! - Trigger Warning: Blood, PTSD flashbacks, discussions of abuse dynamics.
A/N: Hello all! This is one of the longer chapters so far! Things get quite heavy (thus, the trigger warning) and I hope it lands the way I want it to. I always kind of worry about posting chapters like this.
On a less dramatic note, if you have not been keeping up with my RotG tumblr page you may have missed that I recently redesigned Clio, Muse of History. I have been thinking for years that I should have made Clio Egyptian, due to Egypt having one of the world's oldest written histories, so much cool old technology, and the fact that the Library of Alexandria was dedicated to the Muses. This will be the first chapter I'm posting that acknowledges this change, and I am hoping that because we have not really gone into Clio's backstory much that it will not be too jarring.
This is also another chapter where I'm bringing in a language that I do not speak, this time the language in question is Latin. To be fair, no one speaks Latin anymore, so... there's that. I did a bit of hunting around different translators and I think I got it right, but if you happen to be a Latin scholar or something and would like to correct me, please feel free. Otherwise, I hope it makes enough sense as-is.
"How are you with blood?"
"I mean, it's not my preferred medium."
Chapter Twenty-Three: Open Wounds
Artemis did not look up from her work, sharpening an arrowhead. It was a meticulous process that she insisted on doing by hand. Cupid had long been using a mold to craft his arrowheads, though he rarely shot to kill.
Artemis felt that more personalized attention should be paid to the arrowheads used to take a life. If the life was taken for food, it became part of the process, the ritual of appreciating what had been given up to sustain another.
If life was taken out of spite, she wanted her fine craftsmanship, her strategic choices, and her thoughtful gestures to be personally responsible for the fatal blow.
"I know you're angry," Calliope said, having been attempting to speak to Artemis for a short while now. She had given up waiting on Artemis to acknowledge her presence.
She stood with Clio and Erato. The three eldest Muses had decided to do this as a group, though it didn't much feel like there was safety in numbers. Not when Artemis was seated at the fire, surrounded by dozens of sharp arrowheads and a few slumbering hunting dogs.
"Why would I be angry?" said Artemis.
Calliope glanced over her shoulder at the others. Clio and Erato exchanged looks.
"You see, Sisters? I told you that she would take it better than Apollo did," Erato said. "She always does."
Artemis held up a jagged arrowhead, examining it closely. "Take what better? I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
Artemis knew exactly what they meant.
She was like a strict, sadistic mother, waiting for your guilt over any perceived offense to consume you until you confessed and begged for the punishment you so deserved. Anything to relieve the guilt, the cruel stares, the threatening energy.
"Surely you heard about the ceremony? It was lovely," Clio said.
"And the reception!" Erato said. "I heard that Dionysus is still hungover."
Calliope had been clear before they left: they stroke Artemis' ego, and they admit to no wrongdoing.
"Ah, a wedding? I believe I did hear something," Artemis said. "One of the Guardians, hm?"
"Sanderson and I wished to celebrate our love and our devotion," Calliope confirmed. "And so, we did."
"Is that so?" Artemis was sliding the arrowhead in one hand against a rock in the other. "I thought perhaps if you wished to turn down my offer, you would have the decency to do it to my face rather than celebrate your stupidity in front of the entire mythical community."
"We weren't turning down your offer at all," Calliope said. "Just renegotiating the terms."
"Cutting ties with Tsar Lunar was non-negotiable," Artemis said, finally setting her things down and facing the Muses properly.
"Our alliance with the Guardians is non-negotiable," Calliope said.
"But if you're not interested now that the Guardians are more permanently in the picture, let us know so we can stop wasting our time," Erato said.
"One would think that five of the most powerful magical beings that have sworn their allegiance to us would be attractive to you," Clio said. "Imagine what you could do with them, and how embarrassing it would be for Tsar Lunar if even his Guardians chose you."
"But you don't seem interested, so," Calliope said, beginning to turn away.
"You think that the Guardians will leave their precious Man in the Moon?" Artemis scoffed. "He's got them brainwashed."
