It was almost like Phokis all over again...
The room had been small and dark, a window - too small to squeeze herself through and, a wooden door, a crack of light coming in through the bottom.
The worst thing. Eos couldn't be sure it wasn't. Not yet.
She'd woke up in the cold, lying on a thin but, lpy mattress and, everything hurt...
Except her head which, amongst the dark, had felt clear and a fresh - which only made thinking the worse all that easier.
Her shoulder also stung like a bitch and, her legs were so stiff that, just moving them a little made them ache.
She had to get up though, wherever Deimos had left her, she had to at least try and get out.
Pushing herself up, she'd gritted her teeth, her arms shaking as she sat up.
The room almost seemed that little clearer now, the draft was coming from the window, along with a meagre line of moonlight that showed her that she and her mattress, was the only obstacle in her empty room.
Getting to her feet had been even harder. Letting out a little whimper as she stumbled towards the window, Eos had grabbed at it so as not to fallfall, only to collide with the wall.
She let herself slip down it, leaning her head on the wall and taking a deep breath.
Even that made her shoulder hurt.
Letting the pain subside for a moment, Eos had looked up at the window, she felt like she was up high – really high. And her shoulder, that felt like it was broken. She had to strap it somehow. She still had her trackers cloak on but, she didn't know how she could do it herself.
However, her leather belt, her dagger, her notes, it was gone.
It was as if she was back at square one again.
Except this time, Laelaps was nowhere in sight.
Again, Eos pulled herself to her feet, looking out of the window and down on to the dwellings below. She didn't even know where she was – she was sure it wasn't Phokis - which only made her feel all the more worse. Turning around, wondering whether or not she'd been left to die, she'd rested her head on the wall, considering the likelihood of squeezing herself through the window and most-likely, falling to her death – so as to not give the cult pleasure – when, the door unlocked.
Freezing, she'd heard a few mumbled voices behind the door before it creaked open slowly, as if someone was about to peak in. Eos had the want to move, to hide herself in the shadows but then, something – or someone – was pushed and the door swung open, slamming in to the wall and allowing Deimos to walk in, a look of thunder on his face as he strode towards her, his hand out.
Eos grabbed at it just as he went for her neck, attempting to kick out of him but Deimos shoved her in to the wall, one hand gripped around her neck and the other resting on the wall next to her head. Eos felt herself slip again but he gripped tighter and pulled her up, rolling his eyes as if she'd disappointed him. In a last ditch-attempt, Eos grabbed at his hand, trying to prise his fingers off but, it only made him grip tighter,
"Deimos" she managed to get out before he closed his eyes and shoved her again,
"Answer me something first" he growled,
"Okay... okay" Eos said, she let her hands fall, a shuddering pain wretching through her as she took a deep breath. She was hoping Deimos' grip would have loosened but, his small glance back at the now closed door only made him angrier.
"Did you kill it" he asked - he sounded so desperate, it caught her off guard which, only made the question all the more confusing. Had she killed it?
Kallinos? Laelaps? Melaina?
"Eos" Deimos' voice broke and he shoved her again,
"I don't...",
"Did you do what you said you would" he almost whispered it, getting more annoyed than desperate now,
It...
Him...
"Him" Eos choked out and for just a second, his grip faltered, loosened. This was her time to escape but, Eos didn't have the energy and, that one little moment of longing in his eyes before they turned harsh and demanding again got to her,
"Did you" he spat. Eos managed a nod before the blackness took her again.
She wasn't sure how it'd happened, wasn't sure if it was the pain or the lack of breath but, Deimos had said something more and she hadn't heard it. She was glad she hadn't. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to change what had happened and, honestly, if she didn't have to think about it, she wouldn't.
If she had died though, Eos didn't know if it'd be a fitting end or not. There was always the chance Deimos would end up killing her – even before – to show his loyalty to the cult, to show them that she wasn't the distraction to him that they thought she was.
But, it'd take a lot more than that to kill her off, if past attempts had been anything to go by.
Eos opened her eyes again, staring up at the stonework in the ceiling. A torch had been placed on a hook by the door, lighting up the room and, wherever she was, it was even grimmer looking than she'd thought. It was a room made of stone, broken and mossied and, it smelt terrible.
And now, her arm had been slung, strapped to her chest so she couldn't move it. It made it hurt less but, it also made her throwing arm useless – although, she didn't have anything to throw.
And, as much as she wanted to think that Deimos still had some sort of sentimentality in him, his actions didn't mean anything, it only made him more dangerous. The cult had seen her as a weakness, if she hadn't taken what they wanted, they would have found a way to rid themselves of her another way – and Deimos knew that.
