26. Only an Arrow

Sage's cheeks were ruby red as she staggered, out of breath, across the bridge - traffic crawling alongside her. Pedestrians cast her strange looks as she passed. A couple on a date had to swerve to avoid colliding into her. The guy put an arm on his girlfriend's waist to guide her away from Sage's clumsy path. Sage came to a stop and clutched the stitch in her side. She watched the pair continue walking, heads close like resting doves, and Sage's heart throbbed.

Turning away from the road, she looked down at the old docks below and saw Skelrun's nightclub with a delivery truck parked up outside. Skelrun's goons were milling about outside, looking bored for something to do. She was close, so close, to the object of her obsession. But Ares' words filled her head. 'My feelings were real...'

An exhausted sob escaped her throat and she sagged against the railings. What if things really could have been real between her and Ares? Was there a different path that she could take?

"Why are you hesitating?" Ares' voice, coming suddenly from behind her, made her flinch. Sage turned and faced him, her heart trembling at his stoic expression.

"Ares, I..."

"Go to him."

Ares inclined his head, nodding to the nightclub. Its doors opened and Ezekiel stepped out with a cigarette between his lips. The Mad Dog joined the small circle of gang mates and grunted in response to their questions. He didn't see Ares and Sage standing on the bridge above.

"You're telling me to go?"

The war god nodded. She stared at him, wishing that she understood his air of indifference. "But what about us?"

"I'll pretend not to know about him."

"What about us?!"

"There is no 'us'. Only an arrow." Ares swallowed and looked determinedly above her head.

Sage wiped her tears. The wind played with her curly hair, spilling the wild strands over her eyes. She grunted suddenly, a stabbing pain piercing her temple. It was excruciating.

Ezekiel. Must... find... Ezekiel.

The pain seemed to be branding her, like a hot torch being pressed against the back of her eyes. A wild thought crossed her mind... she'd kill herself to stop this pain.

"Go."

Half-blind, Sage and turned and felt her way along the railing.

A gangster patted Ezekiel on the arm.

"Aint that your girl?" He said, frowning in puzzlement. "What's wrong with her?"

Ezekiel looked up and saw Sage, staggering down the steps toward them. He ran to her without a thought of hesitation, immediately anxious with panic.

"Sage!" He exclaimed as she fell into his arms. "What happened?" Why did she look so weak?

She was shivering badly and Ezekiel wrapped his arms around her, thinking she was cold. Sage wrapped her arms around Ezekiel's neck and breathed in deeply.

"Hold me." She murmured, her voice trembling as she closed her eyes.

Ares stood on the bridge and watched the scene taking place below. His expression was very still, as if etched from stone and not even air escaped his lips. Slowly he turned, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and walked away.

Still hugging Ezekiel, Sage opened her eyes and craned her neck to look up at the bridge. But Ares was gone. Her heart seemed to turn cold. She'd been so afraid that Ares would hurt Ezekiel, she'd assumed he would – after hearing about Adonis. So, she hadn't prepared herself for this. For Ares not caring whilst she was in the arms of another man. A hollow ache throbbed in her throat and she blinked back the tears that stung her eyes. Why didn't he care?

Sophia dished out dinner, her gaze flickering back and forth between Ares and Sage. A tense atmosphere hung over the table and only Jaz seemed immune to it. Jaz drank wine and grinned as he lolled back in his chair.

"Looks great, Sophia." He praised.

"Thanks." Sophia sat down heavily and speared ravioli on the end of her fork.

An awkward silence filled the room. Unable to take the tension, Sophia decided to fill it. "What did everyone do today?" She asked. All eyes turned to Sage. Sage waited for Ares to say something. He didn't.

"I was working." Sage watched Ares, wanting to see if he would call her out for lying. He didn't. "All day." Sage re-iterated, her gaze narrowing.

"I'm a lucky boss." Jaz quipped.

Sophia looked blankly around at the group, unsure what she was missing. Her gaze rested on Ares. He'd stopped tormenting her lately – which had seemed strange. What was he so distracted by, she wondered.

"What about you, Ares?" Sage asked, her tone sharp.

"My day was marvellous."

"Good!"

"Good."

