Page 56 of Becoming Monsterous

Ellie

"It's going to be different this time," Morpheus reassures me as one of the summoners begins to open a portal. "We'll be together. They'll bring us in and take us out."

"And if they don't?" I eye the summoners nervously. "Sure, I can try to make them open the portals back up, but... I don't know yet if I can do that."

It's one thing to harness my new powers in order to find out where Aaron was hiding, or accidentally turn Lise into a cupid. But what he's talking about—taking someone's free will away—is entirely different.

I want to be a different kind of goddess of love. The actuallylovingkind. Not an abusive piece of shit who forces people to do whatever she wants through manipulation and deceit.

Though I have to admit, the summoners do deserve to have their hands forced. Even these summoners, who are supposedly on our side.

"I'm sure that if it comes to it, you'll figure out your powers and get us back home."

These encouraging words come from Aleron, who has been oddly bright and cheery lately. It's unsettling.

Morpheus is the one who found the group of pro-monster summoners. He, along with Lise and Madame Renoire, went into their dreams to make sure they were telling the truth about their loyalties.

As far as I can tell they are. Threads of respect and admiration, a kind of cousin of love, trail off them and stretch towards us. A few of the summoners are wary of Angus, whoisunusually large and muscular, and they give Aleron wide berth. But none give me the same heebie jeebie feeling the Magistrate always has.

There are three of them, which means we now have a group of five summoners who can be counted on to help us in the war. A paltry sum—but they can help us get in and out of the Shadow Realm.

At least, until I throw open the gates.

Something I'm realizing with a churning gut that I'll have to actually do soon.

Or not do, if it comes to it.

"The portal is ready." The summoner who's manning the job for us is a tall, lanky woman by the name Sian, with bright red freckles and orange-red hair. "All we have to do is walk through. I'll go through last—that way I can close it from the other side."

Aleron gives her a look that would peel paint off a wall. "We know how to use a portal, thank you."

I hold back my amusement. The woman looks a little fearful, which is good, hopefully. Just as long as she doesn't becomesofearful of us that she decides the Magistrate is right and switches sides.

Madame Renoire goes through first. She gives me a nod of her head as she walks by me, her single wing folded against her back. I feel a surge of respect towards her—and I'm reassured by the strong bonds of loyalty that come off her and towards us.

At least one of the summoners is definitely on our side.

Make that two. Lise feels more like a monster than a summoner to me these days, but she's still able to perform spells, even as a cupid. She's even tinted her eyes gold again and found a way to hide her wings under shirts so she still passes as the cursed summoner she was before. I watch her go through the portal, then turn to the others.

"Well?" I raise a brow at the two remaining summoners. "After you."

No way in hell am I turning my back on them.

These two are both men, named Caleb and Prince. Caleb is as pale as Prince is dark, and both are quiet and relatively hard to read. If it weren't for my powers of love, which reveals that they have strong respect, admiration, and evenworshipfor us, I'd think they were risky to bring with us.

The worship is for me. That becomes clear as they walk past us through the portals, and the tangles of their emotions run out.

None of this group of summoners, other than Lise and Renoire, are supposed to know that I have Aphrodite's powers now. Lise because I trust her—Renoire because she figured it out on her own. Despite that, they seem to be willing to worship me, which is... intense.

"I'll go in front," Angus declares. "Aleron, Morpheus, take up the back. Protect Ellie."

As he goes through, Morpheus leans in to reassure me. "He's just being dramatic. This is a very safe mission—we're just scouting for information, after all."

Information on how we'll open up the gates and release all the monsters on Earth.

Information like: where's the best place to view the gates from, which part of the Shadow World has the most monsters, how long before World War III breaks out after the monsters are released on Earth. Stuff like that.

As we cross through, Aleron casually tells me, "We don't have to let them all out, you know. The gates are spelled for each house—six in total. You may be able to partially open them."

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