The Hunt

Chapter Two

The Hunt

Chapter Two

I sat opposite of my aunt at the breakfast table. She was much older than my mom, born to a different mother. My aunt had her head lowered, frizzy red hair occasionally falling into her cereal as she muttered a prayer to whatever goddess she was close to that morning.

She snapped her head up, smiling as she rolled her shoulders and shook out her ring clad fingers. My mother snorted over her shoulder, standing at the stove just behind my aunt. Our kitchen was tiny enough that if my aunt where to reach backwards she'd be able to touch the fridge and my mother at the same time.

"What's funny, Lila?" my aunt asked.

"Nothing, Robin," my mom answered.

I snorted over my oatmeal, placing one elbow along the inside spine of my book to keep it open. My aunt looked over to me, raising her pierced eyebrow. Though her body was over the age of fifty, my aunt's spirit was definitely stuck in the mid teenage years.

"Something funny, punk?"

I shrugged. "Depends on who that prayer went out to."

My aunt leaned over her cereal, the tips of her long hair once again becoming submerged. I pressed my lips together to hide a smile. She peered at me with clear blue eyes, assessing my attitude.

"If I told you I prayed to Artemis what would you say?" she asked.

I looked up at my mother who had turned around, spatula in hand to watch our exchange. I took a deep breath and steadied my gaze on my aunt's. "I'd say you had nothing in common with the virgin goddess and you were wasting your time. Sorry Aunt Robin, but you're not a maiden anymore."

My aunt feigned shock. "Lila, are you listening to your kid?"

"She's not a kid anymore, Robby, she's 18." My mother met my eyes over my aunt's head and grinned. I kept my face cool.

My aunt refocused on me. "Okay, what about Athena?"

I sighed. "Wisdom?" I asked, "is that really what you need? What about a stable income and your own house?"

My aunt narrowed her eyes. "Nike."

"You could use success," I admitted, "but she's a lesser goddess and probably isn't listening."

"Venus," my aunt proclaimed, holding her arms out wide. Her house robe was an elaborate swirling pattern, fitted with fringes down the sleeve and lace at the knee. "What do you say to her?"

I laughed. "What need do you have of Venus?" I asked.

My aunt shrugged. "One can never have enough love or beauty."

"I beg to differ," I said. "I have all the love I need." My mother laughed and my cheeks warmed. "What?" I asked as my aunt and mother shared a knowing look.

My mother turned off the stove and slid her eggs onto golden toast before taking a seat at the table, squishing herself between the edge and the wall. "You say that now because you've never felt love from a lover."

I scrunched up my nose. "Please don't say lover."

"Your mother's right, once you have a lover it's a different game, Mordy. Their love is all you crave and trust me, you can't get enough."