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Confidence—it’s what Eros has been trying to drill into me this week. I now understand I have the upper hand in their fightover me. “You all want my pure-hearted soul, and you need me to choose who wins it.” I chuckle. “Terrible loophole, by the way. I’m guessing that was Eros’s idea.”
“Eros lost the bet,” Thanatos remarks casually, as if the matter of my soul is only a silly game.
“We can force you to choose.” Hermes smirks, as if he has it all figured out.
“I don’t think so.” I give him a ridiculous smirk of my own. I remember Hypnos’s river of lost souls. “I have a failsafe if you try to, and then none of you will win me.”
Frustrated, Hermes grumbles and stomps away from me like a petulant toddler. I roll my eyes. These gods are too immature for being thousands of years old.
“If you won’t take me to Eros, then I will call on the Fates,” I state firmly. “They can decide what will happen.” From what that I remember about the Fates, they can be harsh judges, but they are as fair as gods can be.
“What?” Hermes shouts. “No, you’remine!”
I find it odd that he’s so adamant about having me when I thought his prize in the bet was truly about Eros’s powers. Maybe he wants all the toys?
“From what I understand, you tricked Eros into the bet with me as the target because you held power over Carl,” I say.
“Figured out Carl’s employer, did you?” Hermes eyes me with what looks like newfound respect—not that it does me any good.
“What do you expect to achieve with the Fates’ interference?” Thanatos demands.
“I insist you both release Eros from this wager because it was a setup.”
“Trickery is what gods do.”
“And what about you?” Thanatos steps closer, his suffocating presence of death making it hard to breathe. How can I exist as his companion when I can’t handle his nearness?
“Well, I have until midnight before I’m under any obligation to pick another god. Right?” I confirm.
Hermes curses. “You don’t get it, do you? It’s over. Eros failed you.”
“I’m afraid I did,” Eros says from the far corner.
We all jump at his sudden appearance, even the gods.
“Only because you cheated,” Eros finishes.
Hypnos appears next to Eros. “I hope I didn’t miss all the fun.” He winks at me as if we have an inside joke, then he eyes Eros expectantly.
I don’t understand Hypnos’s motivations, but it appears as if he’s helping Eros and me.
“Hermes, bring Carl here now,” Eros orders. “We need to check if he actually feels for Dee.”
“Ridiculous!” Hermes shouts.
“Eros has a point,” three women say in unison as they pop into the room.
“Fuck!” Hermes boils with anger. “Fine, if it gets this farce over with, but it won’t change a thing.” He disappears, and in the next moment, Carl is standing next to him.
Carl gives me a chagrined expression. “Sorry, Dee.”
“For what?” I ask with venom in every word. “Leading me on? Never telling me about your dangerous situation? Or lying about having feelings for me only so you could break my heart by the end of the week?”
Eros growls in the corner and lunges for Carl.
Hypnos catches Eros before he reaches his goal of wrapping his hands around Carl’s neck.
At least Eros seems to be stronger now.
