Page 12 of Lies Among Gods

"Is that why you broke up with me? Because you knew I was ‘destined for something bigger’?” Lyra’s voice dripped with a mocking, sharp sarcasm, the words curling like smoke, their edges glinting with an unseen, bitter humor.

Lyra looked at the table when she saw the waitress coming back. The waitress returned, the clink of ceramic mugs a sharp sound against the diner’s hum. She placed two steaming cups of coffee on the table.

Adrian’s eyes flickered, the momentary sincerity vanishing, replaced by a smooth deflection. “Come on, Lyra. High school. We were kids. We were just following the rules, the divine order. That’s what we were taught. But you… you don’t have to follow those rules anymore. That’s why I wanted to see you. Because you’re the most fascinating person in this city right now. You look amazing, by the way. Even more beautiful than you were back then."

Lyra managed a tentative half-smile, letting the compliment slide. “So, you’re just here to bask in thefascinatingglow of my future divinity?"

"I’m here because you still give me that look,” he countered, his voice dropping slightly. “The one you used to give me in the hallway. It’s a little more guarded now, a little more dangerous. It suits you."

“Look?” she asked, her brow furrowed, a hint of bewilderment clouding her eyes.

"Those big green eyes would always look at me like I was the hero in some fantasy story,” he laughed. His hand came out, squeezing her hand that was stirring the coffee. “I could always see the butterflies I gave you. Feel the butterflies those eyes gave me.”

She looked at him, really looked at him. There was a coldness in his eyes. She felt as though they weren’t looking at her, but at what he thought she could do for him. The waitress dropped their plates at the table with a simple enjoy and left. The more she stared at his face, the more she realized she didn’t feel the same. She didn’t even want to finish this meal with him. But shedid want answers, answers to questions that had plagued her teenage years.

“So, how did you and everyone else learn that I was denied back in the day?” A mischievous glint lit her eyes, mirroring the upward curve of her lips. It was the same smile that had her mother sighing, the one that promised a bit of trouble.

Laughing, he shook his head. “My aunt is one of the clerical staff for Elio. When you were denied, she let my mother know right away. My mother lectured me on how important appearances were, so I had to do what she said.”

“So, she told you to embarrass me in front of everyone?”

“We’ve both done things we regret in life, Lyra,” he sighed dramatically. “That was one thing I regretted. I should never have listened to my mother. I missed you. The number of times I would hear our song and want to call you. Even now, I know you are so special. Just looking at you, I feel those butterflies stirring.”

"Adrian," she sighed, pushing a piece of bacon around her plate. “At one point you gave me all the butterflies. I actually thought we’d be together forever. But then, on that fateful day, you murdered each and every one of them. Those butterflies are all dead now. You murdered them in that hallway in front of a crowd."

"Maybe I can bring them back to life,” he murmured with a cocky grin spreading across his face. “Maybe they just needed a better atmosphere to thrive in."

“You mean one where I have zero self-respect?” Her laughter, a bright, tinkling sound, echoed as she shook her head, no longer caring who was watching.

“Come on, Lyra.” He reached for her hand again, but she pulled it back before he could grab it. “We were young and dumb. Now we can explore our feelings without parents or childish expectations.”

“Or you could explore all your feelings all by yourself, minus me.” She rose, her hand fumbling for the sunglasses. “May the gods be ever with you,” she snorted her last shot, not waiting for a response.

As she turned to leave, a cacophony of clinking silverware and hushed chatter filled the air. She wanted to slam the money down, a satisfying punctuation to her departure, but her wallet was empty, a hollow ache. Instead, she slipped out, leaving the burden of the bill to him.

Chapter thirteen

CHAPTER 8

Even as the laws of Lust were proclaimed, whispers began among the faithful. Some hearts faltered in secret, seeking what the High Council forbade, and in hidden chambers desire stirred where devotion should have reigned. Though we recorded only obedience, the shadows of want spread quietly, a reminder that the God of Lust had awakened truths that could not be fully restrained.

Snippet from “The Book of Natural History” By Priestess Antonella Killoran

Lyra glanced up, her eyes narrowing. The booth across from them, a young male sitting alone in it, was holding his phone up, clearly pointed right at her. His face, partially hidden behind the glowing screen, was pale, and his eyes—which snapped away the second she looked—were wide with recognition. He was recording her.I can’t even escape for one night.

She looked back at Adrian, then at the camera again. The male immediately averted his gaze, pretending to be utterly engrossed in his menu. Adrian’s eyes, dark and sharp, bored into her, a silent storm brewing in their depths.

She took a few steps towards him, the worn linoleum cool beneath her shoes. Leaning forward, her voice, a low, clear bell, sliced through the diner’s gentle hum of clattering plates and hushed conversations. Her gaze locked onto the recording phone, a challenging, defiant smile blooming on her lips, a spark of rebellion in her eyes. “I hope you got all that. He dumped me for not being good enough when we were teens. For being unaligned, and now he wants me back. My answer was no. I have more self-respect than to be with an opportunist."

She looked back at Adrian and saw the flash of panic in Adrian’s eyes as he saw what she had seen: the unblinking lens of the camera.

The distant hum of fluorescent lights seemed to swell as she spun on her heel and headed towards the exit sign.

"Delete that now!” she heard Adrian scream at the male with the phone, the sound ringing out across the diner. “Delete the footage, you pathetic drone!"

Lyra shoved the door open, the cool air hitting her face as she stepped onto the sidewalk. The blonde wig sat crooked on her head, tickling her ears. With a quick, furtive gesture, she tugged at the synthetic strands, trying to pull the disguise back into place, to melt back into the anonymity of the street.I should have noticed the wig slide. I can’t even hide properly.She hurried to the tram stop, the sounds of Adrian’s furious yelling and the male’s startled protests fading behind her.

The tram ride back was quiet. She kept her face down, blending in with the other passengers. When she disembarked near her street, she walked straight toward the press pack surrounding her house. The flashes stuttered, then stopped. They were looking for the auburn-haired goddess-to-be, not the generic blonde in gray sweats. She was a nobody again, and the anonymity was a balm.