The Heir of a Thousand Lifetimes (A PJO Universe Story)

I'm not nervous. You're nervous.

I still cannot sort my thoughts properly as we walk the rest of the way through the forest. The undergrowth breaks and bends under our feet, but I can barely hear it. All I seem to be able to hear are whispers that grow increasingly louder.

"We're almost to the lair," Cassius says quietly, as if speaking any louder would somehow pierce the veil that surrounds us.

I don't quite know what to make of Cassius or how I should look at him. Knowing he is my soulmate and has been in another lifetime is one thing...deciding what to do with that information is a completely different situation. What does it even mean to have a soulmate? Does it inherently imply we are meant to be lovers? Or could it mean we might only be destined for some other sort of love? Achilles loved Patroclus as much as life itself, I have no doubt of that. But that was Achilles, and I am not him.

I would like to hope Cassius is my soulmate in every sense of the word, if he truly is my soulmate. The idea is as sweet as honey, an eternal nectar one can only dream of having within their grasp. It is an eternity I had never quite imagined before. I used to believe the screams that rattled in my ears and the burning cities scorched into my eyes made me unlovable, a monster that no man would ever love. But now, here I have been told that I have the second half of my soul standing right within reach.

Fate is funny, isn't it? I can't help but wonder, why now? Why us? Over two thousand years later, why have the Fates finally decided it is time for the prophecy to unfold, and why is it finally time for Patroclus to be reborn and the lineage of Achilles to come to its head with a part of his soul finding a home in me?

I still don't understand how that even worked, since he wasn't reborn. I suppose I'll have plenty of time to ask later. I hope I will, at least.

"Everything okay?" Cassius asks, frowning. I nod a little too soon.

"Everything's fine." My voice is just a tad too high and makes him suspicious.

"Is this about the whole 'I'm reborn and we're soulmates' thing?" When I don't answer, he sighs. "It is, isn't it?"

I groan. "Okay, yes, kind of! I just- I'm having some trouble processing it. I don't exactly know what to do with any of this information, Cassius."

He shrugs. "That's a fair point. But you have to understand that it's strange for me too. It's not like I've had a soulmate before either. And it's really not great naturally feeling overprotective over the heir of Achilles, Audra. Hot-headed impulsiveness is literally in your veins. When you were yelling at Zeus, I thought I'd pass out from how scared I was for your safety, and I hadn't even spoken to you yet."

Well then. I can't even say anything arrogant or sarcastic back at him. I press my lips together as I think. He's right. I hate that he's right. Obviously this would be awkward for him too. He might have known about it, but that doesn't mean he knows me any better. That doesn't make me any less of a practical stranger. And, honestly, I'd hate having to worry after me too. I'm kind of a loose cannon.

"You're right," I say eventually. "How about we start off by getting to know each other then? This is a really weird situation, but we might as well make the best of it."

Cassius looks down at me and smiles. He nods in agreement and nudges my shoulder.

"Looks like we have a plan."

•••••

We're crouching behind some bushes as we stare at at stony mound. The whispers have gotten louder, but I manage to push them to the back of my mind. All of the sudden, three huge ants come barreling through the trees and straight into the lair. My jaw drops.