"Maybe," Calliope shrugged. "You don't think the Guardians confide in us about him?"
Artemis quirked a brow, the gesture betraying her curiosity.
"Calliope and Sanderson aren't the only ones that are close," Clio said. "Terpsichore, Euterpe and I? We've spent a lot of time with Bunnymund. Urania and I traveled the stars with him last year and shared stories all the while."
"Toothiana is our dear friend. We tell each other everything," Calliope added.
"North was married to a Mortal Muse," said Erato. "And his affection for her extended to the rest of us. He trusts us."
"If Rowan returns to us, Jack Frost will follow, no question," said Calliope. "They've all had grievances. They aren't interested in including Tsar Lunar in meetings anymore. With our alliance firmly in place, we have access to the Guardians' true feelings about Tsar Lunar and any weaknesses he might have."
"But again, if you're not interested, do let us know," Erato said.
Artemis tapped her fingers against the stone she had been using to sharpen her arrows, eyeing the others carefully as she considered their words.
"The arts… creativity… wonder… hope… memories… dreams… joy…" Artemis said thoughtfully. "Hmm. That is quite the range."
"So, the Guardians stay," Calliope said.
Artemis sighed. "Yes, I suppose you've convinced me."
"Good," Clio said. "But we still have Rowan to worry about."
"Have the mortals been keeping her story alive?" said Artemis.
"We've been keeping tabs and still need to check again," said Calliope. "But they seem to be, yes."
"She's our first Mortal Muse to die tragically in the digital age," Clio said. "More people than ever have access to her story."
"They also have access to every other tragedy and trend. She could be old news just as quickly, from what I understand of this… intra-net," Artemis said.
Clio bit her lip to keep from correcting Artemis' pronunciation.
Artemis didn't notice. "But I wouldn't rule out her return."
"We fear that if we cut ties with Apollo now and join you, instead, that he will bring her back and keep her away from us," Calliope explained. "So, while you are the obvious choice for leader, especially now that you have agreed that we must keep our alliance with the Guardians, we must protect her. We need Apollo to think that we have no intention of joining you, at least until we know Rowan is safe."
Artemis was tapping her fingers again. "So, you will tell my brother that you turned me down?"
"Yes, and we may have to publicly declare loyalty to him," Clio said.
"And I am to act like a gracious loser? Apollo will never buy it," Artemis said.
"No, he won't," said Calliope. "You'll have to send a message that you are displeased with our decision. A violent outburst ought to do it. Apollo will think you're so angry with his victory, that you snapped and lost composure. He'll love that."
"Hmm… yes, he certainly will," Artemis said, standing from her seat and casually picking up a bow with one hand, an arrow in the other. "All three of you, then, ought to do it."
"I thought, perhaps, just me," Calliope said, quicker than she had intended. "I'm the oldest. I'm the one that made the declaration of loyalty to the Guardians with my wedding."
"No," Artemis said, nocking her arrow. She continued, calmly, "I became so enraged that you would dare choose my brother over me, that only three of you dared face me, that I wanted to send a message to the other six."
"It's okay," Clio said, taking one of Calliope's hands in hers. Erato took the other one.
"We'll be okay," Erato said with a nod.
Calliope shook her head. "Someone needs to be spared to get help."
"Now, now, you know none of you are going to actually die," Artemis said, drawing back her arrow.
Erato and Clio each squeezed Calliope's hands.
"Fine," Calliope said.
A snap, a whimper.
Clio and Erato could barely react to Calliope falling to her knees between them before Artemis had reloaded, and Clio clutched at her stomach, losing her balance next. Erato closed her eyes and held her breath. Another snap, and she fell back at the impact with her sisters.
"Oh, and Calliope, I never got you a wedding gift," Artemis said, nocking another arrow. "One more for you. As the oldest."
"For the love of—! Wear a bell!" Bunny exclaimed when Jack was suddenly beside him in one of his gardens, dropping his watering can in the process.
