Chapter 3

The pain came in waves, each one worse than the last. I grabbed onto Adrian's sleeve with everything I had.

"What was in those pastries? Please, get a priest. Please."

Adrian's face went white, but he didn't move.

"You're just a mistress. No priest will see you."

My voice cracked as I begged. "Then go beg. Get on your knees. I don't want anything anymore. Not a title, not your family's money. I'll take the baby and leave, and you'll never see me again. Just please."

He turned his face away and said nothing.

I had nothing left to lose. "Adrian, I'm telling you the truth. I'm a goddess. I'm Aphrodite. Go to the temple right now and ask the priests. They'll know me on sight."

He turned to look at me, disbelief in his eyes. Then it turned to disgust.

"After everything, you're still making up lies? Even lying should have some limits."

He shook off my hand and turned to leave. At the door, he only said one thing.

"It's just a miscarriage. It won't kill you."

The moment the door slammed shut, I curled up on the cold floor and felt that small, fragile life slip away from inside me, piece by piece.

I never knew mortal pain could feel like this.

Just before dawn, someone kicked the door open from outside.

Calista stood in the doorway, two servants behind her. She looked down at me, covered in blood, and her mouth curved into a smile.

"Adrian gave up the baby himself. I only said a word or two. You should be grateful. Even if it had lived, I'd have taken it and raised it myself. It's better this way."

I didn't even have the strength to lift my eyes.

She tilted her chin at the servants behind her. They came forward, pried my jaw open, and forced a bowl of medicine down my throat.

I tried to spit it out, but they held my jaw locked tight and wouldn't let me move.

Calista crouched down and patted my face, dripping with contempt.

"This is cursed ash from the temple of Ares. A body as low as yours will never carry a child again."

"I have two more days until my wedding. I need to go try on that crown. Excuse me."

She leaned down and pulled a ring off her belt, dangling it in front of my eyes.

It was Adrian's mother's family signet ring. I'd seen it once before. He told me it was meant for his true wife.

Now it sat on her hand.

Whatever warmth I had left in my heart went cold for good.

She turned to leave, then paused like she'd just remembered something. "Oh, and this house is a gift from Adrian too. You have no right to stay here without my permission. But since you're too weak to move right now, I'll let you stay a few more days."

I went still.

Adrian had told me he bought this house himself, as compensation for me. Even that had been a lie.

I clenched my fists and called out to her, my voice hoarse. "Calista, I hear Adrian asked Aphrodite's temple for the goddess's crown, for you."

She stopped walking. "What's that got to do with you?"

"The crown only answers to a true heart. It won't tolerate calculation. If you wear it with a scheme in your mind, it will punish you, day and night. I'm sure the priests already told you that."

Her face flickered, then she forced a cold laugh. "A mistress who can't even show her face in public, and now you're cursing people."

"I'm not cursing you." I stared at her. "I'm warning you out of kindness. Go to the temple before the wedding and ask the goddess for forgiveness while there's still time. If you don't believe me, the crown will give you your answer on the wedding day."

She stared at me for a long moment. Something close to panic flashed in her eyes, quick and hard to catch. But she said nothing more, turned, and left with her servants.

Once her footsteps faded completely, I reached into my collar and pulled out a small shell, the one my father had pressed into my hand before I left the temple.

He'd told me if I ever couldn't hold on anymore, to crush it.

He would send someone to bring me home.

I used the last of my strength and crushed the shell in my palm.

A faint gold light slipped out from between my fingers, drifting out the window, disappearing into the night, heading toward the sea.