50

Eros

Every muscle in my body groans with weariness.

Days spent patrolling. Nights spent hunting. Every moment of every waking hour is accounted for. I've thrown myself into the war with the Italians with every ounce of my being, killing as many of their men as I can, ruthlessly taking the fight to their doorstep.

I'm breaking myself to make them suffer.

And I'm breaking the city too.

The heat's on. The cops are out in force, threatening to bring us all down if we can't find a way to stop the violence.

I still don't care.

"You've been single-minded lately, Eros." Mother walks beside me, her hands clasped behind her back. She wears a long black dress, flowing and loose, her hair pulled up and tucked under a broad-brimmed hat. We stroll through the flower garden on the far side of the house, away from where Cara visits with Helen and her friend, Ophelia.

"Our enemies are closing in, Mother." I glance up at the sky. "I have to admit, I worried about this exact situation. I stressed about