Lady of the Hunt

8/

Adara had begun to avoid Orion after her talk with Hades. She didn't tell him, for what reason she wasn't sure, about his involvement in the prophecy.

She'd started to a few times, but something held her back. She'd wanted to ask about what Hades had meant by saying Orion had come from an important blood line. But she didn't want to tell Orion about Jonas yet—despite the fact that she hadn't even met the guy yet.

She realized after Hades had left that she hadn't even asked how old his son was. She assumed he was under 18, since Hades was sending him to the Temple, but other than that she had no idea how old he was.

She didn't know why she didn't say anything to Orion about it—he already knew Jonas existed. But nevertheless, she stopped herself every time she went to mention it to him. She hadn't even mentioned the encounter to Calista yet.

But Adara finally was forced to give up her attempt to avoid Orion when Leonidas assigned them a harpy. They rode the subway in an awkward silence, neither one really knowing what to say to the other.

They stepped off the subway together without speaking, Adara's mind still on Jonas. She wondered where he could be. Hades still hadn't sent him or gotten in touch with Leonidas like he had promised; no one knew had been brought to the Temple recently.

"Listen, Adara, if you're avoiding me about what happened last Friday—" Orion said, suddenly startling her out of her thoughts, "—I'm sorry. I don't know exactly what for, but I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

She shook her head, clearing her mind of any thoughts of Jonas. "Oh, uh, you're fine," she said awkwardly, still slightly caught off balance.

He didn't seem reassured. "Because I didn't want to—"

"Orion, you're fine, nothing happened to be weird about," she interrupted, laughing a little at him.

He shrugged, looking away. "You're the one that's avoiding me suddenly."

"Really, it's all fine." She didn't say that that wasn't why she was acting strange recently. "Besides, I can see that not talking to me is just killing you on the inside."

He grinned as she put a hand to her heart dramatically. "You wish," he muttered, making her laugh. "Ever killed a harpy before?"

Adara blushed quickly, looking away from him. "Um, no." Orion's eyes quickly narrowed at the weird reaction.

"What's that for?" he asked.

She turned even redder. "I hunted one once," she replied, her voice lowering down to a mumble as she said, "but it may have gotten away."

Orion laughed, making her glare at him. "It got away?" he echoed.

"Shut up! It was one of the first things I ever hunted here!" she defended.

He casually threw an arm around her. "Don't worry, love, I'm sure with my help you'll actually managed to catch one this time," he said as she rolled her eyes and shrugged off his arm.

"We'd be less likely to catch one with you slowing me down like you do," she said sweetly in reply.

"Hey, at least I've caught a harpy before," he argued.

"I've caught more difficult stuff, we just don't have that many harpies here," she said in her own defense, and he chuckled again. Adara let out a frustrated sigh, walking a little faster.