"Bastard." Adris voice was quiet, his strength depleted. The setting sun casted a shadow over his body and thankfully hid his face from Eros.

"You had left me no choice." Eros raised his eyes from the lovely scene before them.

Adris watched Eleni arrange the flowers in the dimming light as he found his quieted thoughts.
"You marked her as well."

"It was only fair." Eros replied.

"She's happy." Adris said. "She's happy with him, thanks to you."

Eros nodded but kept silent.

"I've yearned for her for years, Eros. She's all I can think about. That's what you wanted, right? My inability to function because the woman I love is in love with another. I've learned my lesson."

"That's not what I wanted." Eros whispered and sharply inhaled.

"I wanted you to go back to her. But you were so fucking stubborn. She waited for you. She would have waited for you even if it meant eternity. Like Agnes. I couldn't watch that a second time.
Dimitri was there for her so I gave her another chance to love and be loved."

Adris gritted his teeth at the thought in his head. Why hadn't his friend ever marked Agnes with a bow before when it had really mattered?  Then he would have trusted her more- he would have known something was amiss that night.
Adris was aware how pathetic the question was so he killed it before it manifested into words.

"Will you ever take this curse from me?" He asked Eros.

"I'm not evil, Adris. At death will you part. It's the same for gods and demigods. You didn't bother to see her body when she died so how would you know."

Adris straightened.
"Who's body?"

"Nessie's."

"She never had your mark." Adris said. His body tensing simultaneously with his gut for unknown reasons.

"She did. Because she never wanted her love for you to wane, so she asked me and she chose a place you couldn't see."

Impossible. It didn't make sense. Eros had to have been mistaken. A century was along enough time to mix up truths and alter memories; their minds weren't perfect even if they were gods.

"That's why I never believed she would hurt you, especially on the day of your anniversary. It made sense when the truth came out about the poisoned wine."

Adris' head was spinning all over again.
"You'd known."

Eros frowned the shook his head.
"She never told you that either."

Adris's urge to hurt Aphrodite resurfaced again.

After more moments, Eros asked.
"What did Deedee tell you then?"

Adris landed on his feet and wiped his hands on his clothes.
"Just what she wanted to be the truth."

He stayed and watched till the day faded.
The dark night that came was fitting. It mirrored the space in his heart after he'd  learned the whole truth.
Nessie hadn't been drunk on wine like Aphrodite had conveniently put, she'd been poisoned by a drug laced in the wine someone had gifted her.
Eros had seen it all after she'd died through Nessie's mark.

He'd heard her innermost thoughts when she'd been defiled.
Her heart has broken when she saw him walk away and never look back.
Adris remembered his promises to her; that he'd never let her be alone. And he'd done just that. Till her final days she'd been alone.

It was Eros who'd been a true friend to her.
How had Eros not killed him by now?
Adris cringed at his attitude and words he'd uttered against Nessie in his painful ignorance.
She deserved her happiness with someone else, nevertheless the agony bore into his soul with what felt like vengeful pincers.

His legs took him further until he met the heavy resistance of the evening tide. Still, he wadded further until the earth fell away and he began to sink.
The salt water rushed into his nose and lungs, merciless in their invasion which Adris allowed.
What was this pain compared to Nessie's?
He'd been such a fool.
Black waters engulfed him then he was one with them.

***

It was the third time Adris had heard Eros cry.

Adris held his head. There had to be water still left in his head because his brain moved like it when he sat up.

"My Rose. I wish I was there to hold you." The voice came clearly.

Adris slowly got on his feet and went toward the voices.
"You waste your tears. The ungrateful boy would never understand all we've done to help him." Aphrodite's voice came from all around but it was strongest by the altar where her her apparition drew its power.

"But we played our parts." Eros cried.

Aphrodite's gaze shifted, a startled expression flitting across her face. Immediately her pitiful expression was fixed when she looked at Eros again.
"I'm needed elsewhere. Come to me when you can? Just you." Then she left.

Eros finally sensed his presence, turning to Adris with his swollen eyes and runny nose.

"You look terrible." Adris said and cracked a smile.

"Shut up. I won't laugh."

Adris sighed.
"I wasn't trying to but it's the truth. You'd lose followers if anyone ever saw you looking like a swollen foot."

Eros hugged him.
"What have I done to you?"

"Eros, It's not your fault. The sea was in my way."

"Are you sure?" His eyes said.

Adris nodded while patting his head.
The thought of ending his life never crossed his mind when he'd let the sea bury him.
His sole concern had been his atonement through pain but it still wasn't enough. It was only the first step.

Eros hugged him tightly.
"You're not allowed to do that again because I'll drag you back."

Adris let himself laugh so Eros would relax.
"I'm not that stupid. Come on." He smiled.

The guilt would always be with him until Eleni died. And even after.

The best thing to do would be to stay far away from her.
For him, her and her lover Dimitri.

But wouldn't his first step to atonement be asking for her forgiveness? And wouldn't that mean seeing her again?
Speaking to her again?

Oh gods. He was so confused.