Page 36 of Eris

Enzo held her arm tighter. "I think I need to call my nonna."

Eris leftEnzo at the ship and went to go and buy some fresh groceries. He didn't like them being separated, but she assured him that she could keep her curse in check for an hour. That wasn't so much of his concern. He just didn't like not being with her.

You've never been a clingy lover before, and now isn't the time to start. Giving himself a lecture didn't work. He had never been falling in love with a goddess before, so all bets were off.

Enzo used the time apart to refuel, check, and service all the instruments. He didn't want whatever was happening with his brain and heart to affect his safety measures. He placed the palladium back into his cabin and unzipped it. He didn't like the idea of her being covered up more than what was necessary. He rubbed at his chest, worried that he was starting to obsess. It was time to talk to an expert. He rang his nonna.

"Now he calls me after days and days," Bianca answered. There was a clinking sound and voices in the background.

"Don't act like you're missing me at all," Enzo replied with a laugh. "What mischief are you up to, nonna? Or shouldn't I ask?"

"Claudius has taken me out to the bar. I needed an outing, and I'm perfectly fine. I'm catching up with a few regulars, and I met with Rom and Laverna. I'm keeping them, and you can't stop me. Don't worry, Claudius, you are still my favorite," Bianca said, and Enzo heard the flick of a lighter. She sounded too happy for him to want to admonish her for smoking. "How are you and your goddess doing?"

Enzo's neck went hot. "Good. We are in Castro."

"Why do you sound funny? What happened?"

Enzo struggled to decide where to start. "Something is happening to me, nonna."

"Something like having a spiritual awakening or something like you're dealing with Eris daily?" Bianca asked.

"Both, and it's both I need advice on." Enzo told her about the palladium and his growing connection to it. How even that had changed with him no longer needing to touch it. He told her about speaking dead languages in trances, having visions, and now wanting to make sure a statue was comfortable in his cabin.

"Am I losing my mind? Or do you think this is normal? I don't understand what's happening to me, nonna," Enzo finished. He was sitting on the bed beside the palladium, his head in his hands. He missed Eris.

"You are not crazy,nipote. This is who we are. You have spent your whole life trying to deny this part of you, and now you have no choice but to do it hard and fast. We were the original keepers of the palladium. Our family was of the royal house of Troy. The palladium was Athena's gift, so of course you feel you must honor it," Bianca explained. It made the sense he needed to hear.

"Maybe it's all instinct, and it's in the blood. It's just so strange to be having these visions. Eris is making sure I don't gethurt when they hit." Enzo tugged at the curls at the back of his neck and squeezed his eyes closed. "Nonna, I think I'm falling in love with her." Enzo expected her to crow with victory or at least giggle. Bianca was only silent for a long moment.

"You always had a hopeless romantic streak. You get it from your grandmother," she said finally.

"That's it? No gloating? No smutty jokes? You always had something to say about all my girls before."

"They weren't serious."

"I married Katarina!"

Bianca made a huffing sound. "But you didn't love her the same way. You don't fall for an immortal on a whim or for a good time. You fall for an immortal, and you walk into it knowing that you're probably going to suffer for it, and you do it anyway. That's how you know it's true, Enzo. You love a god; you accept whatever the Fates have installed for you. Do you think you could let her go?"

Enzo lay back on his bed, the feeling in his chest growing tighter. "No. I won't let her go. I can't. I want her. I just don't know how I can keep her. She is a goddess, and I'm… I'm just a bartender."

"You are so much more than that. Otherwise, you wouldn't be on this quest. It's about time to set yourself free,nipote. Find out who you really are. Show Eris who you really are. That's all you can do when you love someone," Bianca replied. She lit another cigarette. "Tell me where you are going next?"

"Crete. I am sure of it. We might be out of reception for a few days," Enzo said.

"Text or call when you get there. Enjoy this time, Enzo. Don't worry about me. Claudius and the others are good company. We aren't alone anymore." They said their goodbyes, leaving Enzo lying beside the palladium and wondering who he would be by the time he got back to Rome.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Eris arrived back at the docks at sundown. Her quick trip to buy supplies had turned into an ordeal when her shields had slipped, and her chaos had shorted out all the cash registers. She spotted Enzo walking about the deck, and the sight of his T-shirt stretching over his back and biceps instantly made her feel better.

"Hey, let me help," he said, dashing over to the gangplank to take the bags of groceries from her. She didn't have the heart to tell him that her goddess strength meant she would be perfectly capable of carrying him as well as the groceries.

A table and chairs had been set up on the deck, and a platter of charcuterie and fruit had been laid out.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"I thought about taking you out on a date, but then I realized you probably wouldn't want to be around more people after today, so I set this up instead," Enzo replied and put the bags down. He pulled out a chair for her. "You sit, and I'll put these away." He took a silver cocktail shaker from the table and poured a Spritz into her glass.

---