Eris (The Lost Goddesses #4)

Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

E nzo eyed the coastline of Turkey with trepidation. The palladium's presence was like a beating heart in the back of his skull. He had taken the time to do some searches on his phone, trying to get an idea of where she would want to go.

Like Crete, Edremit also had a Mount Ida, and it was said to have been the place where Paris had been subjected to the beauty competition with the apple of discord. Athena had been there for it, so it seemed like the best place. If it was up to Enzo, he would have carted Eris off to one of the resorts and taken advantage of the thermal pools and hammams that it was famous for.

Maybe once the curse is lifted , he thought. He wasn't in any rush to get back to Rome just yet, and if the palladium kept making him sick, he might need a week or two to recover.

He didn't voice that to Eris because his goddess was already blaming herself for every minor mishap he had. Nonna Bianca would love that he was getting a taste of his own medicine.

Eris came up on deck looking more refreshed than she had been after her post-coital nap. Enzo couldn't help the grin of absolute satisfaction that spread over his face. She admitted she loved him back, and it was the best day of his life, no matter what happened next. They hadn't known each other for long, but it hardly mattered. He knew his own mind and heart, and the latter firmly belonged to his goddess.

"You are looking very happy for a man who is about to get himself pummeled mentally by an ancient goddess trapped in a statue," Eris said, her voice a husky purr as she moved in to kiss him.

"But I just had my dick pummeled by another goddess, so life is good," Enzo replied, his grin widening.

Eris laughed, a deep throaty sound that he rarely heard but could never get enough of. "We both needed it after yesterday. Any idea where the palladium might guide us next?"

"I was thinking Mount Ida, but I can't be certain. Once we dock, it's not a long drive to double-check," Enzo replied, holding her closer. "I've taken some headache tablets already, and have packed some spare plastic bags in case I end up needing them to vomit in."

Eris held him a little bit closer. "I hate that you need them at all. Maybe it won't be as bad because we aren't on Crete, her home soil."

"I guess we will find out, my love," he said.

Her cheeks turned pink at the endearment, and he quickly kissed her before she would wriggle away with embarrassment.

They docked an hour later at Akcay Limani and hired another car. Enzo carried the palladium, and it was silent for long enough for them to drive through Edremit. The mountain, named Mount Kaz in Turkish, was a little over an hour away.

Enzo tried not to think about what he would see when he got to it. He distracted himself by admiring the green national park lands and messaging Bianca to let her know where he was. She wasn't great at texting back, but at least she would read them. He was reluctant to call her because she would want to know all about his visions, and he didn't have it in him to talk it through again. It hurt him to think about the young dancer and the despair that Atana had been feeling when she encountered Zeus.

Would he still have this connection to Athena once the palladium had been returned to Troy? Eris didn't know where the other goddess was or how she would react if her curse of ignorance was also about to be broken. He was suddenly very grateful that he had Romulus so adamant that they were family. Maybe Eris and him would protect him if Athena's wrath was vicious.

"I once met Kybele in these mountains," Eris said, bringing him out of his thoughts. "She was ancient already then. She was who the Romans ended up calling Magna Mater —the great mother. The Greeks ended up assimilating her with Rhea."

Enzo smiled. "What was she like?"

"Ridiculously powerful. She had two lions that followed her wherever she went. I gave her my respect and kept moving. I could control my chaos then, but I didn't want to cause any offense to her, no matter how accidentally," Eris replied, her dark eyes looking at the trees. "I can feel echoes of her still in here. There were also oracles who lived on the mountain. Later on, there would be a temple to Apollo, but it didn't matter. All the oracles here belonged to Kybele."

Enzo took her hand and kissed it. "I am strangely grateful we don't have to deal with any oracles this trip, even if we seem to be encountering their sites. The Fates are enough."

"And they are more demanding and cryptic than any oracle." Eris gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Are you picking up anything yet?"

"Nothing more than a presence of her. A feeling that this is where she wants to go. Maybe it's more symbolic for her, and there won't be another vision involved," Enzo said hopefully. He didn't like his chances, but he doubted anything could be as bad as what he had experienced on Crete.

They reached the top of the mountain in the afternoon. There were a few cars and a bus at the top, filled with day trippers wanting photos of the view of the forest and ocean. Enzo got the palladium safely into its bag before they got out of the car. It hummed on his back, and his legs began to walk off on their own.

"Eris, it's happening," he said, and she quickly took his hand.

"I'm with you, Enzo. I won't let anything happen to you," she promised.

"Good, because we are going into the forest." The trance slid around his skin like a warm blanket. He was vaguely aware of Eris's touch, but he couldn't see her. The visions were hitting him thick and fast. He saw flashes of three goddesses, standing with Hermes and a young man with dark hair.

The part of him that was still Enzo was amazed at how much Aphrodite looked like Nonna Bianca. They had the same laughing eyes, full lips, and bronze-gold hair. Her skin was golden brown, and she wore a lavender dress that complemented her features.

Athena was dressed in a white chiton with a brown belt and sandals. She had bronze vambraces on her forearms and carried a sword, her dark hair in a simple braid. There was no mistaking her for Atana except her energy seemed so much less potent than Enzo's last vision of her. Even the golden snakes that adorned her strong biceps were missing.

Hera was dressed in purple and gold silk, her dark braids looping around a crown of stars. She was stunningly beautiful, but Enzo was terrified of the cold power in her eyes.

"Choose mortal," she said, and the dark-haired youth didn't hesitate as he tossed the apple in his hand to Aphrodite. Hera's eyes flashed with power. " Mistake ," she hissed and vanished.

Athena's gray eyes connected with Enzo, and her brows drew together in confusion. Enzo stumbled out of the vision, and he was back in his own body. He was on his knees by a stream. The palladium was beside him where he had been scooping handfuls of water over her.

"Enzo? Baby, are you back in there?" Eris asked, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm here… I think she saw me," he stammered. He could taste blood and realized it was his own. His nose was bleeding. "Fuck." He rinsed his face in the stream and had a flash of Aeneas doing the same thing to get the ash and char smell of dead bodies from his skin. He saw the palladium beside him where he had carried her all the way from Troy. Enzo wondered if he had ever known how Athena herself had fought against his people because of Paris's slight. Still, he loved the goddess enough to carry the palladium away from the city.

"Eris, we need to get… We need to get to Troy," Enzo said, his words slurring as ancient power began to drag him under. "The memories. I can't hold them back."

"I've got you, Enzo. I'll keep you safe," Eris said, her lovely face hovering above his as he sank back to the damp earth and let the power overwhelm him.