[, Greek Goddess of Deceit!]

  Opening her eyes and silently gliding into the room, Apate slowly shut the door as the charming 16-year-old concubine came into view.

  She gently closed the cabin door, its click softly echoing in the ensuing stillness.

  The girl’s eyes locked with hers with a silent understanding that passed between them.

  A white adder mask appeared in Selene’s hand as she donned the item, an innocent smile in place that couldn’t fool the embodiment of deceit.

  Selene spoke first, igniting an inferno within her.

  Aurora was nowhere to be seen when she should have been escorting the concubine.

  And for good reason.

  “Apate… What a coincidence! What do I owe the honor; is Ruby serving you well, My Lady?”

  Apate’s voice dripped with false sweetness.

  “Do not presume to play games with me, puppet… What brings you to insert yourself in my affairs, Sister?”

  The air in the room took on a different cadence—a far more powerful one than her newly fashioned Mystic. The puppet’s adder mask dyed black, and Selene transformed between various guises the Mystic had taken.

  Hopping up and holding her hands behind her back, Eris drifted toward her. Her sister’s avatar converted to smoke to spin around Apate, tempting her as was her way.

  “I could ask you the same question, beautiful,” she cryptically replied with a mischievous tone, prompting Apate forward to take a seat as she picked up a brush.

  Apate stared at her hand on her shoulder, knowing her chaotic counterpart must have a good reason—even if annoying.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  “But, oh, you know me, dear little sister. Just a little chaos here, a little havoc there. Enough about me. What mischief have you been up to? Stirring up trouble in Dracula’s court? Looking to snatch this enhanced artifact he is after in Miami? How delicious.”

  Sitting as she was guided, Apate laughed, feeling her sister’s fingers deftly weaving through her coppery hair as she began to brush it.

  “Just a little game of deception… I’m merely between fun activities at the moment. A preemptive quest, you could call it. I have my hands aimed at a certain eye in Ireland.”

  She looked into the mirror at the smoky woman.

  “And what grand scheme have you concocted this time, elder sister?” she inquired, genuinely intrigued.

  Eris leaned back, her eyes glinting with mischief behind her mask.

  “Me? Well, to be quite honest, my troublesome puppet has been getting a little full of herself lately. But there is a certain temptress I’ll admit has my attention. Sadly, she has slipped in unbeknownst to the host and her guests’ notice. You know who has had my eye, Little Sister…”

  A knowing smile tugged at Apate’s lips.

  “Ah, yes… The Queen of Magic herself has stepped down from her lofty, prideful throne… The Legend of Adelaide Herrmann.”

  “Indeed,” Eris chuckled, leaning in to whisper hot sweetness into her ear.

  “My little puppet is so very worried about her new hare friend, and Adelaide plans to steal a few holy artifacts from the hare’s trusted steed. She really should watch her misfortune.”

  Apate’s half-lidded eyes drifted to the side.

  “Misfortune is not something mortals should treat lightly.”

  “That, they shouldn’t, dear sister… My puppet is lucky I’m in the mood to shake a wobbly tower a tad. Didn’t Adelaide boast to the gods atop their prideful pile of sand that she could steal an artifact right from under my dear little sister’s nose?”

  Laughter shook Apate’s chest at the audacity of these Seed-bearing mortals as she caught her loving sister’s dagger irises.

  “Did she now? Well, we can’t let that stand, Eris… Can we?”

  “No… No, we cannot, dear sister.”

  Her smile turned to one Apate knew all too well as she continued.

  “So, allow me to sow a little chaos here to give you enough time to do what you do best,” she chimed, giving her a peck on the cheek that left a chaotic whirlwind rushing through Ruby’s quivering soul. “Let me handle your Verona trouble. I promise, when Eden is done playing her games, her mind will be far from you.”

  Smoothly rising to her feet, Apate drew in her fake Big Sister; both of them knew they weren’t their true sibling, but that didn’t really matter in the end. All that mattered was that Deceit and Chaos had come together to poke a little prideful tower.

  “Our first sister-bonding moment! Let’s make it a habit.”

  “Let’s!”

  - Growing Community =D

  View and help

  Support me on and get up to: Note that instead of 'first of the month' billing, I have opted into 'pay on the same day you sign up'!

  + Weekly Poll On Next Week's Priority Series

  + 6 Chapters (6 Weeks) ahead in A Tail's Misfortune

  + 6 Chapters (6 Weeks) Ahead in The Oscillation Rewrite

  + 6 Chapters (6 Weeks) Ahead in UE Rewrite

  + 6 Chapters (6 Weeks) Ahead in Veil of Chaos

  Patreon Exclusive Novella Books

  + Ask a Character any question you want and they'll respond in-character!

  + All my commissioned artwork is up for free on my Patreon!

  Current Books on Amazon and Audible:

  Series Books

  The Oscillation

  Book 1 - Chaos

  A Tail's Misfortune

  Book 1 - Transformation

  Book 1 Audible - Transformation

  Undying Empire

  Book 1 - Foundation

  Novellas (Stand Alone; Same Universe)