Did he know,
Did she know,
What?
Chapter 26
SHE CLOSED her eyes.
They were burning like they do after an aftermath of silent sobbing, but although she had done none of that, they still did; maybe it was to defy her every knowledge about the workings of the universe or maybe it was to twist her coherent thoughts with her spiderweb memories to leave her lost and alone in the swirling black holes of nothingness that she never wanted to visit again if she could.
And at that precise moment, just when the cool fragile skin of her eyelids touched the burning grey irises, it burned a little more intensely and then all feeling left her save the slight numbness that blanketed her mind.
The darkness had always been her chosen drug.
And that drug rocked her from dimensions to dimension, fondling her memories with a sly gentleness and protecting her- at least for a precious millisecond- from all she wanted to be protected from.
Now she could feel the world twisting and turning around her, trying to fit in all it can into her senses which had reduced by one.
Beneath the soles of her feet she felt hard stable ground, full of reassurances and comfort.
A lie.
A lie.
Around her the wind buffeted gently, caressing her skin and pushing her forward, promising her everything that she would ever need.
Security. Safety.
A lie.
A lie.
The first rays of the sun danced in front her eyelids with childish innocence, promising her lasting happiness. Purity is everlasting, loving is free, peace is reality.
A lie.
A lie.
Her body and mind savoured the stillness, the sudden absence of time, the diminishing of necessary and unnecessary worries.
A lie.
A lie.
It was all a lie.
Living flesh, with the fierce thrumming of blood beneath skin, stable bones and something unexpected- Stability, Safety, Security- and yet -instability, danger, discomfort- wrapped around her waist and pulled her backwards.
Truth.
With a jolt, Asta opened her eyes to the world again and allowed her body to slam into Hermes as her feet left the slight concrete elevation at the edge of the terrace.
Hermes held her close, just close enough to hear the panicked beating of his heart, and then Asta lurched forward, exerting just the right force to slip out of his grasp and not fall face first on the concrete.
She stumbled, perfecting an imitation of a drunkard before straightening herself and posting her body away from the edge of the terrace.
Golden eyes scanned her warily, expecting her to do anything out of the ordinary but Asta simply examined him, like she always did. Her mind thirsted for that few moments she got to see him as him.
Not Hermes the God but Hermes.
Find me when you realise the truth.
After all this time- three years- did Hermes finally do it?
Did he realise the truth? Had he truly seen the mistakes in his reality? Had he seen the lies that would haunt Asta's dreams for this eternity and then the next?
"Hermes," she said. Her voice was at the exact point between using her genuine voice and above a whisper.
Hermes sat with crossed legs on the floor of the terrace, his facial expressions unknowingly emitting an emotion that showed a story of righteous innocence being tarnished without slightest mercy.
Red, red blood; staining the sheets, spilling on the sparking floor of her mind. Her hair fluttered loosely around her, subtly flirting with the wind.
"I need answers." His voice twisted deep into her roots and dragged her out from its depths. Her foundations shook in the earthquake that was his emotions. It stank with the putrid stench of betrayal and distrust.
"You will get them." That was all Asta could offer this boy that sat in front of her.
Did he know,
Did he know?
Surprise became the most vibrant colour that got painted across Hermes's beautiful face. It was obvious that he wasn't expecting Asta to comply to his demands so easily.
Did he know,
Did he know?
Asta fixed her gaze on his Adam's apple moving up and down as he contemplated what to ask first.
Did he know,
Did he know?
"Ronan and I were talking," he began quietly. Before his words could reach Asta, a sudden strong gust of wind snatched them away in its lion like roar; as though she undeserving of his speech.
"What?" Asta felt stupid asking; it didn't matter.
Did he know?
"Ronan and I were talking." Hermes repeated without slightest irritation. Asta had always marvelled at his ability to be so comfortable around any kind of people. She knew it wasn't easy conversing with her.
His left hand touched the back of his neck. Quickly, realising that he was showing sure signs of nervousness Hermes retraced his steps and the hand was back on his side. He sat up and then with the stillness of a patient predator he stared straight at Asta, finding the depths of her soul, tearing through her shields like they were the flimsiest paper.
"He mentioned that you are a God. When were you going to tell me?"
Oh, Hermes,
Do you know,
Do you know?
YOU ARE READING
Hermes | Book 1
Science Fiction|Book 1 of the Novum Series| "Apart, they were lethal. Together, they were indestructible." Lost in the human world, the only way Greek God Hermes can reach home is with the help of an unlikely guide: Asta; human, Eta, imperfect. In a reality where...
