Strife | Fated Four: Book 5

Chapter Ten

*Clarissa*

Hera approached us next. I saw the grim expression on her face and I knew that whatever she had to say, wasn't going to be pleasant.

"Clarissa, Rosalie, Avalon, and Davina, collectively you're known as the Fated Four because you are the four fated to defeat Eris," Hera told us, "But it's how you'll be defeating her that concerns me."

"What do you mean?" Davina asked.

"Eris has gone too far and I don't think imprisoning her is a good idea," Hera replied, "If we imprison her, we risk her escaping in the future and having to go through all of this again."

"What are you trying to say, Hera?" Avalon asked.

"You're going to have to kill Eris," Hera replied.

"Use my sword well," Hades told me.

I nodded.

"I will," I assured him.

"Nemesis," Nyx called out, getting the Goddess' attention, "You can't be involved in that fight when the time comes."

"What?" Nemesis asked, "Why?"

"This battle is between the Fated Four and Eris," Nyx told her daughter.

"I made a promise to my brothers that I'd protect them in their absence!" Nemesis protested, "I need to be there."

"I know Nemesis, but I can't let you be there," Nyx told her, "If you're there, then the Fates will never wake up."

Nemesis froze.

"What do you mean 'the Fates will never wake up?'" Nemesis asked.

"Let me ask you this, Nemesis, what are your powers telling you?" Nyx asked.

"That Eris needs to be punished," Nemesis replied, "That she needs to die for what she's done."

"And that's exactly why you can't be there," Nyx told her daughter, "Your powers are going to drive you to kill Eris and if that happens, the prophecy won't be fulfilled and the curse on the Fated Four will remain, which means the Fates won't wake up."

And in that moment, I realized that Nyx was right. Nemesis had an incredible need to make sure that people were punished according to the crimes they committed. That need drove her to torturing and killing Ruby and Hannah and I had no doubt that it would drive her to kill Eris if the opportunity presented itself.

"But Clary's pregnant...I need to—" Nemesis began, but Hera cut her off.

"Clary and Arrow's unborn child is under Artemis' protection," Hera injected, "Nothing will happen to them. The best thing you can do at this point Nemesis is remain here on Olympus and wait for Eris' defeat with the rest of us."

"But—" Nemesis began, but this time I cut her off.

"Nemesis...I know how much you want to be there and help us...protect us...but Hera and Nyx are right," I told her, "Davina, Avalon, Rose, me...we're the Fated Four, we need to defeat Eris. It's the only way we're going to get the Fates back. I know that this isn't easy and I know it means breaking the promise you made to your brothers, but it's for their sake and ours that I'm asking...begging you to stay here."