Hymn of the Elder Gods

Heart on Fire

Eve recoiled. Arman's words slammed through her like stone punching through ice, an unfamiliar stinging tunneling deeper in her chest. Around her, the world collapsed, becoming a muddy, dizzying fog. A hiccup of fear mixed with the air puffing past her lips in short, rapid little bursts.

Samir's voice was worried. Tender. "Eve, what's wrong?" She could hear him shifting, walking somewhere on the outskirts of her consciousness. Getting closer. The air by her arm shifted as he drew near, and she couldn't keep her short little scream in her throat. Half-blind with terror, Eve tore backwards, anywhere where he wouldn't be close to her.

"Don't touch me!" She cried, arms crossing over her chest, finding purchase in her shirt, gripping tight as though that might somehow help keep her together. Arman had gone utterly silent, not daring to intervene. But Samir, stupid, stubborn Samir only paused for half a breath.

"Surely you do not think it is your fault."

Eve laughed. It distorted with hysteria and sounded more than a little wet, burning tears spilling over her cheeks. "Don't come near me. Don't even think about it. I will not have this happen again."

"Eve." Her name sounded like a prayer falling from his lips, face open and steady, as though he were coaxing some wild animal. She looked at him through a haze of water, bending as if that would help keep her rapidly collapsing heart in one piece.

"You do not understand," she whispered, shutting her eyes so she would not have to look at him any longer. "This is part of it. Part of what they've done to me. Part of how they've cursed me. I will not have them hurt another using me a second time." She had thought Samir might be different.

Had secretly prayed for it, despite the futility of such an action.

"A curse," Samir hummed, thoughtful. "Your friend mentioned it as well. You think it is affecting me?"

"Yes." She wouldn't beg for sympathy. Wouldn't say more.

There had been enough lost last time.

Against the darkness of her eyelids, Eve fought to ignore the flashing gold of half-forgotten memories. The strangling knot developing in her throat intensified its efforts, yanking a choked sob from deep within. She took another deeply unsteady step backwards. Hoped the distance between them might save her.

Samir's steady response sounded skeptical. "No. I don't think it's you."

Eve allowed herself a single glance, and promptly regretted it. The unfamiliar frown tugging at that mouth looked more prominent still with the thin white scar tissue tearing across it. He looked at her expectantly. Eve swallowed, and fought to straighten without flinching away. "Of course it is."

He continued to gaze at her for a long time, frown growing deeper. For so long that she wondered if he would agree, if he had finally outgrown his curiosity. Instead he only pinched the bridge of his nose and inclined his head carefully, one gunmetal droplet dangling from his ear. Expectant.

"Don't you trust me? Will you push me away, after all?"

"And why shouldn't I, Samir?" she spat, venomous, the words built of nothing but lies and sheer desperation. His long legs began to take measured strides in her direction, and her volume began to rise in response. "What are you supposed to be to me? Are we supposed to be friends? What do you know about me?"

He took her into his arms anyways, pulling her up against his chest, even as she let out a wretched groan. His fingers moved lightly, tucking a stray red strand behind her ear, sliding down until his palm rested firmly in the crook of her neck so he could draw her in even closer.