Page 53 of Guided by the Stars
His soft face turns to me, sensing my shock. “You called him the Prince of the Sky yourself. The son of Zeus. Did you really not consider his powers?”
No! Why didn’t I?!
Just as I open my mouth, the scent increases tenfold. The stench of rotted, burning meat and leather hits my nose, forcing me to gag.
“What the fuck is that?” My body and voice tremble with the revulsion consuming me.
“It’s a new mark,” he says, pointing to a cut appearing on Alexius’ shaking arm as blood starts to drip out of his flesh. My body heaves in reaction as my hand flies over my mouth, hoping it helps to keep the bile from escaping. “It’s like the broken blade you found on his back. It’s a punishment for disobeying.”
Unable to move, I sit in horror, watching cut after cut appear deep in his flesh.
His white fingers open, scraping the floor, and his whole body contracts when a ripping scream erupts out of him and into the room. He turns over, clutching his arms and the tears of pain glide over his red, heated face, breaking my heart.
My own tears flow lightly along my cheeks and despite knowing I won’t like the answer, I ask in a hushed whisper, “How long does this go on for?”
“This is new. Normally the marks depend on the method used, but it stops once the god has finished his or her punishment.” Daemyn seems less fazed than I am as he tries to get a closer view. I try to examine it with him, but there is so much blood I have to look away, feeling queasy. “This seems more like Hera’s work. But electricity and sun rays have the same signature look embedded in the marks, so I can’t tell until it’s done.”
“Shit, we need to hurry. Last time the mark took 15 minutes and then…fuck!” Daemyn’s eyes open wide as realization hits him. “She takes control of people’s minds!” Nodding to himself, he continues, “In the bathroom, there’s a horn under the sink. Grab it.”
I take off in a full sprint up the stairs and sure enough, I grab a fucking glass horn before bringing it back to Daemyn. “What is it?”
“It’s made by Hypnos.” He runs his hands around the gold trim at the base of the horn. “It’s infused with a special opium that only he can extract from the Lethe waters.” His words might as well be in Greek for me, but he continues, “It will knock him right out, giving him time to heal,” he says, smashing it against the floor, breaking it into several pieces. “You’ll want to look away, Baby Girl. He needs a high dose, so I’ll have to get it into his blood.”
My eyes shoot up in panic, willing my body to react. I open my mouth to yell, but Alexius already has him grabbed and throws him against the wall. The beast from earlier has reappeared, standing before me, prepared to fight.
With quick strides, he stands over Daemyn’s recovering body. In a single motion, he picks him up by the throat and pins him against the wall, legs dangling.
Daemyn’s eyes widen, warning me away as he sees me inching forward, hiding a piece of shrapnel in my hand. In protest, Daemyn throws his body against Alexius’ hold. Within seconds, pained screams erupt from him and the stench of blazing flesh strikes again.
Daemyn’s body convulses as Alexius’ power shoots through him. “You weak-ass guard. I should have listened and let her end you decades ago.”
I can do this.
My shaking hand shoots up, grabbing a fistful of Alexius’s shirt and slightly tugging him back. My breath gets caught in my chest as he turns around, letting Daemyn collapse to the floor.
We’re surrounded by torment and fear, but in this moment his turbulent eyes meet mine. I gaze deep within them, willing God, or gods, to help me detect any part of the Alexius I know. He lets me take his hand and I take a step forward. I crowd his space, breathing in the stench, feeling the hurt, and wishing for everything around us to stop.
“Nora,” Daemyn’s aching moan comes from the corner, shattering the moment.
“This I will enjoy.” A sinister smile possesses Alexius’ face before I’m able to pull away. With a quick flick of his arm, Alexius has a painful grip on my wrist, sending a numbing, warm vibration around it. “Time to play.” His grip on me tightens before spinning me into place with my back to his chest.
The heat around my wrist increases from a dull ache to a throbbing burn. Without intending to, a whimper escapesmy lips. “Shh. I’m not here for you.” With a single motion, he leans us forward and kicks his foot against Daemyn’s body. “Get up. It’s time to feel my power.”
Daemyn’s legs shift and he collapses a few times before he’s able to steady himself. With his hands against the wall for support, he slowly stretches his body up into a standing position, making sure to face us.
In defeat, he hangs his head, closing his eyes. “Nora—”
“Shut up,” Alexius spits out while placing his hurt arm on my shoulder. He points forward, directing it at Daemyn. “See that, sexy? Pathetic. He deserves to die for Hera.”
My grip on the glass horn tightens and my tears flow freely as a scream rips from deep within my lungs. In one jerking movement, I bring the sharp edge to the dried blood on his arm. I push the glass into his skin with as much strength as I can and dig the blade down into his tender flesh.
Everything stops for a minute with only Alexius breathing against my ear and Daemyn’s laser focused eyes, ready to strike.
Alexius collapses then, bringing me to the floor with him, still wrapped in his arms. Daemyn is at our side within a second. “Baby Girl, he’s fine. You can let go.”
Despite me shaking my head in refusal, Daemyn’s soft hands pull me off of Alexius and he walks me over to the couch. “He won’t wake up for a while. Just sit here. It won’t take long.”
I vaguely remember him taking the glass out of my bloody hands and I hardly pay attention to what he is doing when he is running between the rooms. Whatever it was, I sensed his eyes drifting to me more often than not, but I kept mine steady on Alexius’ body lying limp on the floor.
