Hypnos cleaned me up when we were finished because I was tired. Despite that, I still tried to do it myself.

"Kellen, lay down," he commanded and I sat up, opening my mouth to object, when a dull ache formed at the crook of my neck. I gasped and my hand flew to that place.

"Ow," I mumbled and laid down on the bed, the pressure eased away as my master watched me closely. I drew my knees up to my chest and returned his stare.

"You agreed to be my consort, right?" He whispered and I have a slow, confused nod, "do you think you'll ever want to quit. To go back to your sisters?"

"Well of course I want to see my sisters," in gave him a smile, "but that doesn't mean I don't like it here. That I don't like you. I understand that you could've been much more cruel to me."

Hypnos leaned over me and pressed a sloppy kiss to my brow.

"But you won't get angry and leave will you?" He asked tentatively and I frowned in confusion.

"No?" I slid my arms towards him and cupped his cheeks, "what are you really asking me?"

He was silent for a long time, just staring at me.

"Come here," my master mumbled and pulled my naked body off the bed. I obeyed his command and followed him to the bathing room.

Upon first glance in the mirror I didn't notice anything until I took a closer look at my neck. Hypnos stood behind me, his hands on either side of the countertop, closing me in.

On my neck was a poppy flower that was roughly the size of my palm and below it was a word in a language I didn't recognize, but I instinctively knew what it said.

Hypnos.

My hand fluttered to my mouth and inspected the apparent tattoo.

"What- what is this? When?" I gasped and trailed my index finger over it.

My master looked away with a guilty expression.

"I was angry and I wasn't thinking clearly," he muttered and glanced at me quickly, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? What is this?" I felt slightly panicking and definitely furious with him.

"It's um... it's a brand," he faltered and his knuckles turned white on the edges of the counter.

"But- I just... just-" I heaved a frustrated sigh and didn't know what to say or to do for that matter. After a moment of collecting myself I spoke again, "what is it and what does it do?"

"It makes you... inclined to obey me. Zephyr, he has one from Eros," Hypnos explained and the new information made me feel slightly uneasy.

"I've never seen it," I noted and kept my gaze away from him.

"It's on his hip, you wouldn't have," my master quickly informed and I leaned over the counter, laying my head in my arms.

"I want to see him. I want to see my sisters, again," I whispered as he placed a gentle kiss on the curve of my spine.

"You will, just not now," he promised and I frowned with disappointment.

I was silent for a few minutes.

"So this is a collar, I suppose?" The anger inside me was warranted, he shouldn't have branded me.

"What? No, no Kellen," Hypnos shook his head.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Are you sure?" I hissed and whipped around, because that's what it feels like." I pushed away from him and pulled a blanket around me before storming out of the room. My intention was to go to my chambers and lock myself in, but I apparently got twisted around and found myself back at that hallway.

I furrowed my brows and looked around. No one. He hadn't come after me.

I went down the hall, curious to what it beheld. There was only one light and even so, it was dim. At the end was a door that looked mostly average so I gave the knob a tug and it opened wide.

Inside was what looked like a storage room that hadn't been opened in years. There were furniture and antiques and little knick nacks. I stepped inside and poked around, dragging my finger over the thick layer of dust that coated everything.

At the far end something hung in the wall, it was the only thing in the room that was covered, so I pulled the thin sheet back.

A mirror. An old one.

It was round and the framing was a very detailed two-headed dragon that wrapped all the way around. I stared into my reflection, and for a moment it was only me. But I could hear the whispering, in the back of my mind. It was a collection of sounds forming words, but they were garbled and strange.

He comes. He comes. The child has come.

And another voice. It was different, more booming, but still distorted. As it spoke the image twisted and spun.

For the son I have lost today, you [Hypnos] will lose your own. You will suffer eternal consciousness until the day that he is gone, knowing that you will only rest when he is gone. I forsake your name [Hypnos] and cast you from Olympus until your sentence is complete. May you feel my wrath and my sorrow when you find no rest in the moon.

I didn't recognize that voice, but I knew that was the curse. What Hypnos had told me so long ago. And now I understood that the price was too high, he had to give up his son. But who was it? He'd never mentioned a son.

I swallowed thickly and opened my mouth, giving my thought a try.

"Who is the child? Who is his son?" I asked the mirror and it swirled like it was thinking.

It is you... but it is not you. We do not understand. There are two souls in your body. Where is the second one? Where is the child? You must have it. We need it. Give us the child. Give it to us mortal. Save the god. Give us the child.

"What? Two souls? I'm the only one here. There's no child with me," I furrowed my brows in confusion. The mirror wailed and it startled me for a moment. The colors swirled faster like thick mud and the voices sounded sad, angry.

Save your god. Save him please. The child. The child. He comes.

"What child?" I hissed again, this was all confusing me.

An then the mirror stopped. It stopped swirling.

We see it. We see the soul. The child is here. Give it. Give us the child.

I couldn't even scream when the murky silver hands reached out and grabbed me.