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June 22 - July 4, 2025
Attractive and man standing in the way of everything I’ve ever wanted should not go together.
No, the danger comes entirely from me. I looked right back at him. I looked, and I saw someone I didn’t want to disappear from my life. I saw someone I wanted, just for the smallest amount of time. And that is terrifying.
Fair? Fair! Men do not get to utter that word in a world that favors them in every single space of life.
He grins. “I know. Sometimes it’s terribly fun to prod at you. No need to be so lifeless.” “If I wished to be prodded at, I would get myself a husband.” Eryx chokes on his next bite. He hacks and coughs for a good two minutes, while Argus and Dyson fight back laughter in the corner.
“You are not the only one who has led a hard life,” he says. “You are not the only one who has had to live to the whims of others. You are not the center of the world.” “No, but I’m the center of my world, which is why I have to look after myself. No one else will.”
I am not like Alessandra. If I kill a man, I’m not going to be caught.
From this day forward, I need to play Eryx Demos as I would any other man. For the best way to get him to reveal his secrets is to convince him he’s helplessly in love with me.
“I don’t really care what choices she makes.” I did once. Her choice drove me to murder. But being here and seeing her again are giving me some clarity. I thought we were competitors, that by playing the same game only one of us could win. But perhaps the truth is more complicated than that. We always wanted different things. It doesn’t have to be her or me. While it hurts to see her in such a position of power and respect while I’m still working so damn hard for my happy ending, it doesn’t mean that I should blame her. No, the blame rests solely upon the shoulders of the men who drove us to
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Eryx’s eyes blaze brighter, and I look around to see if anyone has noticed. We’re safe for now, but he really needs to stop. “No one,” he says, “no one is going to touch you like that again. I will make sure of it.”
I MAKE MYSELF COMFORTABLE in the flower garden, where I have a clear view of the woods, and wait. For once, they don’t disappoint me. Approximately three hours later, the world’s dumbest trio emerges.
“When you hate someone so fiercely, they have to be worthy of that hatred. You wouldn’t ardently hate someone who was beneath your notice or someone who didn’t compare to you in wits or charisma. You have to be on equal grounds to hate someone so much. And that level of hate inherently comes with a level of respect. You’re recognizing that they’re an actual threat. That they compare to you.”
“You. You make me forget all my rules and reasons for everything. You make me want to believe it’s possible not to be alone forever. You make me want to claim the whole world and gift it to you on a silver platter. You are unlike anyone I’ve ever known. And gods, but I love your mouth. The way it smiles. The words that come out of it. How it feels against mine. Just looking at your lips makes my mouth water.”
“I can row, Chrysantha. I’m not scared off by such labor.” “I’m not scared of labor.” “Ah, so you’ve done some, then? Please, do tell.” He uses one oar to turn the boat, until his back is to the lake; then he takes us out. I rack my brain for one single instance of labor I’ve performed, yet nothing comes to my mind. I pout. “I said I wasn’t scared of it, not that I had done any before.”
“I think we are a good match.” “If you think fire and oil are a good match.” “Exactly. Together, we could burn the world down if we wanted to.”
“What if I don’t want to burn down the world? What if all I want is my quiet country life?” “Then I’ll burn anyone who tries to take it away from you.”
She smiles. “I thought to poison Kallias once. I didn’t go through with it, though. How fortunate that both our men survived us.” And though there is still danger to dispel, I find myself smiling in return. “We Stathos sisters are a force to be reckoned with.”
“If the gods didn’t want us killing men, then they shouldn’t have allowed them to hurt us so much.”
He raises his head to look me in the eye once more. “I love you. I fought loving you, but it was as inevitable as the sun rising every day. For you are my equal in nearly every way and my superior in all the rest.”
For I would have you all stay, but you’re both fired as valets. Perhaps we could find more appropriate positions for you.” Argus and I stare each other down, but the man eventually relaxes. “I won’t be no footman. You cannot dress me up in that.” He looks over at Kyros. “What are your skills?” “Killing.” “We’ll … figure something out.”
