Eyes: The Story Of A Blind Heroine

Chapter 18

Stheno's wrists ached. She was sure that her blood circulation was cut off by now, but who cared anyway? It was not as if she could politely ask Phoebus or any of his bodyguards to give them some wiggle room. The chain was made of Celestial bronze, so she was trapped either way. She could feel the metal burn slightly, like someone had poured the thinnest layer of acid onto it.

They were back in the underground hideout. It was a network of caves and tunnels, where Phoebus and the rest of Poseidon's followers set up base. The location was convenient, because it was close to the sea, thus to Poseidon's power. She could feel it pulse around her, leaving her dizzy. It was a slow, lazy pulse, rhythmic, like the lazy waves brushing against the beach in summertime. His presence could be felt here. He was almost awake. Only three gorgons left and then they were all screwed. Stheno felt nauseous. The air stank of red bait, reptile and dead fish. These people must suffer from anosmia or something, because this was awful. How in Hades could no one notice the stench?

Beside her, Francesca lay stretched out on a mattress covered with a sheet, which was stained red with her blood. Phoebus had put that many bandages on her midsection, the blood seeping from beneath it, dark in the hue of the candle they used for lighting.

"That little bitch," Francesca hissed as she tried to sit up, apparently in too much pain to move, "I hope she dies in a ditch."

"Now, now, my friend," Percival, who sat beside her, soothed, "we can't have that. I mean, after all this is over, maybe, but for now, we need her alive."

"After everything she said to you?" Francesca spat, "I don't care about her anymore! She tried to kill me and almost fricking succeeded!"

"Calm down, Francesca," Phoebus chastised her, "preserve your strength. We will find a way."

"She'd kill a fellow demigoddess than a gorgon!" Francesca rasped, "why the hell do I want her anywhere near me?"

"There's only one cure to heal wounds inflicted by celestial bronze," Percival sighed, "and this is why we need her. It's only Apollo's power that would heal this. You know about the celestial bronze ink which lord Zeus had his own brother tattooed with? We need her, because she could heal the effects of that disgraceful thing. If we can't find Apollo's demigods to heal you, who can we find to restore lord Poseidon to his glory?"

"Then both of us are screwed, aren't we?" Francesca snapped, "I have this nagging suspicion that neither Apollo, nor his children, are not exactly on our side here. I mean, how else was her aim so accurate? She's blind, for the love of Poseidon!"

Stheno watched as the  two men stood beside the woman, contemplative.

"Shouldn't we try and sway Chelsea Bridger?" Phoebus asked, "I mean, she's pretty much a solar flare, but ..."

"Screw that," Percival cut in, "one look at her husband and my balls creep back up into my stomach."

Such an uncouth bastard, Stheno thought bitterly as she shook her wrists again. She hated him. She hated them, all of them. They had separated her from her sister, who had been the only kind companion she had had in this ghastly place. She also couldn't believe they made her turn an innocent bird to stone. She was going to admit this: she had done terrible things in her many life cycles. She had hurt innocents before, but she has long since changed those ways and turned to the service of Apollo, his sister, Artemis and the other ones who showed her kindness, forgiveness and mercy. She could still see the helpless creature as Phoebus clutched her in his  hand, the way Percival forced Stheno's eyes open, the scared screeching of the bird, then ... The moment she looked into the bird's dark eyes, time had stood still. She saw the bird's mind, the laser-clear image of a young woman singing to her, feeding her, showing her off to everyone. She could sense the happiness in those memories, see Brigid's smile as she spoke to the bird. "I can't wait for the day you start talking," she had said excitedly, "I swear to Apollo, you'll be swearing in Greek like Amelia." Then, a surge of heat and pain, then nothing. The bird had turned to stone right before her eyes. This was one of the worst things Stheno had ever felt. She burned with remorse every time she thought about that sweet little parakeet.