Even if he'd never admit it.
Even if he never cared.
Using her free arm to push herself up in to a sit, Eos had looked over to the window again, only to realise that she wasn't alone.
Deimos was sat next to it, one leg bent and the other stretched out, staring at the door. Deimos wasn't waiting for anyone, he didn't know what he was doing but, he felt her eyes on him and glanced over.
He knew she was exhausted, she wouldn't look him in the eye. He tilted his head and looked up at the ceiling instead, sighing to himself.
He hadn't wanted her to black out. He had a whole speech ready for her - about what she had done, how she'd betrayed them and all the rest – what the cult had told him had happened, a need to berate her and punish her for it but, she'd lost consciousness before it all and Deimos wasn't sure if he'd really wanted her to hear it or not.
He hadn't wanted a lot of things but, right now, Deimos wasn't sure what it was he felt anymore. He didn't know if she disgusted him or made him angry, or, despite everything, a little impressed – maybe even proud – that somehow, she was still alive.
Then, he'd catch himself thinking it and stomp the thought out of his head.
He'd had to deal with so much the last few days... the last few years... and, even when the signs were there, staring him in the face, telling him that Eos was alive, he convinced himself that it was only because a part of him – the chaotic part – wanted it to be true.
That she'd died that night he'd decided to leave and run off after someone whose head he should have slammed against the pyramid.
He'd wanted it to be Melaina picking off the eyes, maybe even his sister... Not Eos, not the one person that could make him hesitate, make him faulter. He should have been over all of that. He hated how much control it had over him; the Ghosts whisperings were getting louder and clearer with every day. He should have just killed her. He could have broken her neck and been done with it. The cult wouldn't want her.
Not anymore.
But, here he was, ignoring it all – just like before.
"So" Deimos looked back to her and Eos lowered her head, "You outwitted the cult with a scheme worthy of Kallinos himself".
Now that, that had impressed him. He still didn't know how Eos could have killed him though. No matter how much of an ass he was, she would never have killed him in spite, there had to be a reason.
Eos had always been very family orientated. She and Akin had made them all promise as children – before they knew more than just the pain – to look out for one another. And, they had, for a time.
Then, they grew up. The war started and, it had never been the same. They went their separate ways, all having some sort of goal to succeed at and, when Eos had died, the promise had died along with her. They believed what the cult had told them – that she'd killed the child in spite, that she'd laughed about it, told them they'd fail – and then she'd run. Only for the cult to chase her down and kill her – or attempt to anyway.
They believed a lie because the truth wouldn't bring her back. A truth that had made Melaina go mad...
Deimos had made a decision and, although he knew Eos had never been much of a runner but, she'd been alive for over three years and, it was only now that he was finding it out, maybe she had been running, maybe the thought made it hurt all the more.
"Why kill him" Deimos asked. Eos sighed, lying herself back down and staring at the ceiling again,
"Because..." Eos trailed off. She hadn't wanted to, she'd wanted him to be free from them, from the cult and, even if he had betrayed her, she could have forgave it – she knew how hard it was, knew what they made them do but, he was too far in and, he was going to kill her if she didn't kill him. Maybe he'd wanted it really. "He tried to kill me" Eos closed her eyes, "He almost did the first time".
Deimos looked over at her, "He wasn't there that night" he told her, none of them had been – not even when Pyros had promised Deimos he would be.
"No, not that night" Eos said quietly. Deimos snorted, shaking his head,
"You're a terrible liar" he leaned forward. Kallinos hadn't known that she was alive. He would have told him.
"And you're blind to the truth" Eos said, which only made him roll his eyes and stand up,
"Maybe your time away from us has blinded you" Deimos said,
"I wish it had" Eos said quietly, turning over so she couldn't see him.
Deimos stood there, staring at her for a moment.
He had more questions but, he also had other things he needed to do.
And, it wasn't like she was going anywhere.
Deimos left, locking the door behind him.
*
Whatever Deimos had planned for her, Eos was sure of two things.
It wasn't death by starving – the squirmy little hoplite shoved food through a hatch in the bottom of the door; and, she was semi-sure that the rest of the cult wasn't involved.
Although, maybe the reason Deimos hadn't been back, for what she could only imagine had been at least four days, was because he was planning something terrible to do with her. Or, he was assembling the whole cult so they could all indulge in her ultimate demise.
Though, she doubted it.
Eos had been laying up against the wall when she'd heard the door unlock.
This was her moment to rush them, to outwit them and escape but, no matter how much food they gave her, she'd had a fever for the last two days and she could only just stay up long enough to eat the soup they gave her.
