Memoirs of an Immortal (The Immortal Series) (28 page)

“He even tried to change himself, him the most scarred and vulnerable one.” Akhilles hissed. “You trampled on every single effort he did and what? Now you’re upset that he won’t see you. That he won’t even look at you. What is it about you? Do you just seek him out to make yourself feel better?” He said harshly. “I’ m glad that Hephaistos has finally seen you for what you really are. I’m just surprise that you didn’t continue your affair with Apollon. Wasn’t he the one you were aiming for from the beginning?” I looked at Akhilles with murderous eyes, I lunged and he reacted. “So I hit a nerve did I?”

The fact that I had to be brought back to that moment of Apollon raping me, the fact that he thought it was an affair. I finally realized that Hephaistos had thought the same thing.

Agape got up from her seat and walked over to me, I was ready for her to be angry that I attacked her husband, but she passed me and pushed me behind her. She slowly yanked her javelin from her body and threw it at him. It landed right between his legs. Akhilles eyes widened and looked up at her. She walked over to him, slowly.

“Next time, I won’t miss.” She gritted out. “You are to never speak to my little sister like that again. You have no clue what happened to her.” She started to speak quietly, but as each word that came out of her, she began to shout.

I stepped closer to her and placed my hand on her hand that was still onto another javelin.

“He has the right to be upset with me about Hephaistos, so please stop.” I beckoned her.

“You’re right he can be angry.” She turned to me, her eyes in full wrath, tears brimming. “But not about Apollon!”

I nodded gently. “It’s ok.” I said quietly, trying to calm her down. “I’ll deal with it.” She jerked her hand and weapon away from me.

“It’s not ok, he…” I put my hand over her mouth.

“Stop!” Now I was pleading with her as I cried. “Please.” I whispered. She finally relented. Akhilles and the rest just watched.

Akhilles stayed away from Agape for the rest of the night. My mind was reeling with my new found revelation, what if he thought I was with Apollon willingly.

Morning came and Eirene’s third eye saw that there would be no more attacks. We finally were able to head back home.

Agape had followed us home instead of going home with Akhilles. None of us said a word to her. Anthousai and Iakhe were waiting for us,

“Oh...” Iakhe was about to touch the subject, when I interrupted,

“Agape will be staying with us for a few days.” I gave a pointed look. I smelled something familiar.

Anthousai smiled and looked at us. “There is someone here.”

I lifted my head. I ran towards the direction. It was Hephaistos and Kelalion. I stopped dead in my tracks.

Hephaistos looked at his attendant and nudged his head.

“It is time for you upgrades. Could each of you come here and line up, so that my master can enhance your weapons.” said Kelalion.

My sisters knew that this was going to be my chance, if I had one and so they feint an excuse that they needed time because of the fight last night.

Hephaistos was not a stupid man and knew what was going on. He immediately started to get ready to leave. I stared at this man, this man, who I had not seen for nearly a year. My heart was pounding loudly and I began to feel light headed. I blocked his path.

“Please hear me. Please listen to what I have to say before you go.” I pleaded. He pushed, but me aside. I ran in front of him again, but he didn’t bother look at me.

“If I did something to offend you, I am sorry. If I wasn’t ready, I am sorry. If I hurt you, I am sorry. Not seeing you, not hear from you, not being able to be with you or even run into you.” My breathing became labored as I paused. “I think, I think I care for you, I…” My words began to trail off.

“You care for me?” He said incredulously. “No wait, you think you care for me. Well then, I guess, I should be flattered that you took time out of your busy life to think of me. I didn’t realize that a whore like you would have time to look at a man like me.” He voice carried itself throughout my home.

A whore. He called me a whore.

“Psykhe?” He leaned in, pure anger and disgust peered through his eyes. “If ever I need a companion for the night, perhaps I should call on you. You seem to have given Apollon a night that he could not so easily forget.”

Eirene ran to me as I stood in disbelief of what he was saying. So he did think I had an affair.

“How dare you speak to her that way when...” Eirene seethed. I placed my hand on her and I shook my head.

“But Psykhe…” She tried to continue, I still said no.

He walked by me as though I was nothing. A man whose touch once made me feel cherished and cared for, now could not stand me. I could hear Agape’s cries, she was feeling my pain. I walked slowly back to the house, Anthousai, watched me closely.

“Psykhe?” Her little voice sang. I passed by her and walked up to my room. There I closed my door and my heart. I lay down in bed and lost myself in sleep.

I finally awoke to the sounds of screaming, it was Akhilles yelling at Agape.

“Come home now! It has been over a week and you have not even shown your face or even tried to apologize.” He was obviously still angry.

“Come home? I don’t think so. She’s my sister and she’s yours as well!” She retorted.

“I am not going to fight over what is happening with your sister. I frankly believe she deserved what she got and she should learn that she is not special.” He yelled. I heard nothing for awhile and finally a loud slap came.

“This is mine and my sisters’ home. How dare you disrespect her in her own home! You have no clue what happened that night. I cannot believe that you are the man I love. She is your sister now, you should at least find out what happened before you speak.” She screamed.

“What happened? What?” He roared. I had walked down the stairs to see them both is the courtyard. Herakles had accompanied him.

Eirene finally noticed me.

‘You’re up! Do you need anything?’
She thought. I nodded no.

I continued towards them. Agape was so engrossed with her fight that she didn’t notice me next to her. I could see an angry red mark begin to appear on his face.

“Are you both done now? You woke me up and that is not something I am happy about!” I said in a controlled voice. Agape looked at me and took to examining me.

“You’ve been locked up in your room for a week, are you ok?” She asked completely ignoring Akhilles existence.

“So I heard you want to know what happened between me and Apollon.” I said looking passed Agape, watching Akhilles’ angered face.