Sage crossed her arms – looking furious. Ares seemed calmer, but he wouldn't make eye-contact with anyone. Jaz poured himself more wine. He topped up Sophia's glass whilst he was at it, filling it to the brim. Worse trouble was clearly brewing for them all.

Sage came out of the bathroom dressed in her pj's with her toothbrush still in her mouth. She squeaked in surprise when she saw Ares sat unexpectedly on the end of her bed.

"What are you doing in my room?" She exclaimed; her voice muffled with toothpaste.

"I think it's best if you stop with deliveries for a while."

"Why?"

"There's unrest with the gangs. The streets won't be safe. I can speak with your boss for you, if you'd like." He doubted he'd have any trouble convincing the man.

"I'll do it."

"Ok." Ares got up and made to leave. "I've left snacks on your bedside. You didn't eat enough at dinner."

He was almost out of the door when Sage spoke up, making him pause.

"Ares, is this an olive branch? Have you forgiven me? Or is it only the arrow that's making you be kind?"

"The arrow." He left, closing the door behind him. Sage retreated to the bathroom and spat toothpaste down the sink. She leant against the basin with her head in turmoil.

Too late, much too late, she realised what she must have been feeling all along. She'd fallen for Ares. But it had taken him hating her, for her to realise it. Much too late. She closed her eyes.

"Stupid! Stupid!" She cursed herself.

**

Ezekiel walked down the long hallway of Sage's dingy apartment block. The lights flickered, briefly cutting out, but Ezekiel didn't break his stride. He approached the shabby door and knocked. His lips spasmed nervously as he waited. The door opened and Sage barrelled into Ezekiel, wrapping her arms around him.

He held her close, his heart pounding in his broad chest. It seemed so unreal to him. The events of the last week seemed like a dream.

"Are you ok? Is that immortal prick still treating you ok?"

Sage nodded.

"Don't call him that." She mumbled.

"It's his fault you became a wreck." Ezekiel would never forget what Sage had looked like, the day she'd crumpled in agony, near-blind, in his arms and told him about her curse.

He planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. Sage sighed.

"Do you still love him?" He asked. Sage grimaced.

"I shouldn't have told you that." She muttered, hiding her face against Ezekiel's chest.

"No, I needed to know the truth."

Sage had told Ezekiel everything. About her obsession with him, about trying to kill Ares so that they could be together. And finally, she'd told him about her feelings for Ares. It had been a lot for the gangster to take in. He hated the war god, nothing she said could alter that. But he'd agreed to help her with her curse. "I've brought a carrier bag of my old t-shirts, like you wanted."

"Thanks. I think it will be easier to sleep if I'm wearing them."

Ares sat in the living room of Sophia's apartment, scrolling on his iPad. Jaz set a drink down on the coffee table in front of him.

"What are you looking at?"

"Presents for Sage." Ares pinched the bridge of his nose and tossed the iPad against the cushions. "I'm the most pathetic creature in the world." He groaned.

Jaz nudged the mug closer to him and Ares gratefully picked it up and took a satisfying sip. "I'm sat here, waiting for Sage to come home because I miss her. But I know that when she does, she'll smell like another man."

Jaz sat down on the sofa beside him.

"And you think that makes you pathetic?"

"Doesn't it?"

"Not in my eyes. You're stronger than I gave you credit for." Jaz stirred the tea he'd made for himself, the warm colours mixing. "You feel heartache but, I don't think you're the only one."

Ezekiel was fast asleep, snoring softly, with one arm draped over Sage's shoulders. They were sat on the sofa – the TV playing but Sage had switched it to mute once Ezekiel had passed out. Working for Skelrun was tiring him out. He wouldn't tell her much about it. She wasn't a gang member so she wasn't allowed to know any secrets.

Sage stared up at the ceiling, at a crack that ran above her head. She was thinking about Ares.

"I'm pathetic." She mumbled, glaring at the crack and seeing herself in it. She felt bad for Ezekiel, but selfishly, she also felt bad for herself. She'd fallen in love with a god who only loved her because of an arrow. A god who would probably never forgive her for betraying him.

She scratched the dry skin on her wrist. Could nothing save her from this nightmare?