Her free hand curled, almost automatically, over the two that had captured her fingers. Of course Doc was thinking of her. He had a reverence for life and he didn’t want her to suffer, it made perfect sense for him to urge her away from what she knew had to be done. Lately, though, it seemed like there were an awful lot of people taking that path, telling her she was wrong, trying to keep her from doing what her heart told her she had to do.
Was she that wrong? All the time? About everything?
After her recent conversation with Nemesis, Philotes had to admit that perhaps she hadn’t been looking at things from all angles. Her sister had given her a perspective on the coming conflict that she’d not considered on her own, and it had shaken her. It had forced her to change her mind. She didn’t want to change her mind about getting Artemis back though. What Moros would do to her would be an added blow, something that would hurt her friend when she returned and learned what had been done to her body.
Because Artemis would return. Lottie refused, utterly rejected, the idea that Missy was going to stay away. If for no other reason than she’d be anxious to kick Moros’ ass. That thought caused the slightest of smiles, but another little spurt of fear at the same time.
This had to stop. These conflicts. Somewhere, somehow, they had to stop. Friendship just wished she had some idea of how to make that happen.
She squeezed Asklepios’ hand, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to give him any other answer than the one he sought. Not when he said please like that. It wasn’t in her nature to deliberately upset someone, especially not a friend, and she could even see the point the was trying to make. And then Philammon spoke.
Lottie jumped slightly, first because she’d been so focused on the pleading look in Doc’s face that she’d nearly forgotten he was there. But second… because he’d brought up Apollo. Taking a calming breath, she looked at the musician, and without thinking, blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Why hasn’t he done it already?”
Oh. That sounded a little accusing, which was not what she’d meant at all. Friendship hurried to explain. “I mean, if Missy was in trouble, she’d call him. She would. And there’s no way that ‘Pol wouldn’t go. So he had to be there…”
He’d been there. He’d seen. He’d watched Moros kill his twin. There was a sharp twinge of sympathy in her heart for the Shining One. “So he had to be there. And so I bet… I bet that he’s already thinking of how to do it. How to get her back. Right? He wouldn’t leave her with Moros any more than we would. Would he?”
She looked from one brother to the other for confirmation, but she already knew the answer. Apollo loved his sister. And it made her feel better, knowing that somebody would be retrieving Artemis. But on the other hand…
On the other hand, this would just mean more conflict. And possibly more pain for Asklepios and Philammon as well. Moros was not a god to be taken lightly. Especially if he was running around with Akheron, who was utterly brilliant when it came to inflicting pain in the best possible ways. She wanted to relax, but she just couldn’t.