My heart stopped when I heard the alarm went off and the breach came from Raven's room. I ran hell for leather, cursing every time my legs wouldn't take me to where she is faster. I never really felt any semblance of dislike for these hallways, but right now all I want to do is to tear it down brick by brick until there is no more but rubble.

When I finally reached her room I pushed through my fellow Erinyes and rushed to her side. She is terribly wounded, a telltale of battle that she fought. I gathered her in my arms and that's when she started to sob. Angry, wounded feral sob that she can't seem to contain. I held her tighter and she bury herself further in my embrace until it feels like we've been molded and melted together. Every tremor, every tear that comes from her seems to settle at the pits of my very soul. I can't bare this because while she's breaking down in front of me, my heart keeps on shattering.

"When will this be over?" she managed to ask after a few minutes, her voice small and devoid of its usual strength and confidence, like she's tired and wanted nothing but get this over with, and I know without a doubt that that's exactly what she wants to do. Thick lump formed around my throat, suffocating me. And I refuse to meet that option eye to eye. Not now.

Not ever.

So I hold on to her, keeping myself from shedding tears from the overwhelming realization that, today, I almost lost her again. The pain only grew bigger, eating my insides, mercilessly. But I shoved it down hard and fast all the while trying to comfort Raven "it will be over soon" I whispered at the top of her head, cursing myself for sounding unsure and weak "so we have to keep fighting, until then" at this point I'm reassuring myself more than I'm reassuring her. She cling onto me tighter as her tears get a free reign on every emotion that she's feeling. So I cooed and reassured her over and over even if the words feels empty and hallow.

From the midst of the ruined room an elder Erinyes stepped in who's hundreds of years of being alive doesn't even show on her young appearance and hovered her delicate hands over Ravens head "sleep, child" she said, casting a small golden light radiating warmth and slowly trickling down Raven's wounded body like gold dust suspended in air as it slowly settle down.

Raven did fell a sleep after the first dust peppered her disheveled hair and I supported her weight as she surrendered to the spell.

I looked up at my fellow Erinyes "thank you" I said quietly, although temporary, at least she is momentarily relieved of the pain and the suffering and the agony of another failed attempt to destroy Eris. After all, it's too soon. Too damn soon.

"My spell will not last that long, you better have her cured of her wounds immediately" Lyra said after nodding her head in acknowledgement of my gratitude, her eyes shining against the pale light of the ruined room. Almost a thousand of years of existence and I've never been more thankful to have a half blood in the same room as me. Half Erinyes and half descendant of Chronos, hence the power to induce sleep.

All the other Erinyes moved hastily to cast spells around the whole vicinity, fixing and checking for cracks. Mending holes around the spell and reinforcing it with thicker ones. The chaos and the noise unnoticed by Raven, fast a sleep in my arms. As if she never fought Eris, as if she is not wounded. As if she did not almost died. I clenched my teeth.

I smiled tightly at Lyra and put my hands under Raven's body to carry her out of this mess. Walk away from everyone glancing our way, surely crucifying Raven with their accusations. Well curse them all to Hades and back, I will not let them persecute Raven because she attempted to find away to end Eris for good, if anything, she risked her life and they better think of the scenario just like that. I don't think I'll be able to hold myself back if I hear one godawful word against Raven, my patience is running thin as it is, they better not test it.

I managed to bring Raven in to my room without having to deal with anyone probably because anytime someone looked like they will approach me, I schooled my expression with a threatening glare. I laid her on my bed and tucked her in with my thin blanket, a mere decoration if you ask me since we Erinyes don't feel much cold. Suddenly I feel tired, not from dealing with what happened moments ago but with living. That word sound ridiculous even to me. Have I been living? Or am I just aimlessly existing simply because we're immortal? I release a heavy breath and stared at Raven and took a mental note of how peaceful she looks right now. I feel my heart swell, like I've been dead for too long and now I've been resurrected at a speed so brutally fast that when my consciousness came back it feels like my body slammed back to the ground breaking my bones. I flinched.

I felt it before I realized that I'm crying. My chest heaving with too much emotion I can't seem to control.

Too much anger, too much pain, too much love. Zeus, I love her.

I kneel on the bedside covering my mouth with the palm of my hands, crying like a fucking kid who can't make sense of reality. I want to destroy Eris, tear this goddamn fortress and lash out on everyone for being lousy at security and for feeling superior over Raven just because she's accused of the things she did not mean to do. I want to set this world on fire and take Raven with me while we watch from afar. I want to protect her and keep her safe.

I'm now angry to myself, for not being with her, for not noticing anything and for not being able to help her. But filling myself with all this thoughts is not going to take away Raven's pain now, will it? But knowing this fact doesn't lessen the blow of reality and the damage it created or the weight of the truth that Eris will be back and try to claim Raven's body until she finally succeeds. That alone is enough to send me over the edge of an infinite cliff. What would I have done if Eris won earlier? What chaos will I cause?

I pressed the hills of my palms on my eyes and bit my lower lip, suppressing the tremor that's been trying to claim my entire body. I don't know what is what anymore, either way I tasted the  metallic undertone of blood.

It felt like an hour passed before I was able to stop from crying and it probably look like a murder scene right now with all the tears of blood covering me. I can bet my entire fortune that right now, it looks like someone has been slaughtered. I can't even remember when was the last time I cried like my life is on the line. Looking back, the last time I cried was on her 4th life. Such bitter memory, such painful sight, all of which I tried to forget only to be experienced once again. It is such a mystery, that all the times I felt alive were the time that Raven's soul is at the doorway of death, walking towards it. Only then I realized that I'm alive, because those are the times I wished that death befalls me. What happens after that I do not remember, all of it is such a blur I cannot even fathom how I survived through those godforsaken years.  Countless of times I begged Zeus on my knees to end me, my suffering. I tried ending it myself like a fool, needless to say they were all fruitless.

"Fuck." I hissed. I look like a mess. I better clean myself up before Raven wakes up and sees me looking like a slaughtered pig with all the smeared blood on my face and arms. I stand up and stager lightly with the sudden movement. I need to keep it together, falling apart now will not help Raven in this wretched situation and I want to help her the best I can. While I can.

I clenched my fist as the sudden dread crawled under my skin. It slithered its way through every fiber of my being and made a nest in my chest. Heavy, ruthless and maddening. I reached for a  stray strand of her hair that fell across the bridge of her nose and gently tucked it behind her ear. "Please, do not leave me again," I whispered, my voice sounds so small it doesn't even sound like mine "stay with me longer." I kissed the top of her head and pulled away quietly.

                         =======================================================

Ugh! A Damon POV at long last!

I know, I know, I've  been MIA for a loooong time. But I guess this means I'm back right?

Happy reading my lovely bookworms 😉💕