Changing the Future

Chapter 90

For the second time in a span of two days, we had a visitor aboard the Argo II.

Though, I'll admit I wasn't expecting for her to seek me out. She rarely left the comfort of her palace for fear of her mother-in-law. Aphrodite could claim that their feud was water under the bridge all she wanted, but the lasting trauma she left behind had caused millennia's worth of damage.

Psyche materialized on the main deck, where she almost had her eardrums burst by Festus's sonic screech.

"Woah, down boy," I said, leaving my post at the helm. I'd taken night duty after realizing that sleeping was a lost cause. My bed was too soft, my room too quiet. A place that used to comfort me now felt like a trap waiting to be sprung. "She's a friend."

Unfortunately for us, Piper was the first of the Seven to heed Festus's war cry. She tightly gripped her cornucopia, pointing the mouth toward Psyche as if she wanted to brain the goddess with a pot roast.

"You don't want to be here," Piper spoke, voice laden with charmspeak. "You want to leave us alone."

Psyche's whole body seized like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her. A hand clutched her chest as she slowly backed away.

"No," she whispered, lips trembling. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"Piper, stand down," I ordered. The demigoddess in question raised her eyebrows but lowered the cornucopia anyway. "This is Lady Psyche, goddess of the mind and soul, and a very good friend of mine."

"Oh." Piper blushed and ducked her head. "Apologies for my hostility, Lady Psyche."

Her words fell on deaf ears.

"She's going to hurt me again," Psyche whimpered, fingers knotting into her hair. "I angered another one of her children. She wants me dead. I'm sorry."

"Hey, hey, take a deep breath." I stepped in Psyche's direct line of sight, forcing her to look at nothing but me. "She's not here. She's not going to do anything to you. You didn't do anything to Piper. Isn't that right, Piper?"

"Everything is alright, Lady Psyche." I cringed at the charmspeak tinting her voice. Piper was trying to help, but charmspeak of any kind always triggered Psyche's panic.

Psyche raked her fingernails along her face. Ichor bloomed along the raised, irritated flesh. She screamed as her back came into contact with the ship's railing.

I approached slowly, my hands held in a placating manner. Psyche's wild gaze flittered behind me, most likely assessing the other demigods as they trickled onto the deck. When I got close enough, she threw herself into my arms.

"Protect me, Andy," she begged. "Don't let her find me!"

"Who is she talking about?" Leo asked.

"A-" Jason began. I heard someone's hands clapping over his mouth, keeping him quiet.

I brushed my thumbs against Psyche's face, the skin knitting itself together under my ministrations. Her breath stuttered.

"She can't reach you here," I said. "The Olympians are all incapacitated. She has no business aboard the Argo II."

"And if she appears anyway?"

"I'll keep you safe."

Psyche's manic burst of energy faded all at once. She slumped against me, visibly exhausted. Shifting my weight, I carried her bridal style down the stairs and set her in my bed. I'd only witnessed Psyche like this twice before, but both times had ended with her taking a two-hour nap.