Earthrumbler

Chapter Seven: A Bargain

A vine wrapped around my neck, slowly squeezing the air from my chest. My heart leapt. With a gasp, I wrapped my hands around it. My eyes popped open.

Persephone stood before me. She touched one finger to her lips. When I nodded, the vine uncoiled itself and slithered back into my arm. It left a slimy trail of blood on my neck. She pulled me up and dragged me into the hall.

I didn’t say a word. My head was fogged. Sleep still conquered half of me. My entire body begged for it. I limped sluggishly behind her, too tired for fear.

She yanked on my arm. “Hurry up.” She tiptoed forward; I lumbered behind her. “If I did not love your mother so, I would not do this,” she snipped.

“Good to know. Thanks,” I muttered. Sarcasm seeped into my voice.

 “You’ve the nerve to disrespect me when I try to save your pathetic hide?”

“Perhaps I wouldn’t be so pathetic if you hadn’t helped torture me,” I snapped. “Did you consider that? Or, maybe, if you hadn’t convinced my mother that she had to kill me when I was a baby, I would be a bit less pathetic or, if you had not cursed me.”

She slapped me across the face. “You little chit. Forget trying to save you.” She slammed me against the wall with her forearm pressing into my neck. “I wish upon you the closest to death you can be without the light leaving your eyes. Death would be merciful for a little worm like you. I hope you rot.”

“I’ve done nothing against you, nothing to deserve this anyway. Do you handle all slanders toward you with such ferocity? You’re more of a child than I am.” I met her eyes, which glowed an acidic green even in the darkness.

Her nails tore into my neck. “You destroyed my sister,” she hissed. “She had a level head for eons, and then, you were born. I’ve yet to see my sister in almost two decades. She sat in that damn cottage for nearly a year, fretting over you. She hated you during her pregnancy. She even tried to terminate you, a shame that it’s difficult to harm a goddess.” Her voice was like slime, dripping and oozing into my gut.

Bile rose in my throat. “You’re lying.” She wouldn’t, not my mother. My stomach knotted. Would she? It was easy enough to picture. A stone cold face and a protruding stomach, controlled motions, but a fire in her eyes. I shook away the thought.

“You made her so vulnerable. She only cried for you. Imagine a ruthless war goddess lamenting a small, naked, squirming child. It makes you a little ill, doesn’t it?”

I imagined my mother as I had seen her recently. I’d looked the same, hadn’t I?

“And then when she gave you up, she lived amongst your kind, mortals,” she said the word like a curse, “Following them around, blessing them, attending festivities with them. She didn’t want anything to do with being a goddess. She’d pass out drunk just to forget who she was. Disgusting. All of this, because of you!”

My head turned at the sound of footsteps. Poseidon watched us. “Now, now, ladies. I see no reason for hostilities. We can all agree on Athena’s decline as a goddess after she bore Genevieve.” When Persephone let up on her hold, I stumbled forward. “We might also agree that not one of us expected Genevieve to make it so far in an attempt to escape. Well done.” His eyes darted to the cell, five paces away. “You need to be punished for this. I swore to myself I never would, but it seems that it could be the only way to crush your spirit.” He wrapped his hands about my waist.

I shook my head. “You can’t be serious.” My voice trembled.

“Oh, but I must be. Nothing crushes a woman quite like the loss of her innocence.” His voice was completely calm, not boiling with anger in the least.