At first, Apollo's hands on her face were comforting and warm, and Erato was happy to settle into them and receive his blessing. But then he exhaled, long and controlled, and his hands pressed down across her eyes, and she gasped so hard she almost choked.
She did not like this, not at all, not his hands on her face, even though he was Apollo, her Musagetes, and would always be her protector. Her body was tense and tight though, trying to steel herself, because she knew pulling away would only invite pain- but, but Hybris wasn't there anymore. Was she?
"Pain pays the income of each precious thing," Erato groaned, feeling like worms were squirming in her eye sockets, tingling and wriggling. The longer it went, the more it felt like something coming together, and then blooming like flowers, and she cried out in surprise and agony of the soul.