Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

E ris sat on her bed with her eyes closed and legs crossed. Her wounds were itchy, and her emotions were erratic. She focused her power on healing every one of the naiads' scratches. That was all they were, really.

Eris had never seen anyone get so concerned about her well-being. It was probably good that Aeneas had been the one to witness the Trojan War and not Enzo, if that was how he reacted to ichor being spilled.

The gods fought each other in that war, and in every battle, blood and ichor were equally mixed. The gods healed in hours, and the humans buried their dead.

Eris made sure that her wounds were closed before slipping into the bathroom and showering off the ichor that Enzo's cloth had missed. Looking at the plastic and tape stitches holding her together made her heart skip. They were unnecessary, but she was touched that he had been concerned enough to put them on her to begin with.

Eris brushed her fingers over her mouth, the memory of his lips moving against hers coming back to her.

If it wasn't for her worry that the naiads would attack them again and her wounds freaking him out, Eris would have pushed Enzo against the stone wall and taken him right there and then.

She had always pitied the gods who fell for mortals, thinking them utter fools. Now, she was starting to understand. When those creatures had gone after Enzo, nothing else mattered to her except protecting him. He had made her feel safe out amongst the crowds of people. She would make him feel safe against anything supernatural that sought to harm him.

Eris pulled on another black maxi dress and braided back her long, damp hair. She left the stitches on so Enzo would be reassured by the sight of them. She would show her thanks for his care and wound tending by putting together something to eat.

Eris was pulling things out of the fridge when her phone buzzed with a text from Laverna.

Where are you, and have you used my present yet?

Eris snorted. Like she would share that with anyone. No, you pervert. We are just leaving Cuma. Weird day.

Weird how?

Eris quickly tapped out the day's events, editing out her panic attack. It would only make Laverna worry about her.

Enzo wasn't scared of you when he saw your fangs and claws? And you know, ripping heads off creatures?

He kissed me after, so I assume he wasn't.

I knew that lube would come in handy.

Ha. Ha. He saw my ichor and freaked out that I was hurt and insisted on doing first aid.

Well, he obviously cares. A blind man could see how into you he was even though you kidnapped him. You two have a connection.

I think getting regular sex from Rom has rotted your brain.

I think you getting no sex has rotted yours. You only need to meet Bianca to know how much Enzo cherishes the women in his life.

You met Bianca? How did that go?

She's wonderful. I am keeping her, so don't fuck up whatever is happening with you and Enzo.

I'll try my best. I like Bianca too.

And Eris really would try not to fuck anything up. She liked Enzo as well. She liked kissing him, too, and wanted to do it again when they weren't just attacked by naiads.

Eris didn't cook much; she just put things together. Once she had two bowls of herby chicken salad and two beers with lime wedges in the neck, she went up on deck to find her mortal.

Enzo was at the ship's wheel, studying instruments Eris had no idea about. There was a small table and chairs still set up on deck, so Eris put their dinner on that.

"You hungry?" she asked, making him look up from whatever he was doing.

"I am, but should you be up and about?" Enzo asked, his brows drawing together in concern.

Eris put her back to him and pulled her thick braid over her shoulder. "Why don't you come and see for yourself?"

She didn't need to look behind her to know the second he was standing close. He radiated a warm, calm energy she wanted to bathe in. His fingers gently brushed against her skin, making her bite the inside of her cheek.

"They are closed, but they still look tender," Enzo said.

"I'll keep the stitches on for tonight," Eris replied. "If it will make you happy."

"It will." Enzo pressed a kiss to the curve of one shoulder blade, making her breath catch. "Please try not to get hurt again, for my sake. I'm not good with blood or ichor."

"I know. I'm hurt, but you would have been dead. It was worth a few scratches," Eris replied. She turned slowly, but her hopes of kissing him were crushed by the amount of hurt and worry in his eyes. "Sit down and eat something. You'll feel better."

Enzo nodded and pulled a battered paperback from his back pocket before sitting.

"The Aeneid?" Eris guessed, taking her place opposite him.

"I wanted to see if there were any clues about where the palladium might want us to go." Enzo picked up his beer.

"Any luck?"

"Not really. It's all about Dido and their relationship and then her killing herself over him. It's just...sad," he said.

Eris swallowed her mouthful of chicken. "Unfortunately, it's a common outcome when gods mess around with mortals. Back in the old days, they used it as a form of entertainment. I have no doubt that the palladium will guide you like it did today. You went into a trance."

Enzo rubbed at his eyes. "I can't really remember it. I remember the grotto, and then there was nothing until you grabbed me again. What did I do?"

"You bathed her in the waters while chanting to her...in ancient Mycenean," Eris replied, hoping he wasn't about to freak out on her.

Enzo only frowned into his salad and had a few more bites. "I feel like this is about too many goddesses."

"What do you mean?"

"There's your curse. There's me, which is Aphrodite's blood, and the palladium is Athena. You were all there when the Trojan War kicked off, except for Hera."

Eris nodded. "Thank the Fates we aren't dealing with Hera too. She killed herself, or otherwise, I feel like she probably would be."

"Do you think Aphrodite will show up too?" Enzo asked curiously.

"Your grandmother seems to think she is always around. Your family has probably had more contact with her than any of the gods I know," Eris replied honestly. "I thought she was dead too until I met Bianca."

"If she is still around, then why has she never come and seen us properly?"

Eris stopped eating and tried to think of the best way to explain it.

"I suppose it was for the same reason Rom stopped following his human bloodlines," she said. "He felt like he was doing more harm by interfering in their lives. Aphrodite is a very ancient and powerful deity. Probably the most powerful. You can't be around her and not have it alter you."

Enzo studied her face. "More powerful than you?"

"Yes," Eris replied without hesitation. "She was a war goddess too, back in her early days in Mesopotamia, but the love aspect is bad enough. It can break the strongest of gods and mortals alike."

"You really believe that?"

Eris nodded. "I do. I might not have ever been in love, but I've seen love bring gods to their knees. Love is so powerful because it's the only thing any of us really wants. That kind of power is what makes Aphrodite truly terrifying."

Enzo nodded and drank the rest of his beer. "You really have never been in love? Not once?" he eventually asked.

"Not yet." Eris shifted in her chair, uncomfortable with where the conversation was leading. She toyed with a piece of tomato with her fork so she wouldn't have to look at him. "Not the way Laverna and Rom are. Or any of the other gods and their consorts I know, for that matter."

Enzo's voice softened. "Why?"

"Because of what I am." Eris didn't want to have to explain it to him. She was emotionally raw from the day as it was. "So, Tunisia tomorrow?"

"Hopefully, with good winds, we will reach it by the afternoon," Enzo said, picking up on her cue. He had plenty of hurt feelings in his own eyes that she knew he wasn't eager to talk about either.

They watched the sun go down in silence before Eris gathered up their bowls and empty bottles. She wanted to take Enzo downstairs to find out where the night would take them, but whatever question Enzo saw in her face made him suddenly look hesitant.

"Get some sleep," he said gruffly, breaking the tense moment and kissing her forehead.

Eris swallowed back her disappointment. "You too, if you can."

She hurried back downstairs to hide her burning face. Maybe their kiss had only been the adrenaline of the fight with the naiads, but now he thought better of it.

Eris had also just told him how dangerous it was for mortals to get involved with the gods. She dumped the dishes into the sink and went to curl up in her cabin.

Congratulations, you've just put him off . But wasn't that what she always did? She was, after all, the Unloved One for a reason.