Ares And Mia

Chapter 56

I don't sleep. Rather, I couldn't sleep. Whatever is following me... it's watching me. Circling my apartment, waiting for me to let down my guard. "Come out," I say, coaxing the terror to face me while I was alone.

Nothing.

I feel it's a flitting presence behind me and I spin around, electricity pulsing up and down my arms. Nothing. No one is there. I shut it off, my power glimmering beneath my skin. It's an issue. "You're a coward." I spit, trying to provoke it. Beings are prideful, and whatever this thing was... Maybe it's smarter than that. Smarter than me.

Again, it appears, its presence coming so close to me I can feel it whisper against my skin. I spin around, gasping, and reach for my dagger that I left on my table. I need to be faster. It's moving faster than I can register, I'm getting the very trails of its abilities. 

Whatever it is, it's stronger than the barrier that Ares put down. Much, much stronger. For it to move in and out, undetected.

"What are you? Speak!" I cry out, just as I feel its presence beside me again. I lash out, the dagger striking through empty air. The red symbols appear again on the back of my eyelids, many more this time. Like red stars on a dark expanse, I stare at the floating language before me. These were the same symbols that were on my skin when I bound with the books. Now, they're...

They're everywhere in my vision. I've only seen them do this one time.

One character on top of Hercules's head. Like a label, like an unknown scarlet brand. But what does it mean? What does all of this mean? Hercules... He must know. Why else would only he have the symbol? And now...

Now, it fills my vision, different characters, everywhere. Glowing, enchanting, blazing at me like a fire. What is... what is happening?

What does it all even say? It's not Greek, it's not any language I've ever seen. I don't know if this is the doing of the creature that's following me or if it's me. I can't make sense of it all--it's there, but some part of me already knows that no one else can see it. They can't see what I see, feel what I feel. So... do these things really exist? 

I sink slightly, my knees hitting the floor. I stare up, and for a brief moment, it feels like I'm back in the cell that Poseidon kept me in. 

- - -

The sun rises before I find the answer to my questions. Ares texts me 'good morning' and some other pleasantries. It has not been a good morning at all.

There's a knock at my door. I turn with my arm first, stalking to the door. I lean against the wall, holding the knife defensively. "Hellooo?" The knocks come again and it snaps me out of the suspicious trance.

My hand slowly lowers to my side. Why would an enemy come to my front door? Why would they even knock? I unlocked the door, cracked it open, and peered outside. Eros. His expression bursts into a wide smile when he sees me, immediately greeting me with his warmth. I nearly collapse when I see him, holding onto the door frame for support.

"Did you just wake up?" He glances into the doorway, tilting his head. "The lights are still off." He snaps his fingers and the lights temporarily blind me. The click is resounding and I can trace the remanats of his magic streaking across the air to click on the light switch. Eros's brow furrowed, placing his palm against the door and pushing it open. "Oh, my dear Mia," Eros mumbles.

"I still feel it," I say, retreating a few steps and looking around. "I think I might be losing my mind." I run both hands through my hair, groaning. He rubs my shoulder, giving me a sympathetic look. I can feel whatever it is brush against my elbow and I whip around, staring into nothingness. Eros turns my face back to look at him.