Serpent and Stone

Chapter 28

For all the years I had cursed her, I had never once seen the goddess of wisdom with my own eyes until this moment. My fists shook with rage, my heart pounding furiously at the sight of her, yet I couldn't look away. The goddess was power incarnate, seven feet tall and dressed in full silver battle armor. Her long black hair was pinned into a pristine knot behind her head, her features as sharp as the spear she carried. Her eyes, however, were a weapon unto themselves. There were untold depths to those dark grey eyes, but all I could see behind them was pure, unfeeling disdain as she looked callously upon the mortals before her.

She was not pleased at the moment, and I knew all too well what a displeased goddess was capable of.

Some soldiers muttered breathless prayers at the sight of her, others fell to their knees or staggered back, awed by her very presence. Castor merely stared at her with wide eyes and open mouth, seemingly frozen in place.

I knew Perseus could not see the goddess like we could, but I was sure he could still hear the divinity in her voice, could sense the pure power emanating from her figure. His eyes darted toward her direction anxiously and he gripped me a bit tighter.

I couldn't help myself. I pushed through the pain and sat up, so that I could stare directly into the goddess' eyes, not bothering to hide my resentment. I let my eyes bare all my hatred to her, all my anguish and rage. I did not care about anything in that moment but for her to see the pain she'd caused me.

"Pallas Athena," I growled. I spit out the name like a curse. "What do you want?"

Athena's only reaction was to narrow her eyes at me, faint irritation coloring her scowling features. As if I were not even worth her notice, her consideration. I clenched my hands tightly into fists at my side, trying to stop myself from shaking in both pain and anger.

She did not even deign to respond. Instead, she swiftly turned her gaze to Perseus, and spoke once more.

"Perseus, son of Zeus," she said, her voice like silk draped over steel. "The Fates are displeased with you. You have thwarted their prophecies and weavings with your actions today. They have sent me to correct your destiny."

It was Perseus' turn to let out a low growl at the goddess, openly glaring in her direction. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"Medusa's fate is to die here. But you- your life is not meant to end today. Your Fate is a golden thread. Your Fate is to bring her head back to Seriphos, save your mother, and become a hero. The Fates are not pleased that you oppose this destiny, nor is your father."

"Then the Fates are wrong." His voice was uncompromising. He clutched me tighter against his chest. "That will never happen."

Athena's frown deepened. "Yes, that is why I am here. Your refusal to meet your Fate is quite irritating, but it must be remedied. You must live to become a hero."

"Since when have you cared about such things?" I questioned sharply. Athena's gaze snapped to me, gray eyes flickering with divine light. Fear nearly choked me, but I pressed on. "You care only for your own pride and arrogance. You claim to be just, but you punish the innocent for crimes they did not commit. You claim to be good, but you make mortals suffer in order to satisfy the petty rivalry of the gods." I took a deep inhale, narrowing my eyes up at the goddess. "You are the truly monstrous one. How can you claim to be worthy of worship, Pallas Athena?"

The air crackled with electricity, with power as the grey-eyed goddess met my gaze coldly. I knew I should have kept my mouth shut. I knew to offend a goddess in such a way was to invite death. But I couldn't bring myself to regret it. I had never felt so glad, so triumphant, in all of my life. If I had to spend the rest of my days in Tartarus paying for this crime, then it would have been worth it just to have that one glorious moment of revenge on Athena.

To my vast surprise, however, she did not smite me down. I did not burst into flames at her whim, and I remained alive and breathing as she seemed to mull over her reply.

"And you are the other thing that has brought me here today," Athena mused, her gaze assessing me deeply. It was as if she only just saw me here, finally taking note of the monster she'd created. "You do not know it, but I have been watching you, Medusa. I have watched your struggles and joys and pains. I have watched as you, against all odds, retained your humanity despite the curse upon you. It is not what I expected when I first placed the curse upon you. You have surprised me."

She paused. It seemed as if she was loath to go on, but at last resigned herself to continue.

"It is a rare thing for a mortal to teach something to the goddess of wisdom," she spoke. "But I have indeed learned from watching you. You, who are meant to be a monster, but have sacrificed your life to save a hero." She inclined her head to me, strands of dark hair framing her face. "I was wrong to curse you when you did nothing to insult me. You are an innocent. I see now that it was not just or wise."

I thought perhaps the blood loss from my wounds was making me hallucinate. I could not believe my eyes and ears. I did not know what to say, nor how to feel. I felt nothing except confusion, hope, pain- all mingled together in a chaotic maelstrom warring in my head. At last, the blood loss finally became too much for me to take. An icy numbness took over my limbs and spots of darkness danced in my vision. My mind grew dizzy, and I distantly made out Perseus' cries as I went limp in his arms.

His voice was muddled and faded as I slowly slipped into unconsciousness. "Help her. Please, do something!"

Athena's voice, its timber low and even, was the last thing I heard. "Of course, young hero," she murmured. "That is why I have come."