Page 21 of Invoking Ruin

The world comes back to me slowly, and it’s not facing the right way. I’m on my side, a cold wood floor pressing into my side, my cheek. Everything is off kilter, blurry. I’m in the bar, I think. There’s something wrong with how it smells, though. The scent of wine and wood polish is still there, but it’s overwhelmed by something metallic. Fetid.

Vision has to come first. I close my eyes tight, taking deep breaths, willing my vision to focus through the pain.

And then, I wish it hadn’t. The bar is a blood bath. So many bodies. I spot my manager in a corner, knife buried in her throat, blood covering her front. I fight the urge to heave.

There are low voices, speaking in turns.

“You wouldn’t dare.” A female voice. Rasping, familiar. What she’s talking about, however, is not. “You think I have it bad? If you kill him, they’ll chain you up like Prometheus and send eagles to eat your liver.”

Then, his voice, low and malevolent. “Whether I risk that fate is up to you. Make the right choice.”

What the fuck is happening? “Vita?” I call out into the death-filled room, and slowly, she swims into focus, her eyes wide with fear. Is she afraid for me?

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

She needs to run, before this man who clearly murdered everyone in sight turns on her as well. I push myself to sitting, and the room spins again. I won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. She doesn’t have to die with me, though.

“Vita?” The man chuckles, and I want to drive a knife through his tongue just for speaking her name. “That’s a cute choice, niece.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Vita snarls, with a level of violence worlds away from the collected, charming woman I’ve come to know.

All the hairs on my arms stand on end. Niece?

The man isn’t bothered. He keeps chuckling, coming closer to her, and it’s in that moment I catch the sword gleaming from his hand.

“Oh, come now, you have to enjoy the humor,” he taunts. “Else, what’s the point of this existence?”

Vita lifts her chin. If she’s afraid of this man, she doesn’t show it.

“When did you grow so stubborn?” he asks, and I let out a growl as he reaches out to touch her, which makes him laugh all over again. “Your toy doesn’t like me.”

“No one likes you,” Vita snaps. “I don’t have the knife. Not with me. And you won’t act on your threat, so we’re at an impasse.” She steps in closer, and her voice lowers. I strain to hear her as she says, “Go back to whatever pit you’ve been hiding in, Momus. He’s mine. I won’t let you touch him.”

Metal glints in the light flickering in through the windows in front of me. A corkscrew. It’s already covered in blood, no doubt having served some violent purpose. I snatch it up.

“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong,” the man—Momus—is saying. “I can simply wait here with you until the others arrive to clean up this mess. I’ll lay the blame on you, and they’ll believe me, because it’s just the sort of thing you’d do. Then, they’ll take your toy away and lock you up. I’ll find the knife on my own once you’re out of the way.”

“Nemesis isn’t as stupid as you think she is.”

I use the table to help push myself to standing. The room is still lopsided, but my feet are steady enough. Vita’s eyes flicker towards me before focusing on Momus, who seems very in love with the sound of his own voice.

“The call of her Justice has always been easily swayed by Dike. It’s what she gets for bedding her so often. Besides, I have plenty of reasons to want to see you rot in Tartarus. We all do.”

I take one halting step, then a second. Each one sounds louder than the next as I try to avoid broken glass and anything else that might make a sound. Vita goes pale when she realizes what I’m doing, but she doesn’t wave me off or give away my position.

“You don’t have any reasons. I’ve done nothing to you,” she says.

“Haven’t you? Are you sure about that? Is there anyone you haven’t betrayed, Vita?” He draws out her name like a taunt. He chuckles again. “As you can see, I have the power here, but I’m feeling generous. So how about a deal?”

Vita’s lips flatten. I’m not close enough to stab this creep yet. She needs to keep him talking. I try to signal to her, but her eyes are on Momus.

“What deal could you possibly make?” she asks.

“You say you don’t have the knife.” He shrugs. “Let’s say I believe you. Let’s say it takes time to get. I’m not unreasonable. I’ll give you three days, niece. I’ll keep your little toy with me in the meantime. You bring me the knife, and I’ll let him go.”

Vita snarls.

“It’s the best offer you’re going to get." Momus continues, unperturbed. "You know how your grandmother can be, how she doesn’t like to be kept waiting. If we have to come to you for the knife herself, it’ll be worse.”

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