What If Our Life Threads Bind?

Chapter 55

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 found my girdle of love and desire and fastened it around my waist. When I was wearing it, no one could resist me. "This year, we will hunt together." I said seductively and stood in front of him.

He had no choice. He couldn't say no. He didn't want to say no. So I played at being a mortal and for a while even I forgot that I was a goddess. I would pull my skirt up to my knees, throwing a hand back to get my quiver of arrows. Sometimes in the night I would confide in him my despair.

"My love, let's avoid the lions, the wolves and the other horrifying beasts that might tear your apart into scribbles. Let's avoid such dangerous hustle and rather stay together throughout our lives." I'd say and he would silence my mouth with his kisses, answering neither yes nor no.

I woke up with the red vein in my eye, thumping wildly with pain followed with a jolt of pain coursing inside my head. I rubbed my temples and my eyes so furiously that for a second, the white dots exploded into a different universe and I had to remember to breathe to make sure that I am still alive.

My vision focuses into a familiar surrounding and it took me a second to realize that I am back at my house where I had lived my whole life, before all this drama began.

A high pitched almost evil sounding snigger caught my attention. I snapped my neck at my side and found Apatra sitting at one corner of my old room. She had smug smile etched with evil mirth. "I tricked your boyfriend. I tricked your boyfriend." She giggled like it was some kind of a joke.

I clenched my jaw, trying to subside my anger. She is only a child after all. Well, my age but with the mind of a child. She was thirteen when she was diagnosed with the Peter Pan syndrome. I almost feel sorry for her but the things she does are so infuriating sometimes, which makes her all the more good at what she actually is- the personification of deceit and trickery.

"I tricked your boyfriend. I tricked your boyfriend." She sang playfully and then giggled.

"What did you say?" I asked, startled, only now registering what she had been singing all this time.

"I tricked your boyfriend." She rolled her eyes as if that was so obvious, and then bursts out laughing. Panic runs through me and I quickly sit up.

"What did you do?" I tried to ask politely, my eyes boring into her but she wouldn't look at me, too busy in singing her newly invented song. She was shaking her head side to side, her feet dangling in the air. An idea popped into my head.

I quickly got up, hissed at the pain in my ankles from being bitten then stumbled my way towards the side cupboard, revealing a jar filled with chocolates that I had kept here for midnight hunger. "Chocolates!" My cousin, Apatra squeals with delight and claps her hand.

I pose the jar in front of her but before she jumps onto it, I hide it behind my back. A memory of Austin and I hiding the T.V. remote flashes in front of my eyes but I shake it off. Now is not the time. She looks at me with puppy eyes and I smile at her, "First tell me what happened..."

She sighed, pouting her lips then said, "Chloe and I went to a carnival a few days ago. There I shape-shifted myself into you." She grinned and my heart stopped for a minute. "I acted like I was killing a man in front of your boyfriend. Boy, your boyfriend is such a puss. I told him to run and he did." She tipped her head back with a weird laugh. Anger raged through me. I clenched my fists.

"And..." I dug my nails into my palm to restrain myself from willingly murdering my own sisters. Fiends!

"Then today, I pretended to be you again and brought you and your boyfriend-"

"He is here?" I was about to run outside the door when she said,

"No, they took him."

"Who?" I asked in frustration.

"The furies. Don't worry. You'll see your lover soon. At the court." She grinned and took the chocolate jar from my hand like a child's play and left. I stormed after her and into the hall. My eyes landed on my mother, father and my sisters.

"Why are you doing this?" I screamed, tears welling my eyes through anger.

"Oh, you are awake. We were wondering how long would it take. We need to get you to the-"

"Oh yes, I am awake and very much alive, thank you!" I spat.

"DO NOT SPEAK TO US LIKE THAT. SINNERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK!" Chloe barked and I flinched just a little.

"Sweetie." Mom came at me with open arms. "Its okay. She is your sister."

"Mom." I couldn't stop myself now. As soon as she took me into an embrace, my shoulders started to shake and I thought I wouldn't stop crying now. It just won't end. I kept sobbing and I felt a hand on my back, rubbing me. "Why did you all take him away? He didn't do anything. He-he is innocent."

"Darling, I can't help it. Furies and Zeus would decide now. A whole council would be there."

"But he is innocent. It is all my fault."

"Well, of course it is your fault, you idiot!" Chloe said through gritted teeth.

I wanted to tell her to piss off. But this is not the time. I need to get to him. "What are we waiting for? Shouldn't I be there at the hearing?" I asked.

"Yes. We are going." Lila said with a tense face. "It is time."