"Sorry," Jack said. "You were really focused, I thought I had made noise."
"Hmph," was Bunny's response, picking up the now-empty watering can. "What's going on, another meeting?"
"No, I just…" Jack trailed off, not sure how to approach this. He and Bunny worked best with sarcasm and quips, not whatever this was. "I just wanted to talk to you if you have a minute."
Bunny nodded, leading the way to a tool shed, carved into the side of one of the massive sculptures that filled the warren. He set his watering can down with some other tools before turning back to Jack, watching him expectantly.
"I talked to Jamie," Jack said.
"Good, I was hoping that would happen," Bunny said. "So, he can see you again?"
"Yeah. And I know you had a lot to do with that," Jack said. "And I wanted to thank you."
"You helped him believe in me," Bunny shrugged. "Don't worry about it."
Jack opened his mouth to speak and stopped short. Don't worry about it? Bunny had made it clear to Jack that he shouldn't be spending so much time with mortals, that getting attached was a bad idea, and all Jack had done was repeatedly prove him right. Bunny should be holding that against him, not helping him to reconnect with one of the mortals in question!
How was he supposed to not worry about it?
The warren was one of the quieter places to be, the loudest sound now that they weren't speaking being the dye river in the distance.
"Is that all?" Bunny said.
"Why are you helping me?" Jack asked, his voice smaller than he expected.
Bunny scoffed. "You need all the help you can get, Frost."
It seemed that Bunny, too, knew that he and Jack worked best when they were ribbing each other.
"No, really, why are you helping me?" Jack said, a bit louder this time. Part of him wanted to retreat, to just let it go and return home to agonize over it on his own.
But he had to know.
"Getting close to mortals is a bad idea, you told me that. And, I mean… you weren't wrong. And now you're helping me?"
"Jamie's your first believer, they're always special," Bunny said. "And you won't talk to any of us about Rowan. If you think I overstepped, I understand. I can't force you to do anything, for your own good or otherwise, but I thought talking to someone might help you."
Jack swallowed. "That's it, though, you still haven't answered me. Why are you helping me?"
Bunny eyed Jack for a moment, as though Jack had just asked him something baffling. Was Jack not articulating his question clearly enough?
"Come on." Bunny began walking again, Jack following close behind and running his hand over his hair nervously.
The Pooka led them to a calm spot near the dye river, and sat on a moss-covered rock. Jack settled down on the grass, supposing that he should get comfortable, eyes fixed to the river.
"All right," Bunny said, once they were seated. "Why don't you think you deserve help?"
Was this a trick question? Wasn't it obvious?
"Because I mess everything up," Jack said.
"And what is the 'everything' you've messed up?" Bunny said. "Last I checked, the world was still spinning."
"Because I got distracted by Pitch, the Warren was attacked," Jack said. If Bunny wanted specifics, Jack had them. "Because I made a deal with Pitch, he was in the position to try and attack Jamie. Because he did that, Rowan went to Burgess to try and intervene, and that is where she died."
"That all says a lot more about Pitch than it says about you," Bunny said. "And I'll tell you what I told Jamie: No one did more to protect Rowan than you did."
"It's not just Pitch, it's… everything with Melpomene," Jack said. "I still don't really understand why you all reacted the way you did when I told you."
"What was strange about how we reacted?" Bunny asked.
"Comforting me. Saying I didn't do anything wrong, that it was okay," Jack said.
"Well, we'd be pretty awful friends if we said anything else to someone about their abusive relationship," Bunny said.
Jack froze, everything seemed to stop.
He felt like the world had forcibly been pulled away, leaving him in the company of just two words, looming.
Abusive relationship.
"What?" Jack said.
Bunny's frown deepened, eying Jack carefully. After a beat, he said, "I… thought you knew, Mate."
"No… no, that's—" Jack started, stopping the moment he realized his voice had begun to tremble. He took a breath, cleared his throat. "She never hit me or anything."
