A psychic, two witches, and a Goddess sat together with a lion curled at their feet, its breath steaming in rhythmic clouds.

  Perhaps predictably, Eli found himself struck by her beauty, though he really did not want to let it show.

  She wore a sundress the color of noon sky, with a sash of salmon and coral around her waist. Simple, elegant rose-quartz and gold jewelry—rings on a couple fingers, a pendant at her throat.

  "How can we help you?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

  They were a fearsome clash of color. Epic battles of shining coral warred against dying blues, vermillion locked in deep, soul-entangling love with glowing plum hearts of incandescent rose-quartz. Islands of abyssal-dark pupils punctured neat holes in her mirrors of passion.

  "Ah, that's business," Venus said. "I prefer to start my mornings with pleasure." She leered at him, then at Isla, who went bright red. "Unless you two have… already?"

  Eli's eyes went flat. "Rea—"

  "That's not really any of your business, is it?" Isla pressed back.

  "Of course it is!" Venus laughed. "I am Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Romance. Who else's business would it be?" She extended a hand to Isla.

  No one moved or answered.

  "You know what brutes all idiot boys are." The hand of Venus came to her own chest. "I just assumed you would have given in by now."

  "Excuse me?" Isla snapped. An odd weight settled in Eli's chest.

  "I just mean," Venus continued. “You are gorgeous, stunning really and he's not exactly…,” perfect lips went straight, “in any case you must know no man could ever provide you the intimacy that I can," she said, “why settle?”

  The weight solidified into neutron star lead.

  Lilith cackled quietly at the head of the table, the stone atop her staff catching the vibrant on the horizon.

  "I love your hair, by the way," Venus pivoted. "Your torrents of burnished copper and molten amber are like autumn leaves kissed by the dying sun's most ardent flames."

  Isla's face went pale and she turned to Eli.

  Emerald met turquoise.

  "Th—thank you," she stammered. "I like your dress. It's a very nice blue."

  "It's cerulean," Venus corrected, joyously unperturbed.

  Eli let out a stifled chuckle.

  "Does manipulating these children give you validation?" Lilith croaked. "For submitting?"

  "La," the Goddess sang in response. "Aphrodite is a goddess of society, after all, and societies change."

  "Indeed," Lilith said ,heat building despite the morning chill, "Though I wonder how many of those cultures would have been willing to strip themselves the way you have in favor of your husbands."

  Venus gleamed daintily to the witch.

  "Okay, okay." Eli raised his hands to the two ancient beings. "Let's start over." He looked around the table. Venus beamed at him. Lilith raised her silver brows and scoffed. Isla gave an indifferent shrug.

  "My name is Eli," he said. "What would you like us to call you?"

  "Aphrodite," she said immediately.

  "But you just called yourself Venus," Isla protested, then. “And I am Isla.”

  "That name is so… sterile now," Aphrodite said. "There is only cold ferromancy associated with that name, no heat of love at all." Perfect teeth showed, “it is a pleasure to meet you Isla.”

  "Okay," Eli came back. "It's nice to meet you. I've heard a lot of… uh… good things." He stammered.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Something flickered across her face, but she smiled at him all the same.

  “I am nothing if not passionate,” Aphrodite sang with a huge smile, “how lucky are you to fall in the graces of Aphrodite,” she said. "What do you desire for the Stone, my blossoms?" She finished, getting to the point.

  Silence. The first birds began their tentative calls in the distance.

  "No one," the Goddess purred, "and I mean no one, can do what I can." she propositioned Eli. Isla clenched her fist.

  "Uh," Eli said, "No…thank you. Uh. For offering" He coughed. Isla's hands disappeared from the table. Something flickered in those sunset eyes.

  "Before we have any serious conversation about any of this," Eli said, "I need to know if Are—" He stopped himself as Isla grabbed his hand beneath the table.

  Aphrodite raised an eyebrow and looked between them.

  "Is the, uh, the God of War… the Horseman?" Eli managed.

  "Mars has changed," Aphrodite said, her sublimity turning steely. "The growing interest in his world changed his perspective on this one. He fascinates over your world just as you do his."

  "And why exactly should we trust you?" Lilith interjected, practically screeching. "Even if what you imply is true, should the stories about you have the same veritas, it would not be hard to imagine you cast as the Whore of Babylon."

  Isla sucked in a breath and Eli's eyes went very wide.Their grip tightened. Something thrummed loudly where his ear met his neck.

