Page 6 of Eris

Eris sat down at the outdoor table where fresh panini, charcuterie, and salads had been laid out. It was no wonder Laverna looked so content and happy if she was eating like this every night.

Rom dished up the grilled lamb, and after a few bites, Eris's jittery stomach settled, and she had to admit Laverna was right.

"I can worry about dealing with what I'm going to say to Enzo later. I need to find the palladium, which is where you two come in," Eris said, pointing her knife at them. "No one knows the city better than you two, so I need some ideas on where to start looking."

Rom chewed through a mouthful of lamb before replying. "The palladium has a history of theft and power. Diomedes and Odysseus were told where to find it when it was in Troy, but they only succeeded in stealing the replica. Aeneas, as part of the royal family, had been given the real palladium to protect it. He got it out of the city when the Greeks got behind their walls."

Eris knew most of the tale, but Rom was in storytelling mode, and she wasn't about to stop him. Any information was good, and it had been so long since Eris had thought about any of the old players and what could have happened to the relics of power and protection that had once been a holy part of the ancient world.

Rom topped up their wines before continuing. "The palladium was held in the Temple of Vesta in the forum for centuries, along with other sacredpignora imperii.It was there up until Elagabalus had it moved to his garish cult temple when he was emperor. I lost track of it after that, and the last rumor I heard was that Constantine took it to Turkey when he was founding Constantinople as the new capital. It might still be there. I have people we can check with that deal in antiquities, and it might not hurt to give Hermes a call and see if it was a part of Darius Drakos's collection that they seized."

Laverna nodded at her lover like everything he was saying was a great idea. Eris had seen that sparkle in Laverna's eyes before, and she was definitely biting her cheek to keep from laughing.

"Yes, Rom, you're right. Those sound like excellent ideas," Eris said before she nudged Laverna under the table with the toe of her sandal. "We could do all that,orwe could just ask your beloved here where she has stashed it."

"What? Me?" Laverna said, putting a hand to her chest, eyes going wide with innocence.

Rom's nostrils flared. "You stole the fucking palladium! I can't believe you! No wonder I couldn't sense its presence. You've probably had it sitting in some hole in the catacombs for centuries."

"I took it to keep it safe from that dickbag Elagabalus! He was sacking the city temples. I put a replica in its place and promised the priestesses I would look after it," Laverna snapped back.

Eris smiled at their nonsense. Really, Rom should know better than to be surprised by anything Laverna did at this stage.

"Okay, Laverna, where is it now?" Eris asked her, the ember of hope inside of her fluttering to a flame.

"It's probably where I left it." Laverna sniffed indignantly and picked up her wine. "It's in one of my hordes."

CHAPTER FOUR

Eris had never been inside of Laverna's catacombs. Being so deep under the earth had always made her nervous, and she never would have ventured into them if the Lady of Bones hadn't been there as a guide.

"So, how is it going between you and Rom? Are you living full-time at the villa now?" Eris asked, trying to keep herself distracted so the walls of earth didn't feel as if they were closing in around her.

"We tend to split our time between my place and his, depending on where we are in the city that night. It's weirdly nice to have someone to go home to," Laverna admitted. She was softer than Eris had ever seen her, and when she smiled, it reached her eyes.

"I can't imagine what that is like after hating each other for so long," Eris replied.

Laverna sighed dramatically. "I know. We still argue, but we work it out pretty quickly. He's managed to get through all my defenses, the bastard." They walked in silence a little further before Laverna spoke again. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"As long as it's not some weird sex position that Rom likes," Eris said, making the other goddess's laughter echo through the dark tunnels.

"I would never subject you to that," Laverna said when she finally stopped cackling. "I'm... I'm hearing prayers again. It hasn't really happened in centuries. Since the fight with the witches, something has changed in me. I don't know how to explain it."

"Maybe you are ready to hear from them again, or has the connection you have to the city opened that all back up?" Eris suggested.

Laverna shrugged. "Maybe. I do feel more open since Rom and I got together, and I know Bellona has been hearing hers again too. There has been a change in the air. I probably sound crazy, but it's the only way I can describe it. Now, your curse might have a chance to be lifted, and you actually tried to go on a date. It all seems like things are finally moving again."

"Triedbeing the word. I still feel like an idiot about it, and I have no idea what I am going to say when I see Enzo again," Eris said, letting out a frustrated breath. "I blame Aphrodite's blood in him that made me say yes in the first place."

"Blame his blood if it makes you feel better about it, but I don't judge you for saying yes. He's hot as fuck for a start, and for people like us to feel any kind of connection, even for a second, it's worth it," Laverna said.

"I should have stuck to priests," Eris replied, and they both laughed.

They walked in the darkness for another ten minutes before they came to a heavy iron door. Laverna's power filled the tight space, and she put her hand on the door. Something clanged inside of it, and it swung open.

"Welcome to my horde. Watch where you step. I haven't been into this one for a while," Laverna said and began to light ancient-looking torches and oil lamps.

"This one? How many do you have?" Eris asked, staring wide-eyed at the piles of treasures stacked around her.

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