Bunny sighed slightly, moving from the rock he was sitting on and settling onto the grass next to Jack.
"There's more than one way to abuse someone," Bunny said gently.
"I—I know," Jack said. Of course, he knew that. He was over three hundred years old, he had observed so much and it was obvious that physical violence wasn't the only way to destroy someone. "But, it just—It doesn't—I know it was a bad relationship, that it was unhealthy and codependent but I don't know if, specifically—"
"Jack," Bunny said, setting a paw to his shoulder. "From what you told us, she knew that you were alone and unseen, and she repeatedly exploited that for her benefit."
"But I could have left," Jack said. "Years before I did. I could have left. I think there must be something just dark and terrible about me that connected with her, that connects with Pitch, and they know that."
"No," Bunny said. "She had you in a position where you could either be with her, or be in complete isolation. Of course, you stayed."
Jack started racking through his memories with Melpomene, looking at them now that the word "abuse" had been introduced. Things he had called "toxic" or "unhealthy" when describing them to Rowan.
Manipulative.
Opportunistic.
Dismissive.
Why were those all words that were easier to swallow than "abusive?"
"But I thought I knew better now, and then the reception happened and… it's not even like anything happened at the reception. It was just a kiss, but I was supposed to know better now."
"It's not a test," Bunny said. "You don't solve the puzzle and get the reward of not being hurt this time."
Not a test.
For centuries now, Jack had prided himself on being better than he had been when he was with Melpomene.
He was wiser now, he knew better.
All of that was behind him and he would never fall for something like that again.
He was stronger.
Until he wasn't.
"Then what was it all for? If I didn't learn anything, if I'm not better for overcoming it, what the hell was it for?"
Bunny shook his head. "I don't know. No one deserves that."
Jack hadn't expected Bunny to have an answer. He already knew there would probably never be a satisfactory answer to questions like that.
"I'm sorry," Bunny said after a beat. "For springing it on you like that. I honestly thought you already knew."
Jack shook his head.
"I just d—"
A scream interrupted him, leaving a startled Jack and Bunny springing to their feet, alert.
"BUNNY! Bunnymund, where are you? BUNNY!"
Bunny seemed ready to dart after the voice but turned to Jack first. "Are you going to be okay if we deal with this?"
"Yes," Jack said at once, almost eager for a distraction.
"BUNNY!"
Bunny's ears twitched and he was off in the direction of the voice, Jack flying quickly at his heels. They found Thalia, her comedy mask in hand, calling at the top of her lungs in the clearing they had frequently been using for meetings.
"What is it?" Bunny said, bounding up to her.
"Calliope, Clio, and Erato went to go see Artemis, and it went like we thought it would," Thalia said, her voice hoarse from yelling, and trembling as she tried to convey her message. She swallowed before continuing. "Artemis had to make it seem like she was angry with them, to make it more convincing that we were taking Apollo's side."
"How bad is it?" Bunny asked.
Jack immediately thought of Cupid's black eye. Artemis must have had something worse in store, if Thalia was here to get Bunny.
"Arrows to the chest, all three of them, two for Calliope, there's so much blood," Thalia said, taking a wavering breath. It was surreal, seeing this Muse this upset.
"All three of them? She didn't even spare someone to play messenger?" Bunny said, eyes wide.
Thalia shook her head, losing her battle with the tears in her eyes, pushing herself to keep speaking. "Clio had t-to crawl through a portal and drag them with her. Calliope is really delirious from blood loss, b-but the arrow hit Erato where she was stabbed when she died and she's having a really bad flashback, we can't calm her down."
"Why are they bleeding out so much, did they take the arrows out?" Bunny asked. "You have to leave it in until they can get proper care."
"W-we know! Erato was panicking and pulled hers out, we tried to stop her," Thalia explained. "And one of Calliope's was knocked loose when Clio pulled her through the portal."
"This won't… you know...?" Jack asked, unwilling to bring up the word as though worried he would make it more real.
After all, wasn't it an arrow to the back that had killed Sandy? At least temporarily?
