The Grace Curse

Chapter Six

I WATCHED AS THE SUN WAS ABOVE THE HORIZON NOW. I awoke to the sound of Apollo reaching over to the balcony door and opening it. A rush of hot summer air blew in, my face burned slightly from it. He returned to his cross-legged position on the edge of my bed from his former irritated standing position. His face was difficult to look at without making me burn from sunlight. I remember reading myths about him being the personification of male beauty. The Sun God seemed to notice I was analyzing him. "Hey! Good morning Chase!"

I rubbed my eyes as they adjusted to the bright sunlight. "Good morning, Apollo,"

The Sun God sat directly next to me and smiled eagerly. "I took the liberty of making you breakfast, after all I'm your guest,"

I laughed. "Your guest? You kind of showed up randomly,"

I could tell the God almost lost it for a moment. "Oh, duh right..." He turned and out of nowhere brought me a plate with two waffles on it. I gasped as peanut butter was spread perfectly on them.

I jumped surprised. "You made my favorite!"

Apollo's face softened. "Anything to make you more comfortable,"

I hesitantly took the plate from him. Something bugged me, slowly I thought about what Hera had said. "He will snatch you up like a worm,"

"Thank you so much!" I exclaimed and bit into a waffle.

The Sun God raised an eyebrow with concern. I could tell he was reading my body language. "Something is troubling you,"

I put the plate down as the food in my mouth began to spoil, I slowly made my way to the door. "I'm ok, really. I am just going to go use the bathroom—!"

I felt a hand stop me. "I wouldn't do that if I were you,"

Without thinking, I turned back to the God and faked innocence. "Do what?"

Apollo looked at me for a while and said nothing, he finally opened his mouth. "Who were you were speaking to in your dream?"

"I wasn't dreaming,"

He laughed. "I am the god of truth you know, I can sense when a lie is being told,"

I crossed my arms defensively. "I am sorry, but I don't exactly have to listen to you. You aren't my mother,"

The Sun God clenched his fists, I could tell he was desperately trying to hold it together. "You'd allow a stupid goddess such as Hera to taint your image of me?"

"She isn't exactly incorrect about you; the myths describe you as being..." I trailed off.

Apollo tilted his head curiously. "As being what?"

"Lustful,"

The Sun God's expression had changed, I no longer could feel the warmth from his aura. "There are many Gods you could call lustful...Zeus, Ares, Eros, Dionysus, even Hermes...I am no different, this shouldn't come as a shock to you,,"

I nodded. "Yes, I know that...but it isn't that...Hera had told me something else...she..."

"She what?"

I looked away. "Said you'd snatch me up like a worm."

Apollo sat next to me as I kept my eyes shut tight. "Well, that's a very mean way of putting it,"

I fluttered them open. "So, it is true?"

A smile flickered on his face like a dull candle. "Of course it's true, although I don't think of you as a worm nor do I want to treat you like one,"