember that but not your name?”
Disbelief clung to every syllable.
I tilted my head, smiling down at her. “You left me hanging in the middle of a riveting story. I’m fairly certain I’ve started wars for less.”
The words felt true, and the many memories now flashing through my mind confirmed them.
I started countless wars, with an incalculable number of creatures, including tentacled monsters of the deep, giants the size of mountains, dragons, demons, gods, and even a particularly irritating horde of unicorn. They had it coming.
I filed that knowledge away to explore at my leisure later.
“You told him about a raid?” Kleos asked Silver, before turning to me. “And you remember it?”
She didn’t appear as skeptical as her friend, but I opted to explain as honestly as I could. “Past memories—they’re a mess. Too many of them. I can’t make sense of much. But I remember what I heard in my sleep.”
The redhead nodded. “I mean, you fell from I don’t know how high—you likely hit your head,hard. But given your nature, I doubt you’ll be permanently harmed.”
Because I was a god. That was what Silver had called me, and I accepted it as a fact. I knew I was a god. God of what, I wasn’t sure, but something told me it wasn’t hugs and kitten.
The cylinder travelled downwards, eventually opening its doors to a vibrant world shrouded in stones and darkness. Wewere underground, yet this place brimmed with magic and life—more so than what I’d felt when we were in the hall above.
“The underside?” I gleaned.
Silver had mentioned her friend moved there. There was a twinge of disapproval, or at the very least, surprise at this fact, and I honestly didn’t see why. If I were given a choice between the scheming, the whispers, the small amount of power, and the watchful threats I’d sensed above and the lively cheerfulness here, I wouldn’t have hesitated.
Live at peace down here, and spend time above to entertain myself by watching the chaos.
Maybe I was the god of mischief.
The moment the thought came to me, I dismissed it, my mind clearly picturing a dark green-haired creature who narrowed his serpentine eyes at me. Loki, according to the Norse, Python, to the Greeks, and so many names throughout the infinity of time.
I sighed. Why could I remember that prick so clearly, and yet, not know who I was?
“Are you all right?” the healer asked gently.
I noticed that my hand had moved to the side of my head.
“Headache,” I said between clenched teeth.
“I feel that. Usually, I’d offer to help, but I don’t think it’s a normal kind of headache.”
She was right about that. Even as the pain became more acute, I could sense so many more memories blasting through my mind.
“This way,” her husband said, gesturing to a carriage. “Let’s get you home. I know the perfect remedy for what ails you.”
“That’s some good fucking wine,” I grunted in approval, offering my glass for a third refill.
The man was right. While it didn’t stop the many images flooding my mind, the wine did take the edge off, either distracting me or lessening the pain.
“You can thank my grandfather for religiously acquiring ten cases of good Bordeaux per year.”
I lifted the refilled glass towards the nearly identical man on the other side of the drawing room in acknowledgment.
The ancient version of Lucian, Cassius, was arm wrestling Silver over the coffee table. The little doll got smugger by the minute as she kept winning round after round.
“Very welcome,” he grumbled dejectedly, rubbing his shoulder. “Another round?”
Silver shook her head. “I’d wipe the floor with you again if I had the time, old man, but I have a promotion to accept in less than an hour and I’m not even dressed. Better get going.”