"It won't kill them, Artemis doesn't use magic weapons," Bunny said, "But they'll take a while to recover, and it'll be painful the longer they go without care. Have they gotten any medical attention yet?"
"Arachne is stitching up Calliope right now but we didn't think Artemis was going to attack all three of them. Clio's still bleeding, but not as bad as the others. Erato won't let anyone help her, she doesn't know where she is or what happened anymore. Usually Poly can get Mel to calm down so she tried to calm down Erato and it's just not working. We usually go to Erato when someone's having a flashback, she hasn't had one in centuries."
"Come on," Bunny said, bounding off in another direction. Jack and Thalia followed, the Muse using her mask to disappear and reappear every couple of yards until it was clear where Bunny would stop. Another storage area, carved into the side of a statue.
"Jack, hold this," Bunny said and handed the boy a green, leather case, which he immediately began filling with intricate looking tools and vials. He finished off with what seemed to be some oddly-shaped rubber gloves that were obviously custom-made for a pooka.
"Thank you," Thalia said as Bunny snapped the bag closed and took it back from Jack.
"Don't thank me yet," Bunny said. He turned to Jack. "How are you with blood?"
"I mean, it's not my preferred medium," Jack said, unsure what answer Bunny was looking for. It wasn't as though Jackson Overland had been a pre-med student before becoming Jack Frost.
"Does it make you woozy or anything? I need to know if you can handle it," Bunny said.
"I can handle it," Jack said.
"Good, you'll come with me. You were able to help Rowan ground herself through her flashbacks, maybe you can get through to Erato," Bunny said. He turned to Thalia and continued, "Thalia, you go find Tooth. Tooth will find Sandy, he'll want to know Calliope's hurt."
"Okay," Thalia said, putting on her mask and disappearing at once.
Bunny tapped his foot to the floor and Jack followed him through the appearing tunnel.
They arrived quickly at the Muses' base and Jack had half a mind to retract his earlier position on blood as soon as he got a good look at the scene before them.
There were smears and droplets of red, originating from the center of the room where the portal had likely been opened up. On the floor, a few feet away, was a bloodied arrow that had been thrown aside in haste, leaving a trail of blood behind where it had scraped against the floor.
Near a window, where the light was best, Calliope was on a pile of blankets serving as a makeshift cot, her knees propped up and a quickly-working Arachne blocking most of the view. Urania was kneeling nearby, handing things to Arachne as she asked for them.
The eldest Muse was staring at the ceiling, her gaze distant and blood on her lips.
"How many Muses are there, Calliope?" Terpsichore said, kneeling by Calliope's head and gently stroking her hair.
"Nine," came her faint response before she groaned in pain.
"Can you name them all for me? I know it hurts, just focus on my questions."
A few paces away, an arrow still lodged into her stomach, Clio was also lying on a pile of blankets with her knees propped up and Polyhymnia sitting nearby holding her hand, also prompting her with questions.
"Where were you born?"
"Waset," Clio said. "Well. It's Luxor, now. I didn't hit my head or anything, Poly."
"Yes, but hopefully focusing on my silly questions isn't as stressful as focusing on anything else in this room."
A few paces from there, a trail of blood included eerie handprints and smears leading to Erato. She was curled up on her side on the floor, trembling and choking on blood.
She was saying something but it was impossible to understand between her sobs and the blood in her mouth. "Me…e… inf… te…"
Melpomene and Euterpe were kneeling nearby, clothes and shoes dragging through the blood as they had attempted to get closer.
"Erato, you're safe now," Euterpe said gently as the older Muse continued to whimper. "Erato?"
Bunny had rushed to another room, leaving Jack standing there awkwardly in what felt like a crime scene.
Melpomene looked their way at the movement and Jack felt sick to his stomach as they briefly met each other's eyes.
Melpomene quickly looked away and pulled herself to her feet, fumbling for her mask.
"Where are you going, Mel!?" Euterpe said, panicked. "I need help!"
