Angry with herself for being distracted, Eris nabbed her Soldier piece and took one of his. Damocles didn’t appear the least bit bothered.

“Well, allow me to tell you a story from one of those books,” he said, considering his next move. “It was an Old World religious text, revered by a faction of our early ancestors before the First Plague came to Tholos and wiped out nearly every family except the Archon’s. This fable had a parallel, you see. It was about a man named Leonis who was very close to his God, and he alone could see the corruption and violence that had overtaken his people. Leonis’s God instructed him to build a ship, in which those he cared for would be spared from his deity’s inevitable wrath. Leonis and his family left that planet; their God set fire to the world He created. Leonis’s family alone were given a new planet—our Old World. They became God’s new children, our first ancestors.”

Eris stared at Damocles, trying not to let her alarm show as he shared that tale with a gleam of pleasure in his eyes. What was he doing? She tried to decipher his meaning, his next move, but it was like a puzzle missing pieces. She cleared her throat. “That’s an interesting story. I—”

“I’m not planning a battle. Think of this as me picking my chosen. I am burning everything to ash to re-forge the Tholosian Empire anew.” His eyes met hers as he moved his final piece across the board and knocked over her queen. “King kills Queen, Discordia.”

Adrenaline sang through her veins. <Nyx, get Ariadne out of here.>

<But what—>

<Damocles knows who I am. Go!>

<What the fuck do you mean he knows who you are?>

“Discordia?” Eris gave him a bemused look. Beneath the table, her hands gripped the chair to force herself to remain seated. Damocles’s soldiers were still by the door; she wasn’t getting out of there without a fight. “General, as flattering as that is, I’m—”

“Enough games,” Damocles snapped. “There are a dozen guards stationed outside that door, and more ready to kill your friends. You lose, Discordia.”

Not yet. She didn’t lose until the God of Death took her to Avern.

“How did you know?” The words sounded calmer than she felt. How could she be so stupid?

Ariadne’s voice sounded in her head: <We’re not leaving you.>

<I said get the fuck out of here. Nyx, my brother has soldiers headed your way. Kill whoever you have to.>

<Wait a godsdamned minute,> Nyx said in shock. <Your what?>

<Nyx, just go!>

Damocles rose slowly, his expression even, almost bored. “Oh, I’ve known since before our first little meeting.”