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Clearly in the span of an hour, the minor cut I had on my arm had turned into me losing it entirely.

Yes, I’d shoved a chariot full of three people and led by two dolphins out of the way with a blast of water seconds before the mine went off. But that was just my job.

I didn’t need praise for protecting my people. For doing what I’d been trained to do. What I wassupposedto do before my brother decided flopping about on land for the rest of his life seemed fun.

After shaking off a small crowd of well-wishers, I made my way back to our private rooms, damn near running to get me closer to fresh water.

I turned the corner quickly and had to skirt to a stop.

There was a crowd gathering around the door to our suite, multiple guards whispering like school children about a piece of gossip.

“What’s going on?” I asked, harsher than I intended. But I was exhausted.

The bravest of them—Ann—took charge. “There’s been a bit of an incident.”

A low grumble sounded in my throat. “I’ve already had one of those today. What is it?”

Whatever courage Ann fled and she dropped my gaze. I knew I was imposing and Daphne always teased me for being scary when I got mad, but for Zeus’s sake, was it that bad?

Someone’s voice sounded from the crowd. “SomeonetoldDaphneyoudied.”

Whatever they said went in one ear and out the other. “What?”

That question was met with dead silence.

I took a breath. Hoping it would dispel the urge to clock two of their heads together. The last time I felt like this, I’d been the person in charge of training them.

Ann spoke up again. “Someone told Daphne you died.”

That had to be a joke. So I made one back. “So you’re telling me she’s in there jumping around for joy?”

Masks slammed down on the faces of everyone in front of me, the nervousness making way for something close to dread.

“No,” Ann said crisply, her eyes hardening behind her thick-rimmed glasses.

And that’s when all humor fled my body like it was being chased away by a shark.

I strode toward the door on a mission, almost knocking someone over. I reminded myself to actually use the door handle instead of smashing through the wood at the last second.

When I opened the door, I didn’t know whether to fall to my knees or laugh.

Daphne was pacing back and forth, eyes on the floor in front of her as Avery chased her around the room trying to get her attention.

“Lady Athena, would you stop for just one second,” he begged. She ignored him. “Please, Daphne.”

There was no breaking her out of her trance. Nothing Avery said would pierce that veil.

I shut the door, trying not to shock her. I had no idea what was going on.

The sound must have been loud. Or maybe it was just different than Avery’s cries, because Daphne stopped in her tracks.

She looked up at me then and let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh. “Great, now I’m hallucinating.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, but she ignored me. Just turned back to Avery and said, “I’m hallucinating.”

“Daphne, what are you talking about?” I asked again, this time my voice turning desperate. Her body was shaking violently.

Daphne's eyes found mine, but they were completely devoid of recognition or the warmth I’d come to crave in them. I even missed the barely contained rage that had been so present since she’d returned. “Oh good, you can talk too.”