"Jack will help you, I'm finding Cupid," Melpomene said, her fingertips leaving streaks of blood on her mask as she set it to her face.
"I don't know that Erato would want him to—" Euterpe started, but Melpomene disappeared the next instant. "—see her this way. Jack! Jack, can you help?"
Jack barely had a moment to register that Melpomene was there before she was gone and Euterpe was calling him over.
He wasn't sure he was equipped to deal with this, but Euterpe's eyes were wide and terrified, and he rushed over all the same.
"Thalia said she's having a flashback?" he said as he kneeled by Euterpe, attempting to avoid the smears of blood on the floor.
"She doesn't seem to know where she is," Euterpe said. "Erato? Erato, talk to me, do you know who I am?"
"M…me-mea…" Erato said, her voice a croak. Her blonde hair, usually so meticulously curled and pinned, was falling out of place, sticky and red against the floor.
Jack glanced away from her to see that Bunny was rushing back into the room and to Clio's side.
"Sorry for the wait, had to wash my paws. Didn't think you'd appreciate soil in your open wounds," Bunny said as he pulled his gloves from his bag.
"Erato's worse off than me, the arrow hit the boning in my corset," Clio said. She was the only one of the three wounded whose lips weren't coated in blood, though she was still noticeably paler.
"I can't help her if she's fighting me, let me help you while she calms down," Bunny said.
Jack turned back to Erato, usually so poised and seductive, in complete control over her image and body language, now curled into herself and trembling.
"Can we move her to her back so we can put pressure on the wound?" Jack said to Euterpe, unwilling to waste time failing at something they may have already tried.
Erato was still bleeding out, the gash just above where her corset ended, which had prevented hers from acting as armor like Clio's had. Had she been mortal, she surely would have lost consciousness already.
"Melpomene put her hand on her shoulder and she screamed and backed away over here," Euterpe said. "I tried touching her knee and that's when she curled up like this.
"I-in… i-infa…"
"Okay. Do you know what she's saying?" Jack asked, hoping for a clue.
Euterpe shook her head. "I don't even know what language she's speaking."
Great. Jack was at least acquainted with many languages but not well enough to decipher them through an emotionally distressed speaker.
He frowned, thinking back to Rowan's panic attacks and flashbacks, the years of his own, and what he had done then. Just because something had somewhat worked there didn't mean it would work here, but he didn't know what else to try.
Propping his staff against the wall where it might at least not get bloodied, Jack settled down on the floor, lying down so that he was at eye level with Erato. Frost twisted across the still-wet blood on the floor. Euterpe watched him, puzzled.
"Erato?" he said as gently as he could manage. She blinked, but her gaze didn't reach his.
"Mea….m-mea…"
"Erato. You're having a flashback. It's not real, okay, but you do need medical attention," Jack said.
Fuchsia eyes met his, her lips trembling. That felt like progress, at least.
"Can you try breathing with me?"
She coughed, and finally said, the clearest she had yet, "Infantem mea!"
"That's Latin," Jack said at once, lifting his head to glance at Euterpe. "'Infantem mea,' it's got to be Latin, right?"
Euterpe nodded, "That's, 'my baby!' That makes sense. She was pregnant with Cupid when she was killed."
Cupid had mentioned as much when explaining why he followed both Manny and Apollo, and how his powers had come to be.
Jack hadn't given it too much thought at the time, but his heart sank realizing that all Erato was concerned about, now that she was back in this terrible memory, was the safety of her child.
Jack lowered his head again, trying to hold Erato's gaze now that he had it.
"Your baby is safe," he said, hoping that she still understood him even if she had reverted back to what he could only assume was her first language. "You're having a flashback. You already had your baby and he's safe."
Erato's furrowed brow softened slightly.
Jack waved his hand, conjuring up a snowflake and sending it floating her way, hoping it might help. While her eyes glistened with the familiar magic, they were still wide with terror.
