Memoirs of an Immortal (The Immortal Series) (26 page)

“Come on now, spit is out already.” Eva gestured me to talk.

“Remember that day Zeus wanted to talk to me alone?” I breathed. She nodded. “He basically promised me to Hephaistos.”

Eva and Zoe’s faces didn’t move from mine. My heart started to beat rapidly. I took another long breath and continued. “He said I had to stay there for a few nights” I began to babble and tear up. “Well Hephaistos was thoughtful enough to make a gateway to his home from my room, so that you would not find out.” I waited nervously, tears now falling.

“A portal? How?” Zoe asked slowly. I pointed at the bronze mirror. “Through that? Really?” Zoe looked over it.

“Hold on, so basically Zeus pawned you off, isn’t bonding a natural occurrence that happens amongst the gods. Didn’t he learn from pushing Aphrodite and Hephaistos together?” Eva didn’t skip a beat.

Zoe stopped her, realizing that there was more to my story. “So how do you feel about all this?”Zoe asked.

“Confused, angry, used, I don’t know…” I stopped not wanting to go further.

I finally touched my neck, that’s right Apollon’s mark. I asked Eva if she was able to see anything, but she said no. Relief flooded over me. To have his mark on me, to have a reminder of him made me feel sick.

“What really happened last night?” Zoe reached down and caressed my shoulder. “Did you go to Hephaistos’? Did he try anything on you since you were so weak?” Zoe started to get angry.

“No.” I started to cry, my tears flowing uncontrollably. I began to shake. “It was Apollon who was here, it was Apollon who…” My voice broke off, I closed my eyes. I was still able to feel his touch on me.

“What did Apollon do?” Eva’s voice grew fiercer. I felt Zoe’s touch go down my back.

“Did he?” She whispered. I nodded.

“He force…” The words that had come out of my mouth had felt like I was violated all over again.

I dared not look at my sisters’ faces, I had let myself down and now by saying it, I felt like I had let them down too. “We then fell through the mirror.” I continued, not hearing their thoughts or responses. “Hephaistos was there, and then all I knew is that I woke up here.” I could feel my anger rising.

I finally heard my sisters’ thoughts. I closed my eyes and burning tears came down.

“APOLLON?” Eva’s eyes began to glow, her wrath was beyond rational. “We were here. We could have stopped it!” cried out Eva.

Zoe shook her head. “He knew we would be too weak to notice. We were all too over burdened last night.” Zoe stayed calm, but under her calm facade was a quiet seething anger. She reached her hands over me to heal what I could not see. “This is not your fault. You know this right?” She asked, still staying calm even though I knew better. I nodded.

“I know, but I’m stronger now, I should have stopped him…..I’m stronger now!” Zoe finally hugged me, letting me cry in her embrace.

“You are stronger. You are by far the strongest among us.” She said comforted me. I could hear Eva’s thoughts.

“Let us show him how strong you are!” She barked. Eva’s words somehow made sense to me. I wanted to beat him, I wanted is head. Maybe if I did this, maybe if I fought back, then perhaps, I could take back what I lost.

We were about to leave my room, when Agape appeared.

“What happened? I could feel your wrath. I could feel… What are you ashamed of Psykhe?” She grabbed hold of my arm, but I pushed Agape aside.

“Not now” I said softly.

I wanted to take back what he thought he took from me.

At the gate of our home Eirene stepped before me. I thought for sure she would protest. Saying that she saw what I was about to do, but she simply said. “I’m so sorry…” Her words trailed off, tears now brimming. She took me by surprise.

“I should have seen it. I should have protected you, but I failed you.” She lowered her head. I reached for her.

“Don’t be sorry, this is no one’s fault, but my own.” She shook her head clearing her throat.

“Go do what you need to do, we are sisters and they will never tear us apart. If you need me let me know.”

I knew that this time of the day all the male gods would usually go to the gymnasium. At Olympos, the gymnasium was much larger and more luxurious than those on earth. Here, the gods would come together to work out their bodies and relax their minds.

Eva and I walked up the marble steps, here all women were forbidden to enter.

The large marble columns held up a beautiful motif of the male gods wrestling. As we walked up the stairs, I could smell the air was thick with perfumed oils. The doors were made of silver metal with large detailed engravings. The door handles themselves were large enough to even surpass me.

