Together We Stand

two

A dark shadow stalked up to me, growling darkly.

"Nice doggy," I whispered, clutching my knife tightly.

"It's a hellhound," Layla specified, pulling out twin daggers.

"It'll kill me?"

"If you don't kill it first."

"That's encouraging." I looked back up at the moon, before clutching my necklace, which were the sun and moon together.

"Your necklace is pretty."

"It was a gift from my aunt."

"Really? What was her name?"

"Now that I think about it now...I don't know."

"Probably the Mist. Makes you see what your human side can decipher."

"What?"

"Okay, so let's say a demigod was attacked by a hellhound. Well, the Mist would make people see maybe a dog attack."

"Um. Okay."

"Yeah...sorry to dump this on you."

"No, it's fine."

"Which one of your parents is missing?"

"My dad."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault he's a deadbeat."

"He kind of has to be," Layla said, running her fingers through her hair. "Your dads a god. He can't really interfere with you. Now, if he could, that'd be different. But he can't. Just like my mom couldn't be near me."

"Aphrodite, right?"

"Yeah."

"Have you met her before?"

"Yeah. Once. I was on a quest and she helped me out. She's actually really nice."

"Who's my dad?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know."

"He has to claim you."

"Wait, so I'll only know who my dad is if he claims me?! Does everyone get claimed."

"Sadly...no."

"Just perfect, huh?! My dads gone my whole life, made my mom extremely miserable, and probably won't even tell me who he is. A-plus parenting."

"He's probably helping you right now. Notice how no monsters have attacked us yet."

"He can't interfere."

"But he can help a little. Just have faith."

I snorted. "Faith. What good does faith do."

"You'd be surprised, Elle. Your real name is Elidi, right? Anyway, I've met my share of gods and goddesses and you look familiar...like a direct relative of someone. I'm not sure who, but I've probably met your dad."

"I haven't even met my dad," I said, anger bubbling in me.

Layla sighed.

"I wish I could think of who your godly parent was. It's on the tip of my tongue..."

"Who cares? I don't. I'd rather not know. When or if I figure out, I'll be mad. Don't even stress yourself trying to remember it."

She looked at me, taking a strand of my blonde curly hair and examining it.