Page 50 of Voices in the Stars (The Lost Witch #1)

It was brighter than I expected, lanterns lighting every corner of the large room we entered.

A balcony loomed over us. It curved out into a seating area before continuing along the wall, ending in a set of stairs.

A chill crept along my spine at the image of Atlas hiding there as a boy.

Dark curtains hung along the large windows next to us.

One doorway off to our side led to a sitting area.

It was just as lit up as the room we were in now.

The corner of a couch was visible along with rows of filled bookshelves.

On the other side it led to what looked like a dining area.

There were no lights in it, leaving me to guess off the faint outline of what looked like a large table surrounded by chairs.

Something went sailing by my face. I jumped back into Atlas, sucking in a gasp, the same moment the knife sunk into the wall next to me. There was a laugh followed by footsteps charging toward us. My head snapped to the doorway, body tensing as a woman appeared in it.

Her face was pulled into a wide smile that quickly dropped.

It was enough for me to see the set of fangs.

She had long, brown hair that was braided straight down her back, resting against a dark blue dress.

Short antlers branched out from the top of her head.

My attention was quickly stolen by her eyes.

They were solid black. No white, no color, just two black pits that seemed locked onto me and Atlas.

“Holy shit,” she muttered, walking into the room with us. “Dad, he actually came back!” she yelled out, crossing her arms.

It was only obvious that she was looking over me by the way her head followed the movements her eyes should’ve made. I fought against a shudder as she seemed to settle on me.

“Hello to you, too, Ivy,” Atlas commented, moving out from behind me.

Her smile returned as she wrapped him in a hug. “What am I supposed to think when my brother disappears? You were supposed to be back days ago.”

“That I would never let family down,” Atlas said as he returned her hug.

“Welcome home.” A deep voice boomed from above us.

My brain felt like it was spinning as my gaze moved up to the balcony where a man was leaning across the railing, staring down at us.

At me, in particular. His eyes were black, just like Ivy’s, but I could feel his gaze raking over me.

His lips were twisted into a smile. He had two twisted horns that branched out into antlers at the base, which almost looked like a twisted crown around the top of his head.

Brown hairs were twirled and tied into them.

Besides this, he looked exactly like Atlas. My stomach churned as I stared at him.

“You’ve been missed,” Eris continued, talking to Atlas but refusing to look at him.

“I appreciated the welcome wagon you sent for me,” Atlas commented.

“Well, I would’ve hated for you to be met with anymore…” There was a pause as he finally turned his head toward his son. “…unfortunate delays.”

“So, you have received my letters,” Atlas remarked, crossing his arms.

Eris nodded as he turned, making his way down to us. “Of course. I would hate for you to lose such a precious package.”

He moved until he was standing in front of me. They way he looked over me felt more violating than the fingers digging out my memories. My hands were shaking as I pulled the edges of my cloak tighter together.

“It’s nice to have you here again, Nari.” A smirk twisted his face as he glanced at Atlas after he said her name.

I waited for it to trigger some sense of recognition inside me but there was nothing. Eris’ look faded away when Atlas didn’t do as much as flinch at the name. Atlas just stared back at Eris with his own smile. Eris cocked a brow before turning back to me.

“It’s wonderful being home again. At least, as close to it as I can get. I wonder if anyone has started rebuilding the temple yet.”

I didn’t know where the words came from, but a sharp, stinging pain across my cheek quickly reminded me of where I was.

My hand reached up to where the pain radiated.

Eris’ face twisted into a smug expression.

There was quiet giggling from where Ivy and Atlas stood.

Fire stoked to life inside my chest. I tried to subtly suck in deep breaths to cool it off, the heat pulsing down my arms. Eris did nothing but slowly blink at me before turning to walk through the doorway into the sitting room.

“We’re going to have so much fun now that you’re home,” Ivy said with a laugh, grabbing my arm.

I was able to quickly glance at Atlas as I was being dragged into the next room. His nails were digging into his arms. An apology quickly flashed across his eyes before the emotions were wiped as he followed us.

Eris was sitting on a large couch with a glass of something red that he was taking slow drinks out of.

With a push into the center of the room, Ivy took a seat next to him.

Atlas stayed by the doorway, leaning against it.

He was acting calm, but his eyes were rapidly darting until they landed on something next to the couch.

His lips jerked down in a quick frown before straightening once again.

My eyebrows furrowed as I followed his gaze.