Right now, she was wondering if she'd been here longer than four days. It wouldn't be a surprise to her, sometimes, she'd go to sleep in the light time and wake up in the light time...
The door opened and Eos looked up, letting her head rest on her shoulder as Deimos walked in,
"You look terrible" he stopped,
"Thanks" Eos said quietly. Deimos rolled his eyes and turned around, opening the door and leaving it again. He didn't lock it though.
Eos waited a few moments, her head still lying on her shoulder, listening. It didn't sound like he was talking outside, maybe...
Getting to her feet had been harder than she thought it would be, her head throbbed and she fell forward, her feet stumbling towards the door only to collide with it as it opened again. Deimos grabbed her by the back of the cloak and pulled her up, putting his hand on her shoulder and pushing her down so she was on her knees – she didn't even bother fighting him – she didn't have the strength.
"The moment you step outside, their ordered to kill you",
"Oh, can't let them have the pleasure, right" Eos asked, she closed her eyes, her head feigning forward, "Got to leave that for you". Deimos smirked as he leaned near the window, looking out,
"I'm glad you agree" he said,
"Uh huh" Eos held her arm out as she fell forward, forgetting that her other wasn't able to and fell awkwardly, falling on to her bad shoulder and just lying there for a moment,
"You're a disappointment" Deimos said, "I was expecting a better fight",
"Like that old, dying man whose throat you slit" Eos asked. Deimos glanced over to her,
"Do you not remember that old woman you slaughtered whilst she lay in her bed" he asked,
"Yeah but, at least she stabbed me before she died" Eos raised herself up, letting herself fall back in to a sit and pushing herself back on to the wall, "Periklese was dying and you're just like 'Athens is mine' and" she gestured the motion of her slitting her throat,
"What" Deimos said. Eos shrugged,
"It was quite the show" Eos put her head back, closing her eyes,
"You were no-",
"Was I not" Eos asked, "I told you before. Kallinos almost killed me the first time he tried",
"What do you mean" Deimos asked, he turned around; Eos hadn't opened her eyes, her head feigning forward as she tried to make herself stay awake,
"Who was there with you" Eos asked, "That night you killed the great Periklese" Deimos didn't answer, "Kallinos... The Chimera... Her little guard" Eos asked, her words so full of spite she had to shake herself.
Yes. They had been. Not for long but, they'd been there. The Chimera's slave though, the masked girl, he hadn't seen her when he'd found them afterwards and, they'd both made excuses to leave. Kallinos had been worried about his men – some of them had fallen sick and, the Chimera had other things to attend to.
He'd walked through Attika on his own that night, the whole city falling at his feet.
"Well, from your face" Deimos turned away from her, holding on to the window and staring out of it, "I'm guessing they were and – they threw me in to mount Hephaistos" Eos raised her hand to the scars on her cheek. Deimos glanced over his shoulder at her, he'd seen them the other night,
"And if that was true – you expect me to believe that you survived it" Deimos asked,
"No" Eos said, "But it is and, I did", she sighed "And it's not like I have anyone to back me up. Kallinos is dead. The Chimera is dead" Eos shrugged, "But... had it coming, did they not".
The Chimera had been gone for a while. Most of them thought she was on one of the isles – maybe she was still on Hephaistos. Deimos folded his arms and leaned his head on the window.
Eos watched him, trying to keep her eyes opened, she wasn't sure if he believed her – she still wasn't sure if it even mattered.
"I'm gonna be sick" Eos said, holding her arm out to stop herself from falling on the floor. Deimos turned around, not looking at her as he left again. This time, she heard the door lock behind him, "Fucking asshole" Eos said quietly as she closed her eyes, letting herself slide to the floor slowly, the cold ground making her shudder.
When Eos woke up again, she felt a pressure on her shoulder, like something was stuck in it, she shrugged it and someone grabbed her head, pushing it down, a hand pushing down on her back. She jerked herself, rolling herself over and grabbing on to the head that was hovered over her.
It was just some man, she'd never seen him but, she could easily twist his neck and he be dead. Instead, Eos felt something cold touch her neck, something sharp, she looked up. Deimos had his head tilted, smirking at her. She let the mans head go and he raised up, grabbing for the small jar he'd dropped as he tried to contain his shakiness.
"You could sit up or, I can hold you down" Deimos said, she felt the side of the blade pass across her skin,
"Just like old times, ai" Eos said, catching the small upturn in the corner of his mouth before he put the dagger back in his robes and grabbed on to her shoulder and pushed her up in to a sit. Eos crossed her legs and looked over at the rest of the mans things. A doctor.
