Chapter 7
As Hayden peeked up from his computer screen, his worried eyes landed on Nora once more. She sat across from him with the letter in her hand and a deep frown on her lips. Her face had grown pale, and it wasn't just because of the heavy rain outside banging against the glass.
"You've been very quiet ever since we got back from seeing Killian," Hayden observed.
Nora looked up but didn't say anything. She tried for a small smile that only lasted for a few seconds before vanishing.
"What's on your mind?" Hayden pushed.
"Killian....." Nora began slowly. "He saw my mom in the underworld."
"Yes," Hayden nodded. "That's how we got the address."
"Do you remember the night we first found out I was a vestal?" Nora sat forward slowly, her fingers still playing with the letter.
"Yes," Hayden looked down at her hands.
"Do you remember what Ares said?" Nora asked. "About vestals not having a soul?"
"I don't believe tha-"
"He also said whatever I am now is all that I get," Nora's voice grew faint. "No rebirth, no afterlife..."
"Nora," Hayden sighed and tried to reach for her hand.
"If my mother was a vestal, then why was she in the underworld?" Nora suddenly looked up.
Hayden felt the weight of what she was getting at land on his shoulders. His insides fell to the bottom of his feet as his blood started to run wildly. With his eyes locked with Nora, Hayden tried to think of something to say that would ease the pain in her eyes. But he didn't have answers. There was nothing he could say that would make her any less miserable than she was.
"I don't get it," Nora shook her head.
She leaned back in her chair and turned her head to stare at the heavy rain outside. The glass was coated with droplets, making it hard to see past the veil of water.
"Maybe the answers we want will be at this place?" Hayden looked back at the screen once more.
"What if they are answers I don't want?"
Hayden looked back up at Nora, "What do you mean?"
"If my mom was in the underworld then that means she was not a vestal. And if she was not a vestal ...." Nora took in a long deep breath. "Was she my mother?"
"Of course she was," Hayden frowned. "She raised you, loved you. All of your memories are of her."
"There is a 50% chance that all that was a lie," Nora muttered. "And the other 50% chance is that Ares was wrong about vestals....I don't think Gods are usually wrong."
"Oh you'd be surprised," Hayden said.
"Is it wrong that I don't want to keep looking for answers?" Nora asked. "I know it's stupid, but....I feel like the more I dig, the more I have no clue who I am. I'm looking for answers, but all I'm getting are more questions."
"You're overwhelmed," Hayden slowly rose from his seat and walked around the table to the other side. He took Nora's hand and pulled her up to her feet despite her small moment of protest.
"This is a lot," he whispered as she stepped into his arms. "But will you be okay giving up now and not knowing what all this really means?"
"No," Nora shook her head. "It'll keep me up at night for the rest of my life."