"You're breathing too fast, breath in when I do, okay?" Jack said, beginning to exaggerate the way he was breathing so that she could watch. Euterpe let out an audible sigh of relief when it appeared that Erato was breathing along with Jack as instructed.
"Fuck," Euterpe said, for in her relief she had put her head in her hands, smearing blood on her face in the process.
Jack glanced her only briefly at this outburst before refocusing on Erato.
After a few minutes of breathing, he said, "Erato, do you know where you are?"
"Mount P… Parnassus," she croaked.
"Do you know what happened?"
She seemed to hesitate. "No."
"What do you remember?"
Erato put a trembling hand to her mouth as she coughed, leaving splatters of more blood. Her voice was small. "We… we went to see, ah… Artemis."
"That's right," Euterpe said. "I'm going to get you some blankets so you can lie back okay?"
"Do you remember anything else?" Jack asked as Euterpe sprinted out of the room.
"We had to… to… convince her…" Every word was laborious, this was clear. "Th… that the Guardians… were a… an asset."
"Take your time," Jack said.
"I… I'm bleeding… b… because it… it went well, aren't I?"
"Yeah, that does sound like a plan this alliance would come up with," Jack said. Erato actually smiled, softly, at this remark.
"Here we go." Euterpe arrived with blankets, spreading them out behind Erato. "Erato, we have to move you a little, okay?"
"Okay," Erato said.
Jack and Euterpe each took a side, gently rolling Erato to her back and lifting her only slightly to slide her onto the blankets. Euterpe propped up Erato's knees.
"I don't want to freeze the wound," Jack said, better able to see the gash now. It wasn't even that big, for all the blood.
"I've got it, one second," Euterpe said, getting to her feet again.
One of Erato's gloved hands landed atop Jack's and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry," she said.
"For what?" Jack said, brow furrowed.
"Stains," she said. Jack glanced down to finally notice the dark red seeping into the blue of his jacket, the brown of his pants.
"Oh, well. We're magic, right?" he said, though he had no idea how he was going to clean himself up.
Euterpe was back quicker this time, gauze in her hands. She kneeled beside Erato and set the gauze on the wound, beginning to apply pressure. Erato groaned slightly.
"And… and for," Erato said before coughing again, moving her hand from his to cough into her glove.
A flash of light, Melpomene was back, Cupid tagging along. Jack stood and quickly moved aside to make room for the other boy, who was on his knees immediately.
"Ma! Why did you go for the negotiations?" Cupid said, eyes wide. "I thought it was just going to be Aunt Calliope!"
"Pl… please. I'm… per… persuasive," Erato said, forcing another smile.
"You look like hell," Cupid said, his shoulders only relaxing slightly at his mother's remark.
"Hell w…wishes."
Jack wiped his hands on his already-stained jacket, hoping to get the blood off his palms before retrieving his staff from where he'd left it. Melpomene had left the room shortly after arriving with Cupid, and while it was odd that she would leave her sisters, Jack decided not to question it and to just be glad that she was no longer present.
"How's Calliope coming along?" Bunny was saying, discarding bloodied gloves. Clio was sitting upright now, bloodied corset discarded and flowing undershirt obscuring bandages.
Terpsichore was no longer kneeling by Calliope, but rather it was Sandy standing nearby with one of her hands in his. Jack was surprised he hadn't noticed the Sandman's arrival, but supposed it was part of his job to move quietly.
"Nearly done, finishing touches," Arachne said. "Can't rush perfection."
"You can if it's bleeding," Bunny said.
Calliope scoffed. "The perfection is her sutures, not my torso."
"Do you want quick sutures or sutures that won't scar?" Arachne said.
"I'll get started on Erato, then," Bunny said.
Jack walked over to where Terpsichore was fidgeting and leaning against the wall and leaned there as well.
"Did Thalia come back?" he asked.
"I think she's trying to calm down in her room. Probably where Mel went," Terpsichore said.
Jack nodded.
They didn't exchange any more words, each watching the ongoing scene silently, no longer useful but unwilling to leave in case they were needed again.