The Sixth Life of Medusa

8. Her Many Eyes

Medusa glared at Athena's statue as she waited in the alcoved shrine. The statue stood at least five feet tall, depicting the goddess wielding a spear, with a majestic owl perched on her left shoulder.

The plan was simple, once her parents showed up at the back garden, she would perform the chant of apparition just like she learned during her time as a priestess.

See? The goddess is also in agreement, Father. Please, let me visit Aunt Phorcydes!

"Ah, this is stupid." Medusa facepalmed and sighed. Even though her parents revered the goddess, misgiving still lingered. What if they freak out when they see Athena's image? The more she thought of her plan, the more foolish she felt, but she had already sent words for her parents to come.

In a sudden burst of irrational reasoning, Medusa considered coming clean.

No. It was too much of a risk.

Even if by some miracle Phorcys believed her, he was an ant deity of the weakest category—with immortality and a few tricks being the only things he could show for it. Athena could crush him in a single breath.

What Medusa was about to attempt was the only way.

Kneeling with her back to the statue, Medusa waited.

The backdoor heaved open, and she looked just in time to see Phorcys and Ceto walk into the back garden. Unlike the gentle expression Phorcys had worn at the beach that morning, his face had reverted to expressionless.

"Father. Mother." Medusa bowed when they stopped before the shrine. "I give my greeting."

"Why is she doing this?" Ceto asked Phorcys instead of responding to Medusa's greeting. Her eyes were wide with worry. "Is it because of her strange mood?"

Phorcys eyes lingered on Athena's statue before focusing on Medusa. "You said you wish to show us something?"

Releasing a long breath, Medusa hoped her innocent expression remained unshaken because the tightness in her chest was worsening.

"Father, do you recall the dream I shared yesterday? The one with Aunt Phorcydes and Hesperides burning?"

A puzzled frown broke Phorcys' flat expression. "What is this about?"

"In my sleep this afternoon, the dream came to me again. I said a prayer, and I think Athena visited me." Medusa widened her eyes and scrunched her brow, hoping her expression showed naive sincerity.

"What are you saying?" Ceto drew even closer to Phorcys as if scared. "Darling, what is she saying?" She gazed up at her husband as if he held all the answers.

"Go on," Phorcys said.

"I came to the shrine to say a prayer to Athena's statue the way the teacher taught me and something strange happened."

Medusa quickly clasped her hands before her father could speak. Shutting her eyes and frowning in concentration, she began the chants.

The smell of juniper leaves tickled her nose followed by the heavy roll of nausea in her belly, but she gritted her teeth and pressed on.

Her parents' devotion to the goddess was near cult-like. This may work—please, work.

The air around Medusa thickened. Soon flecks of golden light would display the image of Athena.

"Phorcys." There was a rising note of panic in Ceto's voice. "I do not like this. Make her stop."

Before Medusa could finish the chant, hands grabbed her shoulders and jerked her to her feet.