Fall From Grace

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Vivian is sitting on her bed, legs crossed and eyes closed. When I'm sure her eyes are actually shut, I reach into the back of my sock draw to pull out the small box I had hidden away there.

"You ready?"

"Yes!"

I stand in front of her, box in hand and tell her, "Open your eyes."

Vivian takes the box from me, and quickly unwraps the bow it is wrapped in. At the flea market, I found a booth I usually go to, that sells handmade jewelry. I've bought a few pieces for myself from there and when I saw this one, it just called out Vivian to me.

"Aza Grace, this is... wow..."

"You like?"

"I absolutely adore it." Vivian's eyes are watery. "Can you just put it on?"

The dainty silver bracelet that I chose looks like a silver branch wrapped around her wrist. It looks natural on her, as if it was always meant to be there.

"There." I let her turn her wrist left and right to admire it.

"It's beautiful." She pulls me in for a tight hug. "I'll never take it off."

"Good."

I was surprised that Vivian managed to last all day before asking for her present. I was even getting antsy to give it to her. I'm the worst at receiving presents, but I love giving them. If I can, I should! And her face, so worth it.

"So I was thinking," Vivian says, and I already know I'm not going to like what she's about to say. "You should invite Sterling to whatever it is we're doing for my birthday."

"Two things, do you even know what we're doing?" I ask, "And, why?"

"Well no, but I know it's something." She replies. "And he is your friend, isn't he? I'll probably be flitting around and it might be nice. Besides, I like him."

I roll my eyes, "You just think he's good looking. But fine. I'll extend the invite."

"Good. Now go do your schoolwork so you don't get stressed and mean."

I move away from her side of the room, and on to my bed where my laptop is open to an assignment I'm not really in the mood to deal with.

"This semester's end couldn't come soon enough." I groan.

"I dunno, this semester has been pretty good for me." Vivian responds to my lamentation.

"Shut up."

The week moved by quickly after that. In between classes, I read Sterling's file. He had a lot of sources of cults nowadays and some historical basis for cults. But not much on Greek Mythology like he originally suggested.

Before Vivian's party and after our lunch, I head into town to Calliope's shop to meet with Sterling. After I noticed that he didn't delve into his original theory, I do. While I wait for Sterling to arrive, I enjoy some coffee and continue my research.

It's hard to sort out the trash from actual sources, and there are a lot of satanism links and satanic cults, that pop up instead of what I need.

As I sort, something that Professor Elias taught us comes to mind. When he first introduced us to what Greek Religion was in the beginning of the semester, after he taught us the history of Greece, he said there was a specific name for the groups that worshipped the Gods.

He said they were called....

I try and rack my name for what they were called before automatically hitting search.