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That terrified Aphrodite

The next scene followed so quickly that Aphrodite felt vertigo-ish dizziness

Fro led, handcuffed, into a prison cell Right before the iron door sla her into the claustrophobic solitary confineer that had filled her so powerfully and completely had been snuffed out Utterly devastated, and filled with self-loathing, Zoey watched the iron door shut as if it sealed her toh Priestess, and Aphrodite’s best friend, went to the corner of the cell, slid down the wall, hugged her knees to her chest, and began rocking back and forth, back and forth Three words repeated over and over through Zoey’s mind: I deserve this I deserve this I deserve this I deserve this…

Zoey had no hope left

And then Aphrodite was yanked fro over the center of a great cathedral Nauseated, she looked down to see that the parishioners were dead All of them Each of their throats were slashed and their bodies had been sucked dry of blood

A triuh Aphrodite’s mind: I deserve this I deserve this I deserve this I deserve this…

With great power coh the pleasure of leadership and luxury with the sword Damocles

When she believes the ancient is the key to all her needs

Then is when all will tuht bleeds and bleeds…

The piece of poetry repeated through Aphrodite’sscene dissipated and her spirit exploded back into her blind, pain-filled body

"Darius!" she gasped, choking for air and pressing her hands against her closed, bleeding eyes

"I’m here! You are safe!" he said "I’ll send for Zoey and--"

"No!" with the last of her strength she told him "Don’t let Z know Don’t let anyone know"

"I will do as you say, my beauty Rest I will always keep you safe"

Then Aphrodite allowed herself to pass out

CHAPTER FOUR

Zoey

"I never thought I’d wish school wouldn’t have been canceled," I said, while I paced restlessly back and forth across the dorm roo Going to class today would at least give us so weekend"

Stark rolled over in bed, looking tousled and only half awake He srin at me and did look totally cute and cocky, which wasn’t a bad thing "If you co to do"

Still, I was too worried to be in the mood, so I batted iveto do? That’s ambitious, even for you, Stark"

"You know that’s not what Ienough to laugh and give hiht pieces of thein Thanatos’s desk, and Lenobia’s barn, and even Erik’s drama classroom Then after the cops arrested all of them, Neferet swooped back here and said she’d be happy to do her old job again, and bring in a bunch of new teachers In , black leech, and our new teachers were all giant spiders" I shivered "Eesh, I hate leeches And spiders"

"Cohed, but I sat When he started kneading in to fade "You always kno to make me feel better"

"Yep, and I alill Just sit here for a little while and let me work on those knots in your shoulders, and try not to overthink everything for a few minutes"

"I don’t overthink I prepare" I h Priestess-like, but there was no way on earth I could sound like that when he was giving me a seriously excellent shoulder rub

"You overthink And we are going to have plenty to do today We’re going to go to the cafeteria and eat breakfast with our friends, and then we have to be sure all of our fledglings have roootta be careful about where those kids spend the daylight hours I’ Dallas is up to some shit, and I don’t want any of us hurt because he’s a er control issues," I said I tried to pull away froedon my shoulders

"No, you sit here We need to talk about stressful stuff, but you gotta learn to relax The best way I can keep you fro your shoulders"