Meeting Aggie

14.

I walked through the palace and looked at all the doors. They weren't in alphabetical order, so I searched fruitlessly for Apollo's room. I spotted a familiar door and knocked on it. Athena smiled as she opened the door.

"It's so wonderful to see you in your original form. I much prefer it over the other one."

"Thank you. How did you recognize me?" I inquired.

"I'm the goddess of wisdom, so it's very hard to trick me. Is everything alright, Agatha?" Her words carried a distinct emphasis on my name, indicating her knowledge of it.

A rush of warmth surged through me, and I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Right. Um... Can you, uh, kindly point me in the direction of your brother's room? I-I mean Apollo, of course."

She chuckled and pointed directly across from us. Behold, a golden door with Apollo's name in sparkling red letters.

"Father wanted us to be as close as possible since his twin sister Artemis left. Fortunately for me, that plan failed. Good luck to you now," she said, closing the door slowly as I stormed down the hallway.

With a sharp, heavy knock, I demanded entrance to Apollo's room. The door creaked open slightly from my force. Stepping inside, I closed the door behind me, preparing to unleash my frustration on Apollo. But what awaited me was far more heart-wrenching than I could have imagined.

He was in bed with a nymph—a real one this time. She looked at me wide-eyed while he slept peacefully. She had sparkling gold skin, yellow hair, and was entirely naked. She gave me a slick smile, and I started fuming. My skin turned green.

As my witch form emerged, my eyes turned a fiery red. "You have ten seconds to get out before I turn you into my next furniture piece, using your bones as the foundation."

She remained unmoved, unfazed by my threat.

"Sorry, but you could never strike fear in me, witch. The man who hired me to distract Apollo does."

Prince Sven. That explained why I hadn't seen Apollo for days. Sven had orchestrated everything meticulously, starting from the moment he sent the letter.

Internally, I seethed with anger. Fire and lightning crackled at my fingertips as I approached her. It triggered her flight response, and she scrambled to collect her clothes before running past me. The door slammed shut behind her, and while my skin returned to normal, my eyes continued to smolder with red intensity.

Walking up to Apollo, I unleashed my frustration with a resounding slap across his face. He jolted awake, groaning as he rubbed his cheek. His scowl softened when he recognized me.

"Why did you slap me like that? What's wrong, Aggie?" He reached out to me.

I pulled away, still consumed by anger, and hurt.

"Don't you ever call me that again! You made me depend on you, only to abandon me over a minor argument!" I screamed at him.

Apollo appeared perplexed and out of place. I needed to calm down, otherwise, my simmering anger would once again ignite my skin. I also had to remind myself that we weren't in a relationship, and that he was free to do as he pleased.

"Agatha, what are you talking about? You didn't call me at all. I've been waiting for your call since yesterday, ever since we returned from the Underworld," he said, genuine confusion etched on his face.

What was he even talking about? We ventured into the Underworld last week. Concerned, I examined him closely.

"Apollo, what day do you think it is?"

"The twenty-ninth day of March," he replied.

"No, Apollo, that's wrong. It's the fourth day of April. Open your mouth." I leaned in, sniffing deeply. "She drugged you, Apollo. I don't know what it is, but it smells like numbing ingredients."

"Probably shaved unicorn powder," Apollo groaned as he sat up.

I gently pushed him back onto the bed, giving him a stern look. Though he tried to sit up again, I firmly pressed him back down.

"Don't get up. You've been unconscious for several days."

"I was definitely drugged then. The last thing I remember was being at the bar after our argument." His eyes widened, resembling a remorseful puppy. "I'm sorry I said we wouldn't work out. I was just hurt by how you snapped at me," he mumbled.

Smiling at Apollo, I leaned forward and kissed him, feeling butterflies flutter in my stomach. After all I had endured, it was a welcome respite. When we pulled apart, he sat up and embraced me.

I recounted Sven's visit, tears streaming down my face. "I was terrified, Apollo. He knew my every move, and I felt trapped."

"I'm here now, and I'll always be here. This time, I won't let anything harm you," he promised, his voice filled with sincerity.

I looked at him skeptically but decided to let his actions speak for themselves, given what he had just experienced. Clearly, he had encountered that nymph at the bar and engaged in conversation before she drugged him.

"What happened to you?"

"Sven attacked me. I should never have returned to my apartment."

Apollo stared at me, worry evident in his eyes, before a sudden realization struck him.

"Aggie, you're not wearing the enchantment."

I shook my head and smiled. He returned the smile, understanding my intentions.

"I won't let any of the gods hurt you, Aggie. I swear it on my life."

"At this point, I'm prepared for anything. But first, I need to train under Ares. You've been amazing, but I didn't risk my life coming here for no reason." I said, standing up and stretching my arms.

"Are you sure you want to train now? You were just attacked," he said, voicing his concern.

"And you might have been sexually assaulted by some nymph Sven hired, but you're dismissing it."

"I'm not dismissing it. If something inappropriate had happened, I would have woken up earlier. She probably brought me back here and waited for you to arrive," he confidently replied, laughing. "What a dull week it must have been."

While that might be true, I believed he shouldn't downplay the fact that he was deliberately drugged and rendered unconscious for several days. It was too concerning to ignore. Carefully, I helped him sit up.

"I'll take your word for it, Apollo. Now let's go."

"I'm not fragile, Aggie," he whined.

"It doesn't mean you should be treated like a rag doll."