Basically The Shoreline of Hades, Day 138 A.F

The ship was far larger than I remembered, looming from the sea like a mountain. While the Atlantian crafting was breathtaking, Aphrodisia was made all the more terrifying by the knowledge of what dwelled inside, likely awaiting our attack, expecting it.

I doubted Matthew bothered to block our Calls before he disappeared. The Lovers' -We will love you. In our own way- rang at a deafening volume, leading me to believe they could hear the five of us, just as acutely.

Matthew had abandoned us, without even offering us the luxury of surprise. Although I was angry, I could hardly say I was shocked by his deserting. In his own way he'd told me, almost saying goodbye. But betrayal still stung whenever I wondered where he'd gone.

"They'll know we're coming, but Enki's cloaking will still keep us hidden," Gabriel said. "They'll keep waiting for an attack that will never come. As least as far as they're concerned. Are we ready?"

I glanced towards Enki. He'd been silent since morning, not even responding to Tybira's jeers. He only nodded at the Archangel, and returned his unfocused gaze to the ship.

"The wolves are ready," Tybira informed, patting Romulus's shaggy head. "And I'll do whatever I can with the bow."

"Claws ready." I glanced at my ten deadly thorns. They were all I'd get to work with; I didn't trust my control with my spores, and Aphrodisia was docked far from any useful plants."

"Then let's get my ship back," Cyp growled, eyeing the vessel with a desperate possessiveness and devotion. He wasn't in this for Gabriel, or even for me, but to honor the Atlantian fishing boat that towered above the waves.

"I'm coming for you, Lotan. Hold on," Gabriel breathed, flaring his wings. "Let's go."

We knew the plan. We knew the risks. We knew the necessity of taking the ship. That didn't change the rock growing in my stomach with every step towards Aphrodisia. Could we really succeed? Could we all make it off the boat alive, with Lotan in tow? Was I truly just a fool to risk so much for Gabriel?

"Hide us, Velos." Cyprian drew his sword, glaring at the entrance, mere steps from us.

Enki swallowed, closing his eyes. When he opened them, that glint of magic twinkled. He smiled, lips moving in a noiseless chant. For several moments we waited, expecting something breathtaking to happen. Nothing did. Sweat beaded off Enki's forehead, but he never slowed his chanting.

"He can't do it," Cyp hissed.

Tybira shook her head. "He promised me he could."

The Magician's brow furrowed, chant loudening until I could make out words in a language I'd never heard. Finally he stopped, panting. "There."

I looked down, my knees nearly giving out. Beneath my eyes was only ground. No legs. No body. I turned to my companions, but they too were invisible. When I looked back to Enki, he'd vanished as well. "Amazing, Enki. Freaky, but amazing."

"Yes, but let's go before he loses his hold on it," Gabriel's voice advised.

What was scarier than entering Aphrodisia, was the feeling of entering it completely alone. Constantly I needed to remind myself that my allies were with me, walking in at my sides.

"Flower?" whispered Cyp's voice. "Where are you?"

"Here." I felt him shifting, brushing up against me until he found my hand, squeezing it. While I couldn't see him, I knew the heat of his palms, the callouses of his thumbs as they tickled the back of my hand. While it did little to calm my racing heart, it grounded me, a tether holding me through the disorientation of Enki's illusion.

We didn't dare speak. We hadn't been spotted, but that was no reason to be bold. We just needed to find wherever it was the Lovers held Lotan, and get out.

As we turned a corner, we came to an abrupt halt. My stomach turned: Red and Nose leaned against the wall.

"The Lord said they'd show," Nose rubbed his namesake.

Red shrugged. "When? No brother of ours would be stupid enough to show his face after what he did to Shehm."

"Don't question the Lord. If he says they'll come, then they'll come."

While I wanted to hear more, hoping they just might reveal Lotan's location, Cyprian pulled me away. Had he found a clue? We couldn't afford to aimlessly wander the entire ship. How long could Enki hold out?

As if in response to my doubts Enki's voice bit out "hurry. Tired." He was desperate enough to speak?

Someone hissed at him to quiet, though I couldn't tell who.

We passed through tapestry-lined corridor after tapestry-lined corridor. Aphrodisia was a labyrinth I was sure we'd never escape. But Cyprian's pull on my hand never waved as he easily navigated the twisting turns.

The corridor opened to the main hall where we'd first been introduced to the Lovers Most Perverse. Just as they were all those days ago, Myra and Melville reclined on their twin thrones. Well, not the real Myra and Melville. Their clones. I doubted the twins were foolish enough to let their true selves sit in plain sight.