"What's this" Eos said, she looked at the old man, his hands still shaking. Deimos sighed and the man flinched,
"If I let you die from a fever, I don't get the pleasure of killing you" Deimos stood up and walked over to the window, the doctor had almost frozen, this terrified look on his face as Eos looked back at him, she raised her brow,
"If he can't kill me, he'll settle for you so, you better get on with it" she said. The doctor nodded quickly and then proceeded to move himself behind her, he undone the make-shift sling from the cloak and then pulled it over her head. The doctor stopped, hovering his hand over the old red blistered skin on her shoulder,
"How... how did you-" his eyes glanced over at Deimos who was still looking out, "the... the sores" the doctor asked quietly,
"I got thrown in a volcano" Eos said, Deimos turned around, leaning back on the wall with his arms crossed,
"Doc, I suggest you be quick" Deimos said, "My patience for the both of you is waining",
"Yes, yes" the doctor said quietly. First, he passed her some disgusting looking drink, which she chugged and realised that it was a mixture of hemlock and whatever else, making the pain that little more bearable as he got to work.
Once he was done, he'd wrapped her up in a way that her arm was still useless but, it didn't hurt. Eos grabbed at her cloak and pulled it over her head, listening as the doctor to his feet as she struggled,
"You can go now" she heard Deimos said, the doctor scurrying out quickly as she felt Deimos grab her and pull her to her feet, she still had her cloak over her head, she felt his hand brush over the sores he could see under her robes and then pulled her cloak down, letting her get her head threw. "Now, your going to tell me everything" he said in to her ear, she snorted and he grabbed on to her hair and pulled it back, "Yes",
"Of course" Eos said and he let her go. Eos sat herself down on the floor and watched as he stood opposite, folding his arms,
"Start with that night" he said,
"You know what happened, they told you" Eos said,
"They told me they'd killed you", Eos sighed,
"They did" she sat back on the wall, "They beat me to Hades and back" she shrugged, "Wasn't like they hadn't just ripped a baby out or anything" – Eos wondered sometimes if it would have been different had she gone full-term – or, if it would have just been harder to take his life "They had to make sure that the blood would trail along behind me as I stumbled off, hearing their tauts and shouts behind me as I went through the forest, surrounded by the dark and the wolves..." Deimos raised his brow and Eos shrugged, "Then, my own little wolf dragged me off, the chimera walking away all smug and..." Eos closed her eyes,
It took me months to get back to myself and then, when I did, I decided that they were wrong – that when the rest of you got that little too much for them, they'd do the same to you". Deimos snorted and shook his head, pushing from the wall, he pointed at himself,
"I think you forget that they need me. I don't need them", Eos snorted,
"Of course they do" she tilted her head, smiling "That's why they wanted to replace you, right. That's why the first thing you ask me after however long it's been is whether I killed it or not",
"It was not a replacement" Deimos spat,
"Of course not" Eos said quietly, "Olright then, an extra, just in case something happened to their champion" Eos shrugged her good shoulder and she saw Deimos ball his hand in to a fist,
"I am the one leading this revolution. I will bring order to this world" Deimos told her,
"Maybe you will" Eos looked down at the ground, "But what place do you have in a world like that" she glanced over at him, but he hadn't moved, that stern look still on his face, he smiled when he caught her eye,
"I know what you are trying to do" Deimos took a step forward and knelt down, "It won't work", Eos smiled and look up at the ceiling, she didn't realise how smug she felt amongst the drowsiness,
"And you trust them, the cult" Eos asked,
"More than you" Deimos replied,
"Hmpth" Eos nodded, "Then why haven't you killed me yet". Deimos pushed himself to his feet and Eos jumped a little, the hemlock was starting to kick in, her eyes felt like they didn't want to stay open,
"I could, you know" Deimos said,
"You were always going to" Eos said quietly, lying her head on her shoulder.
Deimos looked down at her for a moment before he left, opening the door in to the hallway. Quickly spotting the doctor conversing quietly with one of the guards, he caught his eye and they went silent, the doctor nodding at the guard quickly and going on his way.
The guard stood up straight again, his hand turning white as it clung to the spear he held straight, Deimos only taking a few steps passed him before he turned and grabbed at him, smashing his head in to the wall, the guards at Eos' door closing their eyes as Deimos disappeared, following down the steps.
It didn't take him long to find the doctor. He'd been speaking with a misthios, a misthios Deimos had his hoplite shoot down from their horse as they rode out of the city, taking from him a letter that in-forced a little performance - which ended in the doctor being attacked by bandits on his way back to Argos.
He did trust the cult, he just wanted his secrets to be his and his alone. He knew what was coming, he'd seen it, he knew what they could achieve, knew that, without him, they'd be lost.
Eos had known that once too.