36 | ACT II, SCENE VIII

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P R E V I O U S L Y

"You should thank your stars it wasn't your mother Lord Apollo went after instead, your Grace," the butler finished to ringing silence.

HARTINGTON CASTLE, ALNWICK, STORMHOLT

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HARTINGTON CASTLE, ALNWICK, STORMHOLT.

EDWINA

I FELT SICK.

CLOSING THE door shut, I sat on the bed, dressed for the night. Somehow, something felt wrong. I looked at my palms again. There was a tiny puncture, like a hole, indented innocently in the skin.

How come I had not noticed it before?

Marks of injuries never stayed on gods, except when caused by Bloodstone.

It had never been there... not until my Trials got over at least. I examined the scar closely. Sure enough, there was another one on my left hand as well, hidden in the ridges of my knuckles.

Suddenly, a sharp pain wracked my chest as images flashed in my brain. Needles, so many needles. A man in a white coat, gloved fingers probing at my chest, flopping me back onto brown leather as my hand jerked.

How strange.

The pain passed in a moment, with little waves lulling me into false security. The bird of pain in my chest only seemed to flutter awake when I pressed the scars.

I pulled the string of my robe.

One creamy shoulder exposed itself and I tugged it down, now concerned. I pulled my silk shift down to my waist, leaving my white skin bare in the dim light.

Breathing heavily, I pressed a palm to my chest. Just over my left breast, close to the middle.

The heart.

It was pounding away like a mad animal, over and over and over. Pumping blood to my various organs. So vital, so full of life. I let my fingers slide down slightly.

There it was.

Another scar, just over my heart.

I was worried beyond measure now, observing it. It was like a faded white line, slashed across my chest. If I closed my eyes, I could only imagine the tight nubs of stitches holding torn skin together. Horrified, I opened them again to just find the scar. It was peculiar, especially the position.

As if someone had cut my heart open and sewn it back together.

I placed a hand on the warm skin, feeling my heartbeat. It seemed surreal, as if I was half expecting it to be gone.

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