A gasp left me, hands slapping against my mouth as I stumbled to the side. There was a crumpled body lying in the corner of the room. Blood seeped from them, staining the wood floor.

“He showed up on my doorstep, telling some very interesting lies about my son,” Eris explained calmly, like he was just talking to me about the morning’s sunrise.

“Seems he got exactly what was coming to him, then,” Atlas joined in.

I couldn’t focus on their conversation as my eyes were stuck on him.

Particularly on the uniform they were wearing.

It was the same as all the other men Eris had working for him.

What caught my eye was the necklace barely visible on the back of their neck.

My eyes widened as I realized who I was staring at.

It was the man who saw us kissing in the forest. He had run when Atlas was distracted by me collapsing.

I tried to make eye contact with Atlas, but he was turned to his family.

A small smile on his face as they continued their conversation.

I tried to keep my breathing even as I could feel myself starting to panic.

There was no doubt in my mind about what Atlas and I would be facing.

I just wasn’t expecting to feel completely alone while we did it.

It felt like I was on display here for his family’s amusement.

“Maybe you should have a drink, brother,” Ivy commented, gesturing toward the man.

Atlas shook his head. “One of us needs to be able to blend in with the people of this city.”

“Remind me again of why that is,” Eris questioned, staring at Atlas over the rim of his drink. A drink that looked oddly thick as it sloshed against the edges of the glass.

“Who would’ve been able to bring Nari here when all of Feycrest ran from them in fear?” Atlas asked instead.

“Your sister. Who would’ve returned days ago.” Eris glared at him. There was a pause in their conversation as the two of them stared at each other. It didn’t last long until Eris turned his attention back to me. “All that matters now is that she is here.”

His slow smile sent chills racing down my spine. The fire in me pooled at my hands, just waiting for the moment I needed to call on it. My breathing came easier with its response. Even if I felt alone, I was no longer defenseless. Hopefully.

“I sure hope you’re ready,” Eris commented.

“I’m sure I will be, once you tell me why I’m here,” I remarked, bracing myself for another slap.

It didn’t come. Instead, a laugh bounced around the room. It seemed foreign as it came from Eris. His face was twisted in what was the closest thing to joy I was sure he could’ve managed.

“What happened to the scared little girl from before?” he asked, leaning toward me.

“Crazy what watching your family burn can do to someone,” I remarked instead, feeling the years of anger I had taken from me come rushing back .

One moment I was standing on my own, the next Eris was in my face.

His fingers were wrapped around my throat, holding me up.

My toes barely touched the ground as my hands clawed at him.

My breaths were forced gasps that I could barely suck down.

No one else around us moved. Ivy stayed on the couch, her own twisted grin forming as she watched.

Atlas was grinding his teeth as his eyes were glued to me.

Just as quickly as I was picked up, I was thrown onto the ground, gasping for breath. My neck throbbed as I glared up at the smirking man.

“Hopefully you’re done playing stupid now,” Eris commented as he sat back down. “Call them.”

“Who?” I questioned, standing on shaking legs.

My eyes were glued to him as I waited for any more quick movements. Instead, he rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t care who you pick. Just call one here.” He ground the words out between his teeth.

The tension weighed heavily in the room as we all waited in silence. He was watching me, waiting for me to do something. I couldn’t help just standing there, blinking at him as I waited for him to say anything else.

“The gods, witch,” Atlas finally chimed in. “Bring one of them here to us.”

My mouth dropped open as I looked over at him. That’s why I was brought here. The laugh that came from me felt like it was ripped out. I could barely control my fire, and they wanted me to rip the gods from their homes and bring them here?

“How do you want me to accomplish that? Ask them nicely? They won’t listen to me,” I said, hoping they would see the truth in my words.

There was a loud crash from behind me, causing me to jump forward. The glass Eris had was now in pieces along the ground. A metallic smell wafted from the red liquid that slid down the wall.

“Enough!” he yelled, pointing a finger at me. “That is the one thing your damn coven was good for. They will listen to you. I expect you to call them to you.”

“I don’t know how,” I tried instead. If he was telling the truth, that knowledge was still locked away .

“Then we’ll help you remember. I’m nothing if not a patient man.” He nodded his head to Ivy before reclining back on the couch.

A smile once again twisted along his face as Ivy stood.

She danced around me, her own smile growing as she looked over me.

I ripped my attention from her to look at Atlas, pleading for his help.

He was watching his own sister, arms tense.

His body jerked forward the same moment searing pain burned down my back.

A scream tore through me as I crumbled to the ground.