Page 28 of Vengeance of the Gods

The honesty behind his words stopped Vega from getting off the bed. She could see how exhausted he looked. How long had it been since he’d gotten a full night's sleep? “The dreams?” she asked quietly.

Bridger nodded, and as much as Vega wanted to pry, she didn’t. It wasn’t her business.

I don’t want to feel bad for him.

She forced herself to stand. If she had to remember everything he’d done, then so did he. “Okay, well, I don’t know if having you come with me to make friends is going to help. No offense, you kinda give undercover cop vibes.”

Vega then spent at least five minutes explaining what an undercover cop was. This had to be how her friends felt when she asked a million questions before getting her memories back… for fifty-five years.

At least they like me. I can’t stand him.

The common room was abuzz with life. A few people watched the nightly world news on an old TV while a larger group sat in a circle on the floor playing a card game. Some were off in their own corners, reading or playing on phones. A group of four got riled up by the pool table, laughing at someone’s unfortunate loss.

A young man reading in the corner by himself caught Vega’s eye. Or rather, the book did.

Alice in Wonderland. The only book she’d ever read for fun.

It was her favorite in almost every life. A girl who falls through a portal and a rabbit who always feels like he’s running out of time?

She could relate.

Most wouldn’t waste their time on the quiet guy in the corner, but Vega knew it was usually the people observing who knew how to find what they were looking for.

Before Vega knew it, she was outside by the hostel’s back door, a joint being passed around the small circle. Everyone talked of their travels and where they were headed next.

The girl with the pink hair was headed to Prague.

The man with the pierced lip hoped to end up in Germany.

The twins said they were going to South Asia.

The boy with the book said he wasn’t sure where he’d end up next.

Vega told them a half-truth about going home to California.

While everyone in the circle might be a misfit in their own right, none of them were the type of person Vega was looking for.

Vega passed the joint without taking a hit. As badly as she wanted to forget her problems, if only for a few hours, those hours weren’t ones she was willing to waste.

Eventually, everyone got cold and decided to head back inside. The boy with the book held the door and looked back at her. “You coming?”

She shook her head. “I think I’m gonna stay out here for a little longer, but it was really nice meeting you. Enjoy Rome.” He gave her a friendly wave and dipped inside.

Vega slid down the side of the building and wrapped her arms around her knees. Resting her head on the brick wall, Vega looked up at the night sky. It was too bright to see stars, but the crisp air made the deep-blue sky shine from all the lights.

Vega closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “How the hell am I going to do this?” she asked herself out loud.

I could really use Arlet’s brain right about now. She always knew how to get them home, but this time Vega hadn’t been reset to a life on the same continent as the portal.

Had the curse brought her to where the gods once roamed for a reason? Was Rome a clue she was overlooking?

Rome was where Romulus wanted the capital. Romulus and Remus couldn’t agree where to put it, a disagreement Romulus plotted to kill his brother over. Remus found out about the plan and couldn’t stop it from happening, so instead, he bound himself to the gods. When he died, they died, their powers dispersing amongst their people to create Tolevarre. Romulus never got to see Rome rise… or fall.

Vega hadn’t heard anyone approaching over the torrent of history she recited until someone spoke.

“This looks like some therapy session.”

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