The War God's Woman 2

71. Finding Lamia

"Sage?" Ares' voice was rough and he swallowed back his emotion - his gaze fixed on the woman that mattered more to him than anything else. 

"Morning." Sage didn't look at Ares as she spoke, but went onto her tip toes and kissed him quickly on the cheek. Ares blinked, surprised, but smiled.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Err, fine." She tied her hair up, struggling with the sheer mass of tight curls to contend with.

"I love you." He shuffled to sit at the end of the bed, holding his breath.

"I love you too."

She said the words, that was a relief. But she still hadn't looked at him. Ares' eyes glowed with anxiety.

"Sage, we -"

Sage moved suddenly, turning and wrapping her arms around him. Ares sighed. Whilst things still didn't feel ok between them – at least she wasn't pushing him away.

Sage held onto the war god – hiding her face against him. It was selfish, she knew. But she couldn't handle the thought of parting from him. And so – refusing to face the pain and anger she felt. She buried it.

She'd pretend that she'd never had that vision. Maybe with time, she'd forget – and things really would be able to go back to normal for them. But, even as she held Ares, she kept hearing her dad's voice – reproachfully calling her name. Sage trembled, her grip tightening around the war god.

She hated Ares. She loved him. She couldn't let him go.

*

                            Hephaestus replayed the reports from his spy droids.

"Curse the fates!" He growled. The smithing god paced his workshop furiously. The titans were obsessed with capturing Sage. They wanted an oracle on their side – to tell them how to kill the Olympians. Once they caught her, they didn't intend to ask nicely for the information.

Hephaestus kicked the bleeping machine beside him. His shields combined with Ares' were keeping her safe... for now.

But the giants were the best inventors time had ever known – and they weren't giving up. Hephaestus threw himself against the table and glared down at his blueprint drawings. To keep Sage safe, he needed to be always a step ahead of them – he needed to upgrade her security, as many times as it took. Exhaustion showed in Hephaestus' faded eyes. He'd do everything in his power to keep the oracle safe.

Hephaestus thoughts lingered for a moment on Sage. What was she doing right now? Was she happy?

**

                    Sage sat on the till, her gaze distant and gloomy.

"Sage?" Markus prompted. "We've got customers."

Sage roused herself. Glancing at their tray, she put the items through the till and told them how much they owed without looking up. It was the same with the next customer, and the next.

"What's up with Sage?" Cesar whispered to Ana. "She's kind of scary lately."

Ana nodded. They'd put Sage on till because no one wanted to deal with her bad attitude in the kitchen anymore. Cesar looked across the café and saw that Jaz was watching Sage intently, and frowning.

                     That evening, Jaz knocked on Sage's bedroom door.

"Sage? Can we talk?"

Sage quickly pretended to sleep. Jaz knocked again. "Sage?" He opened the door a fraction but, seeing that the light was off, he quickly closed it again. Sage listened to the sounds of his retreating to his room. She rolled over and faced the wall – unable to sleep. And unwilling to move.

**

                       Lamia hissed, ready to lash out. But the mortal woman who had found her – surprised her.

"Who are you?" Lamia hissed.

"A friend." Sophia's gaze was hard. "These men work for me. Don't worry, they're just here to protect me." The black ops held back – with grim, blank expressions – awaiting further orders. Lamia glanced warily at their weapons.

"Poseidon's after you. He wants you dead. Fortunately, he never ordered me to find you or to bring you to him. So, he doesn't need to know about this meeting." Sophia walked around the room. The place was a hovel, covered in filth. Small rodent bones crunched underfoot and Sophia's lip curled in disgust as she realised that Lamia was living by eating rats.

"You're a mortal." Lamia observed. "But you have power?"

"I have money. Which is the same thing. And which the gods are foolishly forgetting." Sophia stopped pacing the room. The two women studied one another.

"You want something from me?" Lamia asked.

Sophia nodded.

"Yes."

"And in return?" Lamia knew that nothing was ever free. She moved, only slightly, and the black ops men mirrored her – their stances alert. Sophia was the only person who looked calm.

"You need protection. My money can help keep you hidden. And help you to live better."

"What do I give you?"

Sophia smiled, sensing Lamia's acceptance.

"You found a way to break Sage's curse – ending her obsession. I want you to do the same for me. Break the curse I'm under. Free me from being the god's servant."

Lamia's eyes shone with excitement.

"Breaking curses comes at a price. I had to rip out that mortal girl's eyes to free her from obsession."

"Whatever it takes to be free. I'll do it. I'm not afraid of pain."

Lamia smiled.

"When you're freed from the gods, what will you do?" She asked. Sophia didn't hesitate.

"I'll punish them."