Army of the Goddess: A Bona Dea Novel (Stormflies Book 2) Read Free

examinations that the location inhabited by the parasites included the hippocampus, explaining the loss of memory. Lesions occurred throughout several sections of the brain, causing a loss of inhibition, increased violent behavior, and aphasia, as was observed in other victims. The first known victim of the infestation murdered and dismembered another man in his own home. The symptoms varied depending upon the reach of the parasite's tendrils within the host. Axandra carried her parasite for the longest period of known time, so the marks of penetration should have existed farther into interior portions of the brain, including the brainstem. However, Axandra's brain, while exhibiting various scars and even holes, did not confirm this suspicion. She was an anomaly.
    For now, in consideration of her other injuries and post-traumatic stress, the Healers postponed any in-depth scan or study of the Protectress' brain.
    Axandra, hoping to further their research, explained that she succeeded in blocking the parasite at times. She offered to demonstrate her methods of compartmentalizing her mind to protect certain areas, and how she restricted the creature from moving as it desired. Perhaps she prevented some damage from occurring. They deferred, concerned for her health.
    Axandra doubted that their diagnosis would change the outcome of her future. The damage was irreversible. The remainder of her life would be haunted by missing moments…and memories she prayed would disappear. She was even more determined to prevent the infection of any more humans by understanding the nature of creatures. The humans could form little in the way of defense until they understood how to defend.
    To reeducate the Protectress to the names and faces of the staff and council, the archivists provided visual aids and brief bios at the request of Healer Phineas Gage. Axandra reviewed them in the evenings while she took dinner with her intended. Cool spring nights provided the perfect excuse for the still novice couple to snuggle on the divan, listening to recorded music on their new disc player while wrapped in wooly sherpa blankets.
    “So, I'm curious what they wrote about Sara,” Quinn eyed the folder graced with a full color portrait of Councilor Sara Sunsun's freckled face bearing a wide smile full of teeth.
    “She's the one I remember everything about,” Axandra said, half-grateful, half-sad. “I suspect she made the strongest impression among all the councilors.”
    “Friends will do that. Can I see it?” He reached out for the papers expectantly with splayed fingers.
    Handing over the dossier, she joked, “Sure. It's bland. If I only had this to go on, I might get the wrong impression.”
    “Hmm.” Without his reading glasses, Quinn held the pages out at arm's length for definition. “Daughter of Councilor Miles Sunsun. Home, North Compass. Thirty-one years old. Blah, Blah. Boring demographics.”
    “Exactly, but at least I'm starting to get names matched with faces again. Too bad my short term memory is a disaster.”
    “Oh, I hadn't noticed,” Quinn quipped.
    She rolled her green eyes ceiling-ward at his poor feigning at humility. “You'd be the only one. I don't know how I'm going to make it to our bonding.” The words were an honest fret. “I'll forget where I'm going half-way down the stairs.”
    “Miri will get you there,” Quinn assured, squeezing her wearily hunched shoulders.
    He didn't want to admit how worried he was about the black outs, those moments of complete disorientation he'd witnessed over the past few months. She didn't remember those either, and he was actually glad. She had lost her way through the building on several occasions; and, when confronted, she became belligerent or frightened. She had shouted at Miri a few times to get out of her house. But the moments passed. For the most part, the staff and acquaintances played along as though nothing had happened. The occurrences were dwindling in number, and