Page 124 of Lost

“Of course! I’ll be right back.”

“Here’s the sleeping bag,” Rephaim said.

“Aphrodite, I’m gonna lift you up again so that they can put the sleeping bag under you. Is that okay?” asked Kevin.

“Yeah, but don’t go fast. My head feels like it’s going to burst.”

Kevin couldn’t have been gentler with her had she been a newborn.He’s got it bad for her. And that thought was followed by,I wonder where Darius is in this world?

Anastasia hurried back, just in time for me to finish cleaning up Aphrodite’s face. “Okay,” I said, “press this against your eyes, and then I’ll help you drink the wine.”

Instead of doing that, she turned her head toward me—bloody eyes still closed. “We are really good friends, aren’t we?”

“Absolutely,” I said.

“You and I might fight some,” said Stevie Rae, touching Aphrodite’s shoulder gently and then sitting on the other side of her, “especially ’cause you do not like my fashion sense—but you almost died for me. We’re friends too. Real good friends.”

Aphrodite pressed the damp, cool bandage against her eyes and let me guide her hands to the mug of blood-laced wine, which she drained in just a few gulps. Then she settled back against the side of the wall and sighed.

“Better. It is getting better.” Her chin lifted and her head turned toward me again. “Wait. You’ve done this before.”

“Yeah, a lot,” I said.

She smoothed back her hair and drew a deep but shaky breath. “So, how does your Aphrodite cope with being blind?”

“She’s not blind!” Stevie Rae and Kevin said together.

“Then why the hell am I?”

“Aphrodite, is this the first time your eyes have bled during a vision?” I asked.

“Yes. I usually pass out, but not always. Nothing like this has ever happened to me. Is this what happens to your Aphrodite duringallof her visions?”

“Yes. Well, all of them since she…” and my words trailed off as I realized what must be happening. “Dragon, you told me Aphrodite didn’t betray you to the Red Army last night, right?”

“That is right.” The Swordmaster came over to crouch near us.

“Of course I didn’t. I’m not a damn monster. I hate this fighting crap.”

“And she hates that Neferet uses her visions as weapons,” Kevin added.

“Kev, I can speak for myself. But, what he said.”

“How long?” I asked.

“I don’t know what you—”

“Sorry, I’m not being clear. How long have you hated the way Neferet uses you?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do,” Kevin said. “Tell her. Zoey will understand.”

Her head turned in Kevin’s direction. “She might, but no one else will.”

“I did,” he replied.

“I’ll try my best to understand,” said Stevie Rae.