A Forgotten Maiden

Chapter 17

Calypso stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the disheveled woman on the other side of the threshold. Eve's mother. Her eyes were wild, her hair unkempt, and her whole demeanor screamed desperation—and something darker.

"Eve," the woman called, her voice saccharine and sickeningly sweet, like syrup gone sour. "Oh, sweetheart, there you are. Come home with me, darling."

Eve's face went pale, her wide eyes locking onto her mother. She didn't move, didn't even blink. The air in the room grew thick with tension, so heavy it felt like everyone was holding their breath.

Percy stood a few feet behind Calypso, his muscles coiled tight. He could feel the storm building inside him, the familiar pressure of anger rising. He tried to keep it in check, but the presence of Eve's mom—this woman who had caused so much pain—was making it hard to stay calm.

Eve, still at the table, shook her head slowly, her whole body trembling. Her lips parted, but no words came out. She was terrified, that much was clear. Her hands gripped the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles had turned white.

"I-I'm not going," Eve finally managed to stammer, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her mother's expression darkened instantly. The sweetness in her eyes evaporated, replaced by something cold, something cruel. Her face twisted into a scowl, and her voice turned sharp and venomous.

"You ungrateful little brat," she hissed, her sickly sweet tone vanishing in an instant. "After everything I've done for you? You think you can just run away and hide here? You're a disappointment. A failure. Nothing but a selfish, little—"

"That's enough," Calypso said, stepping forward, her voice firm but calm. She raised a hand, as if to block the woman from coming any closer. "You're not welcome here. Eve's safe with us."

Percy clenched his fists at his sides, trying to keep himself from snapping. The storm inside him was getting stronger, and he could feel the familiar pull of the sea in his veins. His heart pounded in his chest, the sound of the blood rushing in his ears mixing with the faint rumble of thunder outside. The air in the room felt electrically charged, and he didn't know how long he could keep it together.

"You think you can just take my daughter from me?" Eve's mother sneered, her voice rising with each word. "You have no right! She's mine. She belongs with me!"

Eve's eyes were wide, filled with a mixture of fear and disbelief. She looked like she wanted to say something, to fight back, but her body was frozen in place. Percy could see the bruises peeking out from under her sleeves, the pain written on her face, and his anger flared hotter.

"Eve doesn't belong to anyone," Percy said, his voice low and dangerous. "Especially not you."

The woman's gaze snapped to Percy, her eyes narrowing. "Oh, so you're the one who's been filling her head with these lies, huh? You think you can just take my daughter and pretend you're her family? Who do you think you are?"

Before anyone could react, she lunged forward, trying to push past Calypso and into the apartment.

Calypso, caught off guard, grabbed her by the shoulders and tried to hold her back, but Eve's mother was wild, fueled by rage and something Percy couldn't quite place—desperation, maybe? She shoved at Calypso with surprising strength, her nails digging into her arms as she tried to claw her way inside.

"Get out of my way!" she screeched, her voice shrill and manic. "She's my daughter! You can't keep her from me!"

Calypso struggled to hold her back, but she was no match for the older woman's frantic aggression. With one final shove, Eve's mother pushed her hard, sending Calypso stumbling backward. Her feet caught on the edge of the rug, and she fell, hitting her head on the corner of the table with a sickening thud.