~Book Dedication~
For the Black Sheep of the family. Even though you try somehow it's still your fault. You're trying and others see it even if they don't say anything out loud. It's not your fault, don't let them make you believe it too.
Ayden has...
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"What did you do?" Thalassa paced back and forth. Ayden was lying on the couch as she struggled to stay conscious. She'd only been there for a few hours. Knox had picked her up and brought her inside while Dean cut Achlys's mark on her. They had to wait for her to close up.
"Why do you assume she did something?" Esme snapped. She was sitting near Ayden's feet, and Blair was on the other side of her too. They looked worried.
"She has gold blood all over herself. That is never a good sign." Aion explained. "Which god was it?"
"Was it Hecate?" Esme turned to face her. Ayden slowly sat up her stomach was still stinging, but it was bearable. She touched her face expecting to feel blisters but there were none. Thanks to Achlys.
"Ayden," Chaos knelt in front of her. "Please talk to us so we can help you." Ayden just shook her head. Tears started to pool in her eyes as she looked around the room.
"Just give her some space," Dean explained as he stepped forward. "She's only been here for a few hours."
"Who says you get to be defensive of her," Thalassa glared at him.
"I'm simply saying give her more time, she's clearly not going to," Knox added. The others seemed to walk out of the room.
Ayden grabbed her necklace. A tear slid down her cheek as she pulled her knees closer to herself. She just wanted a hug. She needed a hug from Percy. She knew it wouldn't undo anything, but it would make her feel better. She felt his heartbeat through the charm and it seemed to calm her. Blair and Esme stayed on the couch with her as the others left the room.
"Hecate and Eris took me," Ayden muttered. She didn't look away from the ground. "The gods are going to kill me when I leave this place."
"Why?" Blair sat forward. "What did you do?"
"I killed Eris."
"You did what?" Aion came back into the room. He wasn't angry, he looked more confused than anything. His face was pinched together as he stared at her.
"I was chained up," Ayden ran her hand over her thumb. They'd put themselves back into place. "I don't know where I was or how long I'd been there, but I'd ripped the chains from the walls and fought them. Hecate ran, but I got Eris. She's—I killed her." Ayden's chest moved up and down rapidly as she stared at the floor. "What does that mean?" She looked down at her clothes. She'd been changed. Someone changed her clothes, they weren't covered in gold anymore. "I gotta stand up." Ayden pushed herself up and fell back onto the couch. Her legs were still pins and needles as she pushed herself up again.
"Slow down Ayden," Blair got up to help her, but Ayden refused.
"What is going to happen now? I mean they were going to kill me. I didn't—they were on Kronos' side." Ayden looked at Aion for help, but he didn't look calm at all. He was chewing on the inside of his cheek as he stared at the table.
