What If Our Life Threads Bind?

Chapter 48

Green eyes.

My heart is hammering so loudly against my chest that it might just burst out anytime now. I can't control my breathing. I stare at Austin, his scent engulfing me into his warmth. I feel hot despite the chill in the air. I should stir him up from sleep. I should get us out of here. What have I done? Why am I risking Austin's life now? Was mine not enough? We are not safe. Yet I don't want to move away from his heat. Not while cold adrenaline surges through my veins and a hurricane poses in my heart.

You gave me the tapestry that night. That was you, weren't you?

Her eyes were green, weren't they? The girl you kissed?

Yeah, wasn't that you?

His hard breaths hit my face- rough and fast. He's trying to contain a hurricane inside him just like me. I see it in the tension of his lightly stubbed jaw.

This is wrong.

Just completely wrong.

What do I do? What have I gotten us into?

Maybe I think I should do what Lila did with Augury and herself. She had not the strength to confront Chloe and mother. But she told me. I can do the same with Austin and myself.

I'll make him drink river Lethe and he'd forget all of this.

All of me.

...

For a few years Zeus' judgment worked, but then I became unhappy. I was besotted with him and he was a mortal.

I longed for him when we were parted and I worried that this fragile life might be cut short by some unforeseen danger.

But I had a plan.

I wake suddenly, every thought in high definition. My eyes take in every ray of light and without a doubt I know I've slept too long. The noises are of a day in full swing, traffic heavy. Though my eyes are open I can't think of why; my heart is pounding, mind empty.

I slowly push Austin's heavy arm from my waist and sit up on the mattress, yawning. My phone pings and there is a message from my brother, Tarren.

Tarren: Martha, meet me at Admetus' house. Augury will be there too. Quick! Bring your shears.

I am dressed and fed in a fraction of time it usually takes, and leave without a thought of taking a woolen hat or gloves. I glance back at the sticky note that I have left for Austin to see when he gets up.

I'm off to somewhere. Your breakfast is on the table. Will be back soon.

I hurriedly debate myself if I should add a kiss sign next to it but then drew a smile face instead, telling myself to get a grip. I have to give him River Lethe and there shouldn't be anything that reminds him of me. He must forget me. For good.

I don't want to put him in anymore danger.

He has always been through so much.

But no more.

I decide to busy myself with the worry whether I should drink the forgetful river myself. A portion of me doesn't want to forget any of this; about Austin. But the rest of me knows that I must. I can't undo the sin I have committed but I sure can lessen it. Whatever, I shall decide this later.

But for now I need to focus on how I'd ask Hades for a bottle of oblivion. Maybe I'd have to tell him the truth. He isn't that bad, is he? Better than Chloe, to say the least. But he is powerful. I need to be careful.

I reach my destination in about fifteen minutes. The door opened on my second knock, revealing a cold angry Augury. "Hello Augury." I said softly.

"For fuck's sake." He replied and I shook my head, heading inwards.

"Hello Admetus." I say to the old chap lying on a wooden bed, stuffed around with soft pillows and wet with his wife, Alcestic's tears. I slowly nod at her, trying to blink away my own sadness after seeing the lovers. Alchestic's face had turned pink in contrast to her husband's paleness. She comes near me and takes me in an embrace, her lips whimpering.

I tried to understand what she was speaking, "Must my husband die now?"

My eyes brim with fresh tears and I slowly nod at her as she breaks down into a puddle of her sadness.

I hate myself sometimes.

There's another knock on the door. Augury opens the door and on the doorway stands Tarren and Hades. I nod at them politely as they enter and greet.

"Let's get the work done, shall we?" Tarren looks at me intently. "Martha, did you bring-"

"Wait! Please, let my friend live!" Augury cuts him off. "Please. He doesn't want to die."

"Nobody wants to die, Augury." Hades says drily.

"Yeah but he doesn't deserve this. He's still too young and full of passion." Augury says with determination and I feel sympathetic towards him. "Martha, please. Don't be the person we all fear you are."

I am speechless. He is right.

But I can't help him.

Tarren and Hades start to protest when I cut them off, blurting out, "Okay maybe we can do something." Everyone's eyes turn to me and I gulp loudly, "I can give Admetus the opportunity to escape his death this time but someone must die in his place." I say it too quickly.

The room falls silent and after a moment everyone's gaze shifts to Augury and he pretends not to notice. The tension kept building and Augury was about to protest when Alchestic says, "I will."

We all stare at her.

"I don't mind death. Take me, Martha. I'll come to die."

Admetus had started to sob quietly now and so had I. The decision was made and I can't change it any further. I grab her hair and she shouts. A few strands of her hair leave her scalp as I hold them in my palm and close my eyes. I think of death.

Death that is mysterious, calm, stable, subtle, strong and inevitable; a harbinger of a new life, a new beginning. I think of the underworld and gradually her whole life dances in front of me in a slideshow of moving pictures.

A tear falls down my eyes as I glance a look at her. She looks at me wide eyes and unmoving, unblinking as if she is in a trance; her face glows gradually and she seems calm and at peace like she is already in heaven. Not now she isn't but she will be.

I gently sing the song of death to her and she closes her eyes, joining in an eternal sleep through my lullaby. Her soul rises to the surface and then evaporates in the air.

"She is dead." I whisper, my eyes pooled with tears. On cue, drops of rain scatters on the ground. Tarren rushes to me as I stumble back and gives me a squeeze. "Brave kid."

I turn around and nod at him. Disheartened, I search for Hades. I need to talk to him. I stride towards him and he arches an eyebrow at me.

"I need your help."