Myra leaned across the arms of her throne, running her fingers through her brother's hair. At the same time, he reached for the little table beside his chair. A top the table sat an exquisite bowl overflowing with red fruits that shown like gems. What we wouldn't give for that surplus of food? Melville snatched one of the round delicacies by the stem and dangled it before Myra's face. With a shrill giggle, she sucked the fruit into her mouth, leaving Melville to flicked the stem onto the glistening floor, littered with food scraps.

Clones or not, the sight of the twins' playful flirting made me want to vomit. My fingers tingled, even in Cyp's now sweaty palms. I prayed Enki's cloaking extended to noise because I was certain they'd be able to hear my rapid breathing and pounding heart.

Holding a collective breath, we slunk across the hall, directly in front of the thrones. Though I couldn't see it, I could feel the hairs on my arms rise. My neck prickled and I squirmed. That inexplicable sense of violation crept through my skin. I glanced towards the Duke and Duchess. My stomach flipped, nausea churning: the Lovers had abandoned their careless play, staring directly at us.

"Not even saying hello?" Melville called. "Seems the Empress's poor manners has extended to the lot of you."

I froze. Cyprian did as well, and I could only assume the rest of my friends were also motionless.

"We admire the effort, sneaking in to save the Archangel's love," Myra said. "But really, the technique could have been thought out better. Don't you remember the first time we met?"

With growing dread my mind veered to my first moments upon Aphrodisa, when the twins had read our hearts one by one, revealing our weaknesses as if they could peer into our minds.

Melville grinned. "There it is. Realization. I can feel your hearts quicken with it."

"Now that's a bit harsh, Hanged Man." Myra stuck out her lip in a pout. "No need to let your heart harden against the poor Magician. No need for blame. It wasn't his fault. His illusion worked perfectly. The only problem is that we don't need to see you to see into your hearts. Of course, eyes help. But if we focus, we can sense your presences. If we really concentrate, we can tell exactly where each of you is standing."

Maybe we could run. Maybe... if they truly couldn't see us we could still slip away. 

Melville interrupted my thoughts. "Tamp down that glimmer of hope, Empress. Such a foolish ember. Yes, you could run, perhaps without detection. But Hamlet and Yaphet secured all the entrances. You'd give up any advantages invisibility offers by attacking them." 

"We'd find you even without needing to concentrate," Myra added. "And after you managed to kill a pair of us, I'd rethink taking risks."

Melville reached for the side table again, behind the fruit bowl. He snatched a little object: that little axe. "Remember this Empress?"

My knees shook and I leaned most of my weight onto Cyp just to keep from falling over.

"But who should feel its bite, Empress? Choose," Myra ordered. "The handsome lover? The loyal best friend? The poor Magician you've finally won over? Or the new friend who earned your respect so fast?"

Judgement, Lady Lotus hissed. It's his fault you're here. It's his fault you're trapped.

I stayed silent, refusing to betray any information. Although they could probably search my heart for whatever they wanted anyway. Surely making me answer was all part of their torture. Well, I wouldn't give in.

"Interesting," Myra cooed, "almost equally split. Well, Melly, I think I know what we should do then."

Melville turned his axe, reflecting the light at different angles. "As do I. Why settle for one, when you can so easily torture two."

Myra grinned at the weapon. "I'm glad all that time you ignored me to practice with that will finally come to good use."

"See, My? I'm more than just my looks." He loosed the axe, sailing straight towards us, spinning through the air in a blur.

My heart lurched. I couldn't see my friends, couldn't know who they'd decided to kill, who the axe was heading towards. I'd only know once they collapsed. The heartbeat it took for the axe to fly across the main hall stretched for eternity. Until that eternity ended.

Enki screamed, one of the loudest most guttural sounds I'd ever heard.

Our figures flickered, snapping in and out of sight. And there was Enki with his left arm extended, covering Tybira's throat, Melville's axe buried in his wrist.

His illusion spasmed again, spluttering in an effort to maintain itself. Then it vanished, leaving us completely exposed, in the very heart of Aphrodisia, with the Lovers Most Perverse smiling down upon our terror.

((Though this one might be a short chapter, I promise the next one is much longer. I decided it was best to break this one and the next into two rather than have a 5,000 word chapter.
The group's in trouble now! And only two chapters left to figure it out.
Thanks for reading!))