“Did you bring her here? Did your territory take her magic as it did mine?”
“It's only a siphon.” He went back to kissing my hand and started working his way up my inner arm. “I'm the one who takes the magic.”
My blood went cold. This was starting to sound familiar.
“You can't take another god's magic,” I said.
“The Mirror could.” He grinned cockily. “And now, I am the Mirror. I pulled Nemesis in and took her magic. She died instantly.”
“But you didn't take mine,” I murmured as I internally freaked out.
Poor Nemesis; she'd only been trying to do her job. And poor Morpheus; he had lost yet another family member. And the Fates; they had to be dead too. On top of that, another god had manifested the ability to steal magic from other gods. Damn it all!
“I'm only holding your magic; keeping it safe,” Narcissus assured me as he used my arm to pull me closer. “Behave, and I'll return it to you.”
I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat. I had no misconceptions over his idea of behaving.
“I'm not having sex with you,” I repeated firmly.
“Then I shall keep your magic,” he said simply and withdrew.
My breath returned to normal, and I calmed enough to think again. “Did you kill Hestia, Hera, and Hephaestus too?”
“That sounds like a nursery rhyme.” Narcissus chuckled. “Hestia, Hera, and Hephaestus. Or a tongue twister.”
“Did you? And the Moirai? If you killed the Fates, Narcissus, we could all suffer for it.”
“Would you like to go for a swim?” He asked. “Or how about a massage?”
“Did you kill them, Narcissus?!”
“Yes!” He shouted.
I didn't flinch. I just stared at him.
“Those bastards put me in the Mirror,” he sneered. “I knew you had weakened Hera so I went after her first. She was easy, and her magic—the little of it that you left her with—strengthened me. I was able to grab Hephaestus next. And then I was more than strong enough for Hestia. Next, I'm going after Apollo.”
I knew it. I nearly said something, but I kept it together. If he did go after Apollo, Athena might still be able to lock onto him and catch a ride into his territory. Except, that might kill her too. Would Narcissus automatically take Athena's magic when she passed through his mirror-border? Damn. I didn't know what to do.
“I tracked you on Olympus,” I said carefully. “Your trail just disappeared. I know now that you took Hestia through her mirror, but your trail didn't lead to her mirror.”
“Is that a question?” He smirked at me.
“I'm just curious about how you managed to disappear scent-wise before you entered the mirror. Care to enlighten me?”
“I don't know about scent.” Narcissus shrugged. “If I had to guess, I'd say it's because I was consuming her power as I took her. Maybe our scents blended for a moment.”
I let that process and then asked the question I'd been building up to. “What about the Fates?”
Narcissus grimaced.
“Narcissus?”
“Their magic is different,” he muttered. “I can't consume it; it waits in my mirror along with yours. They're how I knew I could bring you here without killing you.”
“Then they're alive? They're here?”
“Yes, but I won't let you see them, Vervain,” Narcissus said firmly.
“Fine.” I held up a hand. “I'm just glad to know they're alive.”
Narcissus' expression went pensive. “I'd gladly share my territory with you,” he whispered. “If I command it to, it will listen to you; provide you with whatever you desire.”
“I have my own territory, Narcissus. I know how they work.”
“Not like mine,” Narcissus said with a secret smile. “My territory is like the Mirror, it holds the power of illusion. I can create anything from nothing; whole landscapes in seconds. I can even change my appearance to anything you wish.”
Narcissus was suddenly more muscular, his face more chiseled and less feminine. Basically, more the type of man I'm attracted to. But I still wasn't attracted. I'd seen this trick before, except when Morpheus had pulled it on me, he had shifted into my husbands. That had been far more disturbing.
“If you want a tropical beach”—Narcissus waved a hand and the room was replaced by a golden beach with turquoise waves softly caressing the shore—“you can have it. If you'd prefer a mountain cabin”—another wave, and we were standing on a wide plateau covered in wildflowers with a massive log cabin behind us; smoke wisping from its chimney—“you can have that too. Anything you wish for—from the smallest bauble to the most magnificent palace—can be yours. Go ahead; try it. Wish for something.”
“I wish I had my magic back.”
Narcissus grimaced at me as the scenery shifted back to the receiving room. “Wish for something illusionary,” he amended. “Something my mirror magic can give you.”
“I wish I had a whiskey sour,” I said dryly.
A glass of golden-brown liquid appeared in my hand. I frowned at it and then took a sip. It was good; sweet and sharp. I grimaced at it anyway.
“If you truly want to win me over, try not killing people. That may work,” I suggested.
Narcissus looked me over slowly. “You will look more favorably on me if I don't kill Apollo?”
“If you don't kill anyone,” I clarified.
“Well, that's a large request.” Narcissus squished up his face in consideration. “How will you show me your improved regard?”
“Not with sex!” I snapped.
“I know.” He held up his hands again. “But how? Will you go swimming with me in the lake; without clothes?”
“No.”
“Apollo's life isn't worth a naked swim?”
“Promise me that you'll stay away from all of my loved ones,” I countered. “My husbands, my boyfriend, my lions, my children, my family, and the Froekn. Do that, and I'll swim with you, and then we can barter for the Olympians.”
Sorry, Apollo, but I wanted my family safe first.
“Deal.”
“Break your word, and nothing you do will ever win me over.”
“Understood,” Narcissus said solemnly. “I vow that I will not kill or even hurt your loved ones.”
“Very well.”
“Excellent!” Narcissus grabbed my hand and