  "I suppose some of that is fair," Aphrodite gleamed. "The stories of my children have defined emperors and gods alike. Great warriors and kings that could rival even the stars themselves." A perfect leer came across her face. "What about your children?"

  A predator's toothy smile came over Lilith and her eyes became pearly and reflective. The ancient witch did not otherwise move or speak.

  "The Stone of the Morning Star rightly belongs to me." Aphrodite leaned back, sipping a coppery mimosa that caught the first rays of dawn.

  "I agree," Eli admitted, "but do you understand the risk for us? If the Horseman gets the Stone?"

  "Mars would not want such a Rapture to occur," Aphrodite said.

  "Ah. Right," Eli hedged. "But… um… you weren't always Aphrodite either."

  "What are you trying to imply?" Aphrodite said, quartz in her voice. "Why would I want to make the mortal world barren? I simply wish to regain the passions of Inanna."

  "I…well…that’s my po—" Eli stammered. Isla's presence warmed as she inched closer.

  "Knock it off," Lilith croaked. "You may hope people will forget that Inanna gave into the temptation of power to descend to Astarte, but they won't."

  Eli and Isla looked at each other over their shoulders. They shook their heads at each other in quick denials.

  "Is that what you think that was?" Aphrodite hissed. "The Proud Scapegoat demonized me, used me only to destroy when I was always meant to bring life too."

  "Oh, cease your whining, harlot," Lilith said. "You are no better than he, are you?"

  Aphrodite stood suddenly, as did Lilith. “I saw it the moment you sat down, but your complete hypocrisy to your own past confirms it - you need a new mirror” A glamorous grin returned.

  Onyx misted around Lilith’s staff as the eastern sky began to glow with ambrosia.

  "I will find the three of you in the evening. You will have for me what you covet in exchange for the Stone.” she said haughtily, ”I am willing to let you enjoy the rest of my breakfast."

  The lion rose and gave a bullish huff. Little neat holes formed in the earth in front of it where it breathed.

  "Though I must say it is true that I do not handle rejection well," Ishtar said. "Just ask Gilgamesh."

  Then they were gone, leaving only the scent of roses and copper in the cold morning air.

  “Her reaction was deranged.” Lilith said as she opened the picnic basket moments later.

  “Of course it was,” Isla snapped. “Look at what you were accusing her of.”

  “Excuse me?” the ancient witch barked.

  “You first accused her of having absolutely no agency in any of her decisions simply based on her lifestyle and choice of partners?” Isla said.”But then accused her of choosing to take the temptation of power deliberately?“

  “Her reaction alone confirmed my suspicions," Lilith continued

  “Why?” Isla asked. “Were you there?”

  “No, of course not, foolish girl, if Astarte were truly as out of control of herself as she claims,” Lilith said, “ then how can she be sure that events unfolded as she remembers?” Lilith asked “For what purpose would Aphrodite be so invasive if not simply to manipulate you?”

  Both of them were quiet.

  “I…I don't know,” Isla hedged, “she seemed really upset.”

  “You are not paying enough attention to what she is not saying,” Lilith said. “She did not outright deny her nor her suitor’s connections to War,”

  “But you are not listening to what she did say,” Eli said. “She said Mars has changed an–”

  “No she didn’t” Lilith crackled. “She said his perspective changed.” the witch drank. “The face of that dead world is rusted over in the iron of mortal blood.” she said. “She did not say he would not do it.”

  Isla frowned.

  “I believe her,” Eli said simply. “What does she gain by admitting she lost complete control of herself?” Eli shifted. “All she wants is her passions back? Is that so bad?”

  “Then you are stupider than you look boy,” Lilith said. “Look at her past,”she said. “She was a fearsome warrior, a Goddess of War as much as Love,” she said, “a seductress, a manipulator as well as a destroyer.”

  “But, as a culture-sensitive, mortal-adjacent Goddess,” Eli said, “Aphrodite serves the least to gain and the most to lose by any kind of Rapture.”

  “That is exactly what the Whore would want you to think.”

  Isla went pale. Lilith shook her head and turned to her directly.

  “I hope you do not let this foolish boy’s idealism of Love infect you too, girl” Lilith scoffed.

  Who exactly was reduced to nothing more than a slave to their genitals? Who exactly was taking who's agency?

  basic human decency? Who treated who like a sex doll?

  Three hospitals. Tens of thousands of dollars.

  Who took advantage of who?

  WHAT ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED?

  I never doubted you were a man until now.

  Go look in the fucking mirror.