The War God's Woman 2

38. Eros Interferes

Eros fixed Sage with a hard uncompromising stare as he broke the news.

"Ares is dying. Aphrodite tore a hole in his heart and it's gotten worse. You make it worse. You need to be honest with him." 

The room seemed to shrink and Sage struggled to breathe. Tears filled her eyes. She thought back, over all the times she'd rejected Ares. Over every word she'd said to push him away...

Aphrodite is the one behind all of this, she realised dazedly.

"Sage," Jaz's voice was gentle and he sat down on the bed beside her, blocking Eros. "When you say you can't tell Ares that you love him..."

Sage looked at Jaz pleadingly, desperate for him to understand.

"I can't." A tear rolled down her face. Please Jaz, understand what I'm trying to tell you.

Jaz nodded his head. He thought he understood now.

"There's a reason she can't say it." Jaz turned to Eros. The love god sighed and faced away. Sage grabbed fistfuls of her hair, the stress making her shake. If she went to Ares and told him everything, Ezekiel would die...

"What's going to happen to Ares?" She asked, uncertainty writhing in her stomach. 

There was a long pause in which Eros didn't answer. Sage couldn't breathe. The panic building inside of her was bubbling up her throat. "What will happen to him?!"

"Hades will take away his memories."

Sage froze. It was like a knife was being twisted in her chest.

"All of them?" She managed, her voice shaking.

"It's the only way to stop his heart breaking more. He has to forget you. And never meet you again."

Sage lay back down in her hospital bed and stared blindly up at the ceiling.

"He has to forget me..." She whispered. Tears rolled down her face. It was the only way to protect Ezekiel and Ares. But it meant that she would lose the war god forever. He'd never know her. Never think about her. It would be like nothing had ever happened between them.

Only she would be left with the memories. And the heartache.

"When?" Her voice wobbled.

"There's no reason to delay anymore." Eros headed through the door and walked out, unable to endure feeling Sage's heartbreak any longer.

"Sage?" Jaz reached for Sage's hand but she moved hers away.

"I think... I'd like to be alone."

Silently, Jaz got up and retreated to the door. He hesitated, his sympathetic gaze lingering. He knew all too well what she was going through.

**

                               Eros swept down the hospital corridor, thoughts swirling through his head. He kept thinking about his own past life. Why had he drunk from the river? Had he also needed to forget Psyche? Had he been in too much pain with his memories of her? Or had those precious memories been stolen from him? He wished that he knew.

"Love God." A female voice accosted him, it's owner materialising at his side. Eros frowned, not recognising the beautiful water nymph.