𝐇𝐘𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐒

Chapter 17

mom dropped a bomb on me when she said she would be giving us the PSAT about four years early

when you get a better score than the person who studied

"Let's meet again," Hyacinthus smiled, waving at Cyparrissus. His friend had only been allowed to stay for a week before heading back to his kingdom. Even though that thing had happened, Hyacinthus felt happy to see his friend again.

"It was nice meeting your. . . friend." Cyparrissus winked before turning his head to the ship, his navigator threatening to leave him behind. 

Once Cyparrissus's ship left the harbor, Hyacinthus's hand dropped to his waist. The sun in the sky felt too bright, too hot for his skin. He averted his eyes, lowering them to the pavement. He would be lying if he said that wasn't worried for his relationship. 

Gods, he just saw his lover check out his best friend. That could really lower your self esteem. 

Hyacinthus called on his servant to lead him back to the castle. Subconsciously, he started rubbing at his throat, massaging the excess layer of lipids. He accidentally grabbed his Adam's apple. Hyacinthus yelped, slapping his hand. 

"Um, my lord?" the servant looked at him warily. "Are you feeling alright?" 

"No." 

"I-"

"I mean- I mean yes!" Hyacinthus blurted out, frantic to fix his wording. 

"Okay, then." 

Once he was back in the safety of his castle, he dashed up the corridor, past the west wing, and started hibernating in his room. 

"Apollo," Hyacinthus warbled, opening his window. 

"I have been summoned." Hyacinthus had learned that gods paid close attention to who was calling their name, and this just added to his idea. Apollo stepped out of the air, smiling as he took Hyacinthus's hand and spun him around.

"Who is this angel who summoned me?" he mused. 

"One without wings, and one that lives on the ground." Hyacinthus said sweetly. 

"You were supposed to say Hyacinthus of Sparta."

"Oops."

"Nevermind. How was your day, love?" He settled into a cushion, bringing Hyacinthus down with him and wrapping his arms around him. 

"Good, Cyparrissus went back to his homeland." Hyacinthus said, nuzzling Apollo's hand like a kitten.

"Oh, that's a shame." Apollo replied.

Okay, what now?

Just because Cyparrissus was gone from Sparta, didn't mean he was out of Apollo's reach. The god could teleport anywhere and Hyacinthus wouldn't be privy to that knowledge. 

He bit his lip, breaking the thin layer of skin.

"You're bleeding." Apollo looked down from Hyacinthus's shoulder, turning his chin around to face him. "What's wrong?"

Hyacinthus wiped the blood away with his hand, pretending not to notice Apollo eyeballing his bloody finger.

"I've just been having dreams," Hyacinthus said. "of Zephyrus." Okay, it wasn't totally a lie. Hyacinthus had been having recurring dreams of him falling from the sky, the wind pelting his body mercilessly. That counted as the west wind, right?

The air suddenly turned sour. "Ew."

A plan started to form in Hyacinthus's mind. He still felt the marble in his tunic. No matter how many times he had thrown it away, it would find its way back to him. Zephyrus had given it to him, thinking that Hyacinthus would have changed his mind and used it as a way to communicate with him. 

continue in the next section my lazy brain isn't alive enough to deal with this