The War God's Woman

33. A Deal with Death

Sage used her fingers to follow the length of string Jaz had set up, guiding her around the apartment.

"So, Ares has returned?" Jaz's voice sounded thoughtful. Sage nodded but she felt bizarrely uncertain, as if the whole evening had been only a figment of her imagination. Had she gone insane and simply wished him back? 

Jaz appraised Sage unhappily. "You were doing fine without him."

Fine was a tricky statement, which Sage decided not comment on. Instead she replied, "He says he's back for me..." But her confidence on this point was already slipping.  "That might have changed after... seeing my eyes." She admitted. 

Sage swallowed nervously. If  Ares had loved her before, her being blind might have changed that. She was a burden now, for everyone.

"Stop thinking that." Jaz spoke suddenly, standing closer than Sage had realised.

"You can't tell what I'm thinking."

Jaz flicked her on the forehead in reprimand.

"I can read your face easily enough." 

Later that night, Sage lay in bed. The covers were twisted and she groped in the dark trying to fix them. She could hear Jaz snoring from the next room. The sound of the fridge humming filled the silence. Sage sat up and bit her lip.

"Ares." She called his name, loudly and clearly, and waited.

In the distance, she heard the wail of a police siren then the floorboard creaked beside her bed.

"Sage." Ares' voice came from the dark void. Sage clenched tightly onto her covers.

"You came." She hadn't known if he would or not. "Were you listening in on me?"

The bed springs squeaked as Ares sat down beside her.

"I was standing outside the door to the café." Waiting until morning.

"Why?"

Ares didn't reply. She wished that she knew what his expression was like.

"Why did you call my name?"

"I couldn't sleep. And... and I wanted you to see me, before I lost the courage to show you what I look like now. Turn on the light." 

Ares obeyed, though it might little difference for his vision. He realised that Sage was rigid with tension. 

Sage tried to imagine what she must look like, with hollow eye sockets. Her stomach turned in disgust. 

"Sage," Ares uttered her name at last, after a long pause. Sage held her breath. Was this it? Was he about to say goodbye? She held very still and tried not to betray her feelings. "I have a gift for you."

Sage swallowed. Something in the tone of his voice told her that this wasn't a normal gift. She felt the mattress beneath them shift as he moved and she spoke up suddenly.

"Can it wait a sec?"

Ares hesitated.

"Why?"

"My face, don't you have anything to say about it? I'm hideous now."

"You're beautiful, Sage."