Eris (The Lost Goddesses #4)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

B y the time Eris got back to her car, the sun was setting, and she was trying to formulate a plan. She was embarrassed about the not date she had with Enzo, but nothing would stop her from trying to break her curse, even if she had to throw him in a boat and row him back to Troy herself. Enzo wasn't going anywhere, so she needed to focus on the part she didn't have—the palladium.

No one had seen or heard from Athena for centuries. Like many of the gods, when worship of her shifted to newer gods, she had lost purpose and gone into hiding. At least, that was the prevailing theory. If Eris's recent time in Egypt had taught her anything, it was that more gods and goddesses had survived than anyone had expected. Athena was nothing if not a survivor. No, Eris would have better luck trying to find the palladium without first trying to find the goddess it honored.

What Eris needed was help. She pulled out her phone and rang Laverna.

"I was just thinking about you. Are you still in the area? We need to have drinks again," Laverna answered in a happy chatter.

"About our usual watering hole… We might have a problem going back there again," Eris replied and picked at her thumbnail.

Laverna must have sensed something because her tone instantly went on alert. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"The Fates just paid me a visit, and I need your help," Eris blurted out in a rush. She didn't ask for help often, and it almost hurt to do so.

"You have it. Come to Rom's villa. He's cooking on the grill outside and can throw an extra piece of lamb on for you. You sound like you need a drink before we talk about the Fates, hmm?" Laverna said softly.

Eris let out a tight breath. "Better make it a big one."

"Don't I always? I'll let Rom know you are on your way."

Eris hung up and smiled at the idea of Rom cooking Laverna dinner. If they could finally get over their bullshit and come together, then Eris was sure she could figure out a way to find a lost relic and break her curse.

Thirty minutes later, Eris pulled up in front of Rom's villa. The guards had opened the gate before she slowed, so they must have known to expect her.

Laverna met her at the front door, holding two large glasses of red wine. She looked like she was enjoying her summer with her hair up in a clip, barefoot, and wearing cut-off jeans and one of Rom's company T-shirts, the red print of a wolf over her right breast.

"Stealing clothes again?" Eris teased, accepting the wine and the hug from the other goddess.

"He gave it to me, I swear. Are you okay?" Laverna asked, looking her in the eyes. She was one of the few that had always been brave enough to do it.

Eris grimaced. "I'm not sure, but there might be a chance to break my curse."

Laverna's brows shot up. She looped her arm around Eris's waist. "Sounds like you have had a day. Come out the back, and you can tell Rom and me all about it."

"Domestic bliss suits you," Eris teased as they walked through the villa.

Laverna grinned. "It definitely has its perks."

Romulus was standing in front of a barbecue on the back terrace, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. It was about as casual as he got, and like Laverna, he seemed relaxed and settled in a way Eris had never seen before.

Laverna shamelessly checked out her lover. "We wasted enough time, and I like his cooking."

"I'm glad that you are both happy," Eris replied truthfully.

Laverna moved to pat him on the butt to get his attention. Rom smiled at her like Laverna was his whole universe before he saw Eris and nodded in greeting. Watching their interactions made loneliness stab at her again, but she made sure not to let it show.

"And what did the Fates tell you to put that look in your eyes?" Rom asked her.

"They told me how I can break my curse. I only need the palladium and a man whom I had a failed date with the other night," Eris said with an awkward laugh.

"You better start at the beginning," Rom replied, sharing a look with Laverna.

The whole story tumbled out in a rush, including the awkward date with Enzo and how it ended in disaster.

Laverna's eyes lit up with recognition and mischief. "Wait! Are we talking about the bartender with the curls? And the beard? Ohhh, and the shoulders? You know, the one that looks like he could fuck you against a wall for an hour and not get tired?"

Rom's eyes glowed with possession even as they narrowed.

"What?" Laverna huffed. "It's just an observation."

Eris tried not to choke on her wine. Rom's look promised retribution later, and she really hoped she wasn't still around to hear it.