‘You don’t have to. You don’t need to say it.’
Eva’s voice found itself in my mind.

“No it’s ok. You are my brother after all.” I said. His eyes full of fiery. “I’m sorry that my sister has not come home. I guess there’s no point in hiding this anymore, but I want you to know that I am a lot stronger than before and that will never happen again.” I was being evasive. I knew I had to say it, but I felt like was giving my power away again. Iakhe stood behind me holding my hand.

“Because you are my brother, I would appreciate you not airing my dirty secret to anyone else. But to show you that I love you, like a brother, I will trust you enough to tell you that…”

Agape cut me off. “You don’t have to.” I continued ignoring her.

“It was at the time that we were fighting constantly, right at in the beginning. We were all so exhausted and our defenses were down because we were trying to heal ourselves. I was so excited that Athena had given us a pass that I had gotten myself ready and dressed to finally go see Hephaistos. But Apollon had decided to appear before me, drunk.”

Eva didn’t look at me nor did Zoe. Agape walked away and had her back to me.

“He forced himself onto me. He raped me and what Hephaistos saw was the end of result.”

I gave Akhilles a ghostly smile. I could taste the salty tears that fell onto my lips.

“Are you satisfied? Should I go into details, so that you may believe me or will you call me a whore like you brother did?” The words burned me.

My soul was crying, I was angrier that my eyes betrayed me. Akhilles’ face turned various shades of red, while Herakles began to yell at the top of his lungs, even Bellerophon who was next to Eva was fuming.

I watched as the men in our family began to plot revenge and have various choice words, but my soul being too tired I decided to leave.

“I’m going back to sleep now, if that’s ok?” I was in my room and still I heard no one speak, until Akhilles voice filled our home.

“He did what to her? He would dare touch her?” Every word that Akhilles spoke bellowed throughout our home.

“That’s why she threatened him.” Herakles was answering his own questions. “I’m going to kill him!” Herakles yelled.

“No!” cried Eirene. “She doesn’t want anyone knowing. So you need to keep it to yourselves.”

“Did…did he touch you?” Herakles voice softened with worry.

“No, no he didn’t.” Eirene quietly answered.

“Is that why she always sleeps?” asked Bellerophon. “

She sleeps because her thoughts become her own again. They’re not tainted by us or others. There in her dreams, can she finally find some peace.” answered Agape.

Sleep eventually took me and deep I went, lost in my dreams again.

The next morning I was awoken by Anthousai. We were summoned to the palace again, it was urgent. I had gotten myself up and quickly dressed. Akhilles and Herakles had stayed at the house all night, which did not surprise me.

We all hurried over to see Zeus except for Akhilles. He preferred to take his time, which we always let him. As we walked into palace, it seemed that Athena and Zeus were consumed with a problem.

“It cannot be Athena, it cannot!” Zeus exclaimed.

“Well father whether you would like to believe it or not, it is true and the end result is not the best.” Athena said.

I had walked over to the Eisoptro, the metal like water reflecting a scene on earth. There I could see a man on a horse, commanding the Diavolis. I had never seen a man like this before. His skin rotting away so that you can only see exposed bloody flesh.

“What is this?” I asked.

Zeus lifted his hand and the top of Eisoptro began to drift up. It slowly turned and hung itself in midair. With another wave, it became larger. The whole room could see what was happening.

“This man was a king named Erysikhthon. He had offended Demeter once and she cursed him and gave him gluttony. He could never be satisfied. He used all his riches and his power, lost his throne and became insane. His hunger was so great that he even ate his own skin. He would sell his daughter for profit and steal her back, to feed his unquenchable hunger for power, money and food. All of which he believes, shows great wealth and dominance. But his daughter killed herself, so he now roams the earth an insane man, with very little skin and a hunger for everything.” Athena explained.

“So why is he with the Diavolis?” I asked, as I stood in front of my sisters, while Herakles and Bellerophon stood in the back of the room leaning against the stone wall.

“Well young one that is why I summoned you here. You will go and find out and if you need to, kill him.” Zeus said while still mesmerized with the image of Erysikhthon on the Eisoptro.

“I will do what you asked, but father in all honesty, this mess is Demeter’s. Should she not at least take time to correct her mistake?”

I just wanted it known, that it was not some creature from some unforeseen land, but rather a human that she turned insane, a human, who may have very well, sold himself.

“He killed one of her nymphs and without permission cut down her scared grove. She feels like she was in the right.” said Athena.

“I do feel I did the right thing. Humans must know where they stand and should not do things without knowledge.” Demeter came from the backdoor that led to the veranda. She was beautiful for her age and her manner very regal. She didn’t look apologetic for her curse. This woman was vital to the humans. She cared for and protected the cultivation and grain that was essential to human life.

“But you did unleash a mad man onto the humans?” I responded.

“And?” She asked. I honesty hated how much the gods did not ever really take into account their behavior.

“Fine then, forget it. We will head down and find out what we need.” I turned to leave, but Zeus stopped me.

“Not before you enhance your weapons. Hephaistos has been waiting and it is best we do it now.” Zeus pointed to the veranda.

I looked at Eirene for some comfort.

“I’ll go first” she said.

All my sisters had decided to go before me. I sat by the window sill waiting, Herakles walked up to me and he sat next to me.

“Don’t worry too much, he’ll come around. You, you can handle this.” I watched as Herakles a giant of a man who ended up taking most of the window sill, tried to comfort me. I smiled and laid my head on his shoulder. “I’ll go check too, maybe I need an upgrade.” He smiled and pointed to his back.

As Zoe emerged, Herakles excused himself and walked towards the veranda. Eirene smiled at him as he walked by.