Eva stood staring at the doors. ‘
Are you ready? There’s no turning back now. You need to do this to move forward’
She thought. She reached and pulled opened the doors.

Eva and I both entered to see a large cella. It was an inner courtyard that was surrounded by large marble columns. The columns held up a covered walkway that had striking dark veined marble floors. It was here that most of the gods’ attendants were busy either waiting for their masters or readying anything their masters desired. I was right about where Apollon was. I could hear him talking. The attendants finally noticed us, but didn’t know what to do. Most knew who we were, so they didn’t try to confront us directly as we walked by them, but rather they cleared a path for us.

Eva and I were in full wrath now. We kicked open the large golden doors of the gymnasium, there in the adjoined inner room that had a large colonnade, were most of the male gods. They were all naked. Some were sitting on stone benches that were highly ornate, while others were sitting in the large steam bath. The walls were covered with painted frescos of various myths of the very gods who sat here, now staring at Eva and me.

“Eva!” I cried.

As I walked through the inner room I could see through the colonnade. A large doorway led to an open space. There was Herakles with Akhilles, both in the middle of a boxing match.

Time began to slow down. The sounds of the gymnasium become eerily quiet. The gentle water that cascaded down into the bath had stopped flowing. Droplets were floating in midair. I ripped my blades out. I allowed my thoughts to wield them. I threw one of them towards Apollon, the clairvoyant thread that held them to me wrapped around him. It lifted him up from the bath. It snapped him out of the Eva’s time freeze. I stared at him, my threads slowly lowering him down to his knees.

“Do you remember what you did last night?” I seethed. “Have you any clue of what you took from ME?” My voice echoed through the now silenced marble halls. Apollon did not move, but his anger began to grow.

“Do not dare to get angry. I am the only one who should feel this way.” My eyes burned with disgust.

“Do not show your wrath eyes to me.” He bit back.

With one thought my thread wrapped around him tighter, my arm reached back and I punched him hard in the face, blood gushed from his eye. Then with one more thought the other blade came to my hand. I held it to his throat.

“Why don’t you come at me now? Now, that I’m at full strength!” I stood above him, glaring at him. “You call yourself a man.” My threat wrapped even tighter. My blade was now cutting skin. My other blade reached his lower part, hovering near his most precious attribute.

“A true man does not force himself on a woman.” I hissed. “Never come near me again. Never touch me again. Never breathe my name.” He watched me intently as I spoke. “Whatever feeling I may have had for you is now taken over by my loathing of you. I will never allow this to ever happen again. Remember I am just as strong and just as powerful as you are now.” I spoke my words into his ear, in a control hushed tone, hoping that it made an everlasting scar as he tried to scar me.

“I will not hesitate to humiliate you in front of everyone. I will not hesitate to destroy you. Know that you have no power over me. You are nothing, but a spoiled little brat.” I recoiled my swords and I let him drop. I glared at him, just hoping he’d try something, but he didn’t.

“Eva” I cried over my shoulder. “You can let them go now.”

The peaceful sounds of nature began to fill the gymnasium again. The water began flow into the steam bath, it echoed loudly in the room, for no other sound was made. All the gods had stayed quiet watching and scrutinizing me, as I walked by them defiantly with my swords still visible. I reached the doors and slammed them shut.

I waited for repercussions for my actions, but nothing ever happened. Time passed, but all I could do was stare at the mirror. I couldn’t find the strength nor the courage to go through. There were far too many questions and doubts that agonizing my mind.

We finally got summoned to see Zeus, as we walked into the great hall, everyone there stopped whatever they were doing. I could feel their eyes on me. I stood in from of the Eisoptro. The large marble oval table was the only thing that stood between me and Zeus. We waited. I searched the great hall, but neither Apollon nor Hephaistos was there.

“So I hear that you and your sisters have finally come onto your own.” Zeus said magnanimously. “So finally after much training and fighting I have decided to let you be. From now on, you are all are full members of this Olympian family. Congratulations!” He began to clap.

