The Heart of Love

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Two Thousand Years Ago

Olympus, Greece

Eros

Peering down at the bottom of another empty amphora, I frown. Looking for another, I was allowed a bender, alright? I am allowed to wallow in self-loathing and despair. Do I realize that makes me a massive hypocrite? Abso-fucking-lutely. I can dish it out but I apparently can't take it. Someone must have taken the arrows out of the wall recently, as they've all been returned to my quiver, hanging neatly on a hook by the door with my bow. It's strange to have them so far out of reach. But I only have two hands and both are busy trying to keep me hammered enough to forget about her. It's not working. Why isn't it working?

It's been hours since I flew from the palace, leaving my heart behind. The small burn on my chest already healed, immortal regeneration leaving only smooth skin behind. It wasn't the injury that enraged me, it wasn't even that she broke her promise. It was that it meant that the Oracle was right. Maybe I should go back...

I mean I wasn't sure that the Oracle was wrong. She always claimed I defied foresight.

So maybe...just maybe...

Only truly desperate fools think they can ignore the word of an Oracle. How many cautious tales started with those words? Even the gods can't avoid fate.

Fate.

The Moirai.

My wings snap out from my pack, lifting off my skin, and even as I stumble, I take off into the sky. I try to focus, but the horizon is wobbling, almost dipping even as I try to focus. I'm not sure how many circles I make in the air above Olympus before I remember what I'm doing.

Moirai. Right.

I land hard onto the black marble tower, stumbling, hitting the wall, dislocating my shoulder with the force.

"Fuck!" I slur, my voice and vision spotty.

Shit maybe I should have sobered up before this.

A snort from inside the room makes my eyes wander, trying to find the source. I spin too hard when searching and trip over my own feet landing on my ass. Shaking my head side to side trying to stop the room from spinning, locking eyes on the three women now standing over me.

I shake my head again, all three of them tilting their head to the side at the same time. Moving as one. I hate when they do that.

My stomach full of liquor hates it even more.

"Ten drachma says he pukes on the floor," Clotho adds, her short red bob dancing around as she giggles.

"You're on," Lachesis responds, shaking Clotho's hand, her midnight hair wrapped around her head in a braided crown.

"Why...why are you betting? Don't you...don't you know the answer?" I stutter out, using the wall to steady myself enough to stand.

Clotho snorts again. "We are the Spinners of Fate, not psychics."

"Life would be pretty fucking boring if we knew every single thing that was going to happen," Lachesis adds.

"Some things are fixed," Clotho states.

"Some things are in flux," Lachesis adds.

I hold my hand up, "I just realized, I don't care."

Both of them hiss, only stopping when Atropos holds her hand up, drawing all of our attention. Thankfully, I've managed to get to my feet with the help of the wall which I'm still using for support.

All three of their eyes change, and a shiver goes through me. A veil of night covers their eyes, all of them turning into reflections of the night sky. Stars shooting in them as they focus on me.

I started to take an instinctive step back, but I hit the wall with my back.

Nowhere to go.

"The god of love, this meeting was predestined," Atropos says, even though all of their mouths move in unison.

"You and her. Her and you." Clotho adds.

"In this life," Lachesis murmurs.

"In every life," They say in unison.

"In...every life?" I stumble, sliding along the wall, closer to the window, and my escape.

"This one, the next," they repeat.

My brows furrow, "The next? Are you...saying I'm going to die?"

"This one, the next."

"This one, the next."

"This one, the next."

"The next."

"The next."

I stumble away from them to the window, jumping out, allowing my wings to catch me. Though their voices continue to ring in my ears.

How can a god have another life?