Serpent and Stone

Chapter 22

"The sun is going down," I told him nervously. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," he replied.

I helped him rise to his feet and we set off back to the temple. He still held my hand as we walked through the forest, our fingers wound together like vines. I reveled in the simple touch as I helped him to navigate around trees and roots.

With a start, I recognized the giddy feeling inside my chest as happiness. It felt so nice to have him here with me, to be with him. And, though I hardly even dared to entertain the thought, it seemed like he enjoyed being with me too.

Only because he doesn't know you're a monster, the insidious voice in my mind whispered. But I pushed it down harshly, silencing it. Not even those fears could take away from my simple happiness in this moment. Even if I was a monster, couldn't I at least indulge in this fantasy? Couldn't I dream of what could have been if I was just a normal woman, who had met Perseus in the far-away Argos or Seriphos? Even if I couldn't have him in this life, it was a comfort to imagine the could-have-beens. For now, I chose not to care about the rest of it.

Suddenly, a small noise drew my notice, and I faltered in my footsteps. The bubble of my happiness popped, and I frowned, slowing to a stop. Perseus frowned as we stopped walking, but I squeezed his hand, indicating for him to keep quiet. I strained to listen, to hear the slight sound above the low whistling of the wind through the trees.

Sure enough, I had not been imagining it. A low hissing sound reached my ear, and my blood turned to ice in my veins. Immediately, I unsheathed the sword at my belt, drawing it just in time to see the shiny brown scorpion launch itself at Perseus, its venomous tail poised and deadly.

With a wordless shout, I slashed my sword down, putting a barrier between the scorpion and Perseus. The creature scuttled back so quick that it was difficult to follow, but I focused all of my concentration on it, raising my sword before me in a wordless threat.

The thing thankfully turned its attention away from Perseus, but then focused on me. Its beady eyes glittered, its venomous tail poised with eagerness. It leapt into the air. I swung at it but missed. The creature landed on my leg and sunk its barb deep into muscle and sinew, pumping venom through me. I screamed out in both pain and rage and brought my sword down one more time. This time I did not miss. I sliced the scorpion cleanly in two, the severed pieces falling to the grass. It twitched once before it lay still, dead.

"Andromeda!" Perseus called out, his voice frantic and laced with fear. "What's going on? Why did you scream?" He turned around uncertainly, unsure where I was and which way to go to reach me.

I stood gasping for air a few feet in front of him, still catching my breath after the brief confrontation with the scorpion. The agony in my leg where it had pierced me was vicious, and my leg was already trembling, hardly able to keep me upright.

My mind raced as I tried to process it all. No animals would ever dare to approach me, no matter how strong or fearsome they might be. It was another part of my curse, that they instinctively feared me. But this one had been different. It had fearlessly attacked, with no regard for my curse. The realization of what that meant sent a shiver down my spine. That had not been any ordinary scorpion, but a godly servant doing some Olympian's bidding. A god had attempted to kill Perseus and me.

"I'm here," I belatedly answered Perseus. My voice sounded strained even to myself. I held out my hand to him, and he grasped it tightly when he reached me, his gaze trying in vain to search for mine.

"What happened?" He demanded. "Are you hurt?"

I winced and gasped out in pain when the effect of the venom suddenly flared through me, causing every inch of me to burn in agony. The scorpion's venom had been deadly. I couldn't be sure how long it would take to kill me, unless I received an antidote.

"Scorpion," I managed to get out between teeth gritted against the pain. "Killed it. Venom got me." I winced, biting my tongue to suppress a cry of agony. "We're near the temple. If we hurry-" I broke off with a gasp as the burning feeling washed over me again, stealing the breath from my lungs and the words from my mouth. A dark feeling of dread wormed its way into the pit of my stomach. I had even less time than I thought.

Perseus stepped toward me, his expression a mask of fear and concern. "Let me help you. Where did it sting?"

He stepped too close, reaching out a hand to grab my shoulder. His fingers were only a hair's breadth away from touching one of my snakes and my heart seized in pure panic.

"No!" My voice was as sharp as steel, harsh and unwavering. Perseus' hand froze. "No. Don't touch me." I shook my head, though it did nothing to clear my whirling thoughts. "I-I don't need help. Just follow my voice."

Without waiting for a response I turned and stumbled through the brush, running as fast as I could toward the shelter of the temple. I heard Perseus following behind me, able to follow the sounds of my loud footsteps, but I didn't turn to look. The venom was acting fast, causing my leg to become almost useless, my mind to fog, and my body to swerve almost drunkenly. I swallowed thickly and forced myself to move even faster through the trees.

Soon enough, I broke through the edge of the forest, the familiar stone arches of the temple rising before me. I let out a whimpering sound at the sight of it, pure relief overcoming me. My left leg was a useless, dead thing beneath me, but somehow I managed to collapse into my bed before it failed me completely.

It hurt like nothing I'd ever experienced before. It felt like a fire was scorching my insides, licking through muscle and blood and flesh and consuming me whole. I let out a low hiss, my hands clenching into fists at my sides.

I must have momentarily blacked out, but when I opened my eyes again Perseus stood by the bedside. He was frozen in place, his blank gaze struck by total helplessness and desperation.

"Tell me what to do," He pleaded. "What should I do?"

"The chest," I mumbled. "In the northwest corner of the room... Inside is a-" I choked off, my whole body clenching as a wave of pain rolled through me, nearly taking me under. When I spoke again, my voice was raw and raspy. "A small vial." I struggled to recall descriptions that Perseus in his blindness would understand. "It's in the very bottom of the chest. A completely spherical vial, with a short cork stopper."

He rushed to fulfill my request before the words had finished leaving my mouth. I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately trying to combat the wave of darkness threatening to drag me down, but it was a fight I was quickly losing. I distantly heard the sound of Perseus frantically rummaging through the chest, but it was if I was hearing the sounds underwater. They had a strange, fuzzy quality.

"It's an anti-venom," I mumbled slurred words that I was sure he couldn't even hear as I felt myself slipping under. I had jealously guarded that particular treasure for many years, as it was one of the few potions of my mother's that I was unable to replicate. I was ready to use it now.

My mind was nearly gone, but a sharp, frantic fear still lingered, demanded I speak. "And no matter what, do not touch me," I slurred, my snakes growing as dizzy and tired as I was. I could not see or hear Perseus anywhere around me, but I hoped with all of my desperation that he heard. "Don't touch me..."