This completely blindsided me. I had threatened his most prized son, but here he is giving me what I want. I felt an ominous feeling. Zeus got up from his throne and clapped, music started and a lavish dinner suddenly appeared on the tables that surrounded us.

“Come now my daughters, drink from my ambrosia, this will binds us and you will truly become my daughters.” It’s not as though we had a choice in the matter, we were given golden drinking cups, which were filled to the brim with ambrosia. My sisters and I stood next to each other. I could hear their thoughts, a mix of sadness and accomplishment, an almost ending to a somewhat new beginning. Zeus waited until we were ready, he held his kylix up into the air and we drank. From that moment on, we were his children, as his children, we were now subject to privileges and power.

The banquet went on as the gods and goddesses relished in any excuse to enjoy themselves. I enjoyed the night as best as I could, given how I felt and what had happened. It was filled with cheers and congratulations from various gods.

“So what was that all about?” Dio had finally come up to me after I had finished speaking to Demeter.

“What was what about?” I asked.

“At the gymnasium, I don’t know if you saw me, but one moment I was talking to Hermes and the next I see you walking out.” He continued. “I hear that a certain someone may have tried something.”

I flinched when he mentioned it. “Don’t worry yourself, there is nothing that can be hidden here, everyone knows everyone’s’ business. It’s only normal, that’s how we live, sooner or later everyone always finds out. But it was kind of ballsy to come right in and threaten him. I bet you he won’t ever try to make a pass at you again.” He then slapped me hard on the back. “Ah Psykhe! That’s why I like you. You have bigger balls then any of us here.” He took a swig from his cup. I was relieved to know that he didn’t know the full story. “Let us rejoice, you are now part of our family.” He shouted. A loud cheer came from all those who were around us.

I was summoned to speak to Zeus directly.

“Daughter of mine, meet my beloved, Hera.” Here stood before me a beauty that was ageless. Whose golden crown held back her long brown hair, her smooth skin was a beautiful cream color, but it was her face that struck me. Her face seemed to show her every pain and her every joy, her happiest times and her worst time. I bowed and waited.

“My son, Hephaistos, how is he?” She asked. I didn’t want to lie, but I also didn’t want her wrath.

“He’s fine.” I breathed. “I have been very busy with my duties, but he has been kind and patient with me.” I replied.

“That’s good to hear, I’m surprised his not here to witness this important event in your life.” Her eyes were earnest.

“Yes, I must admit, I too am disappointed.” I was hiding more than my disappointment. I did wish that he would make to first move, maybe try to approach me or at least see if I was ok. But by him not being here, it told me that he was still angry and that he hadn’t forgiven me for allowing Apollon to take advantage of me.

“Well wife do you approve of her?” Zeus gestured towards me.

“For now.” She smiled a toothless grin. “We shall see how my son is and then I may accept her.”

There she was a beauty who had a duel personality. In one moment Hera could defend you and love you, but in the next she could destroy you. The only one she truly feared was Zeus, for when Zeus got angry, very few would ever survive.

As the night progressed, I looked for my sisters. Agape seemed to have disappeared with Akhilles, while Eirene was fighting with Herakles. Zoe was deep in conversation with Artemis and Eva was enjoying a fight between Ares’ twins. I had my fill of speaking to everyone, thank the gods that only the Olympians were here, had all the Titians and the other creatures come, this night would never end.

Part of me missed Prometheus, he had gone and left, wanting to wonder around the known world, to see new sights and gain new experiences. I was lost in my thoughts when Aphrodite called me to gain my attention. You have to understand that I tried my best to avoid speaking to her or even standing next to her. She was an alluring creature that any man or woman would want.

“Are you ok?” Her face was full of concern. “Of course you’re ok. I heard what you did to Apollon and to be honest, he needed to be put in his place. Don’t get me wrong, there are times that he can be charming and kind, but he can equally be vicious and cruel.” Even her voice was seductive. “How is everything with Hephaistos? I know I’m not suppose to speak to you about this, but please don’t be angry?” Did everyone know? I suppose my face showed my discomfort. “Hephaistos was apprehensive about how he felt and how to best deal with you.” She offered me a smile. “We may have not have loved each other, but we did end up being friends. He made me swear not to tell and I didn’t, but he’s not here and I can’t help but wonder.”