Deity (Covenant #3)(115)

I shuddered.

“You will be fine.” Apollo placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. That was the closest offer of comfort I’d probably ever get from Apollo, and that was fine with me. “You do not feel the bond from where we are, so he cannot connect with you. You will be fine.”

I kept watching the clock. When had I been born? I had no clue. It was almost 8:30 in the evening, and not a damn thing had happened. Maybe I was doing something wrong?

“Stop it.” Aiden grabbed my hand, pulling it away from my mouth. “Since when did you become a nail-biter?”

I shrugged. We were sitting on the couch in the small sunroom. Outside the window, it looked like a winter wonderland. Night had already fallen and moonlight reflected off the untouched snow that covered the deck and trees.

“Do you think I’m weak?” I asked.

“What?” He tugged me over so that I was in his lap. “Good gods, you’re one of the strongest people I know.”

I glanced at the closed door, but then figured oh, what the hell. Allowing myself to relax, I rested my cheek against his chest and pulled the rose out from under my shirt. “I don’t feel very strong.”

Aiden settled his arms around me. “Because of what everyone was talking about today?”

I traced my fingers over the edges of the rose. “Lea had a point, you know? I faced down my mom, but I can’t… do that with Seth.”

“Apollo was right.” He placed his chin atop my head. “He’s a part of you. In a way, it’s different than what happened with your mom.”

“It is different. My mom was a daimon and there was no coming back from that.” I sighed, closing my eyes. I saw Seth’s face as I begged him, the indecision in his eyes. “He’s still in there, Aiden. There has to be another way. And I think Apollo knows, but he’s not telling us.”

“Then we’ll talk to Apollo. He mentioned the oracle, and maybe something has changed.” He shifted slightly, and then I felt his lips against my forehead. “But if there isn’t another way…”

“Then I have to face it. I know. I just want to make sure before we decide he needs to be… killed.”

Aiden placed one of his hands over mine. “Maybe we need to go see this new oracle. Who knows? She may be able to tell us something, visions or not.”

“That is if we can get Apollo to tell us about her.”

“We will.”

I smiled up at Aiden. “You’re amazing.”

He grinned. “What makes you say that?”

“You’re easily the most sup—ow!” I hissed as I jerked my hand free from his. “Something stung me.”

He straightened a bit and grabbed my wrist. “Alex, you’re bleeding.”

Tiny pricks of blood covered the top of my left hand, but that wasn’t what I was staring at. There was a blue glyph taking shape, forming something that looked like a music note.

My pulse pounded as I sat up quickly, scanning the room. A clock shaped like an owl showed that the time was 8:47pm. “It’s happening.”

Aiden said something, but another burst of hot, fiery pain stung just below that mark, and blood beaded on my skin. I pulled free from Aiden, my legs shaking as I stood. “Oh my gods…”

“Alex…” He came to his feet, eyes wide. “What can I do?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t—” I gasped as pain shot across my arm. Right in front of my eyes, more blood appeared. Just tiny drops, as if I was under a tattoo needle… “Oh gods, the marks—the marks are like tattoos.” This hadn’t happened with the other marks—the ones Seth had brought out early.

“Gods” Aiden reached for me, but I backed away. He swallowed as my eyes met his. “Alex, it’s going to be okay.”

My heart was racing, double-quick. Pure terror flooded my stomach. The marks would be everywhere once complete, and it was coming so, so fast. Pain spread up my neck, dampening my skin. When it reached my face, I screamed and hit the floor. On my knees, I doubled over, my hands curling in the air around my cheeks.

“Oh… oh man, this is gonna blow.” I struggled for air.

Aiden was beside me immediately, his hands reaching for me but not coming into contact. “Just… take a deep breath, Alex. Breathe with me.”

My laugh came out strangled. “I’m… I’m not having a baby, Aiden. This is—” Sharp bites of pain swept down my back, and I screamed again. I placed my hands on the floor, trying to draw in a deep breath. “Okay… okay, I’m breathing.”

“Good. You’re doing really good.” Aiden inched closer. “You know that, agapi mou. You’re doing great.”

As my back bowed, it didn’t feel that way. I’d rather face down a hundred aether-starved daimons plus a legion of Instructors than this. Tears leaked from my eyes as the marking continued lower. My legs gave out, and with Aiden’s help, I lay down on my stomach.

The door opened, and I heard Marcus. “What the—oh, my gods, is she okay?”

My face hurt too badly to stay like this, but the skin on my back felt raw. “Shit…”

“She’s Awakening,” Aiden said, voice tight.

“But the blood…” I heard Marcus move closer. “Why is she bleeding?”