Page 125 of Lost

“As will I,” said Rephaim. “Oh, I’m Rephaim. Stevie Rae’s mate. I’m not sure if we’re actually friends in our world, but you do call me Bird Boy, which I like to think of as a nickname rather than slander.”

“No clue what you mean by that,” Aphrodite said. “But hello. You sound tall. That’s one thing in your favor.” Then she cleared her throat before she continued. “I have hated how Neferet uses me since I had the vision of Lenobia and Travis—their friends and their horses—all being murdered.”

“It was you! You are the reason they’re all dead!” Dragon glared from Aphrodite to Kevin. “And you brought herhere?”

“Hey, wait. You don’t have the whole story. Aphrodite—”

“Kev! I said I can speak for myself. Dragon Lankford and anyone else listening—I had a horrible vision that showed Lenobia’s death. IwasLenobia. I felt everything she felt as she lost her lover and her friends and the horses she loved more than life. Did you know Lenobia was the last of them to die? That she watched the entire slaughter? I didnotgo to Neferet with the vision. I waswithNeferet when it happened. She acted like she cared for me. She helped me through it. All the while she was only gathering details so that she’d know where to send her awful Red Army. And that’s when I started hating her.”

“But you didn’t leave. You didn’t join the Resistance,” Dragon said.

“No. I didn’t stand up like I should have. I was complacent. I did avoid her. I started spending a lot of time alone, just in case I had a vision. And when I couldn’t avoid her, when she knew I was having a vision, or when she bullied me into admitting I’d had one, I only gave her confusing details and convoluted truths. It’s only recently that I’ve realized that still makes me complicit. So, I decided to stand up when I saw you in the creek. And I’m going to keep standing up. I don’t want more blood on my hands.” She sighed. “Could I get another glass of wine, please? There’s champagne in my suitcase. You did bring it, didn’t you, Kev?”

“Prove it,” Dragon said.

Aphrodite’s full lips twisted into a very familiar sardonic half smile. “Well, I can’t get it myself right now, but I can prove I brought champagne if someone gets the damn suitcase for me.”

“You know that is not what I meant!” Dragon yelled. “I’m asking for proof that you’ve changed sides.”

“Bryan, let the girl rest first,” said Anastasia.

“No, my love. We are at war. There is no ‘rest first’ when you’re at war. Aphrodite, if you have turned against Neferet, prove it.”

“Uh, Dragon, I can prove it,” I said.

“This should be good,” Aphrodite said.

I bumped her leg with mine and whispered, “Not helping.” Then I faced Dragon, feeling a little like my brother. “Our world’s Aphrodite only started having bloody-eye visionsaftershe made the decision to become a force for good—a decisionNyxapproved of. I know because the Goddess has appeared several times in our world. Aphrodite has made a change. I’d bet my life on it.”

“So would I,” said Kevin.

“That happened in your world. Not ours,” said Dragon stubbornly.

“Fine. How about this—do you know that Neferet commanded the Bedlam football game to take place tomorrow night at Skelly Stadium?”

“Everyone in Oklahoma knows that,” said Dragon.

“And most of Texas too,” added Anastasia.

“Figures. Bumpkins really like their football.” Aphrodite shook her head in disgust and then grimaced at the pain the movement caused. “But what you don’t know is what I just saw in a vision. As her idea of a New Year’s Day celebration, Neferet is going to command her Red Army to slaughter the losing team. All of them. Players—cheerleaders, which I find really unacceptable—and coaches. Every single one of them. And after thatno onewill dare cross her.”

“That’s horrible!” Stevie Rae said.

“Oh, Goddess! That’s so bad!” said Anastasia.

“Wait, Bedlam?” My shocked gaze found my brother’s.

He nodded. “Yes. Heath will be there as starting quarterback for OU.”