"Yes, that's the one," she said, trying to keep the conversation moving.

It was Laverna's turn to frown. "It's not like you to shit where you eat, Eris," she said crudely. "You know better than to date the bartender of your fave spot."

"I do! And I don't know why I agreed to it at all. He kind of smiled, and one thing led to another. If he is of Aeneas's bloodline, then that means he's also got some of Aphrodite in him. There was something about him that I couldn't help myself."

Rom was still frowning. "If he is who you claim, then he's also of my bloodline, however watered down. I stopped tracking them on purpose centuries ago. Me interfering in their lives tended to make things worse."

"I had forgotten Aeneas married into your family generations before you. No wonder Enzo felt familiar. I knew Aeneas, Aphrodite, and you," Eris said and rubbed her temple. "I must be blind."

"Ohh, he's a triple threat. Delicious. The good news is he likes you and might be down for an adventure," Laverna said cheerily.

"I doubt his wife would like me as much. I also stormed out in a huff and have no intention of going back."

Laverna rolled her eyes. "Did you ever stop to think that it might have actually been his grandmother?Sit down and eat something before you start overthinking this even more. It will make you feel better."

"I saw the picture on his phone. She wasn't old."

"Maybe the picture was?" Laverna said with a shrug.

Eris sat down at the outdoor table where fresh panini, charcuterie, and salads had been laid out. It was no wonder Laverna looked so content and happy if she was eating like this every night.

Rom dished up the grilled lamb, and after a few bites, Eris's jittery stomach settled, and she had to admit Laverna was right.

"I can worry about dealing with what I'm going to say to Enzo later. I need to find the palladium, which is where you two come in," Eris said, pointing her knife at them. "No one knows the city better than you two, so I need some ideas on where to start looking."

Rom chewed through a mouthful of lamb before replying. "The palladium has a history of theft and power. Diomedes and Odysseus were told where to find it when it was in Troy, but they only succeeded in stealing the replica. Aeneas, as part of the royal family, had been given the real palladium to protect it. He got it out of the city when the Greeks got behind their walls."

Eris knew most of the tale, but Rom was in storytelling mode, and she wasn't about to stop him. Any information was good, and it had been so long since Eris had thought about any of the old players and what could have happened to the relics of power and protection that had once been a holy part of the ancient world.

Rom topped up their wines before continuing. "The palladium was held in the Temple of Vesta in the forum for centuries, along with other sacred pignora imperii. It was there up until Elagabalus had it moved to his garish cult temple when he was emperor. I lost track of it after that, and the last rumor I heard was that Constantine took it to Turkey when he was founding Constantinople as the new capital. It might still be there. I have people we can check with that deal in antiquities, and it might not hurt to give Hermes a call and see if it was a part of Darius Drakos's collection that they seized."

Laverna nodded at her lover like everything he was saying was a great idea. Eris had seen that sparkle in Laverna's eyes before, and she was definitely biting her cheek to keep from laughing.

"Yes, Rom, you're right. Those sound like excellent ideas," Eris said before she nudged Laverna under the table with the toe of her sandal. "We could do all that, or we could just ask your beloved here where she has stashed it."

"What? Me?" Laverna said, putting a hand to her chest, eyes going wide with innocence.

Rom's nostrils flared. "You stole the fucking palladium! I can't believe you! No wonder I couldn't sense its presence. You've probably had it sitting in some hole in the catacombs for centuries."

"I took it to keep it safe from that dickbag Elagabalus! He was sacking the city temples. I put a replica in its place and promised the priestesses I would look after it," Laverna snapped back.

Eris smiled at their nonsense. Really, Rom should know better than to be surprised by anything Laverna did at this stage.

"Okay, Laverna, where is it now?" Eris asked her, the ember of hope inside of her fluttering to a flame.

"It's probably where I left it." Laverna sniffed indignantly and picked up her wine. "It's in one of my hordes."