Muse Unexpected (27 page)

Later that evening, Sophie made her way through the back hall leading to the green room. Overwhelmed by everything that had taken place in the last few hours, she was finding it hard to breathe. The green room’s walls were closing around her and she snuck out to clear her head. She was relieved to find the hallway quiet and not surprised to find it empty, considering how everyone was avoiding her. She was sure they didn’t know she knew about poor Neville and she tried her best to play the part of a naïve Muse. She jumped into a room off the hallway and hid behind the door when she saw Georgia coming down the hall with Bennett. When they stopped directly in front of her doorway, she held her breath and peeked through the door crack.

Even though she felt miserable at the mere thought of poor Neville, her heart still raced when she got a peek of Bennett in his native Scotsman’s kilt and tuxedo dress coat. Bennett’s mask sat high on his cheekbones, making him look like a Scottish superhero.

I wonder if he’s wearing anything under his kilt?
Oh my God,
what kind of horrible person am I to get hot and bothered so soon after Neville’s death? Poor Neville. I hate myself.

“Georgia, you look lovely this evening.”

Well, she does look lovely.

“Thank you, Bennett. It’s a shame about the tunic,” Georgia said. “Remember, you are never to leave her side.”

Sophie frowned and stuck her tongue out at Georgia.

Bennett nodded and left.

Qiaohui walked up to Georgia.

“I love your dress, Georgia.”

Am I never going to get out of this room?

“Thank you, Qiaohui. You look beautiful, as always.”

Qiaohui didn’t wear a mask, but had one painted on her face. She lifted her fan and opened it so she could talk to Georgia behind it.

“The other Vasilikós suspect,” Qiaohui said.

Suspect what? What are they talking about? Her damn fan must be made of lead. It’s muffling their voices.
Sophie shifted closer to hear better.

“And you said?” Georgia asked.

“Nothing, as agreed. But, I don’t know how long we will be able to keep this secret. Her power becomes more and more evident.”

“After tonight, it won’t matter.”

“As you wish, Georgia,” Qiaohui replied. “You will always have the backing of the Vasilikós of Asia, as long as you stay true to our agreement.”

“You have my word, Qiaohui. As the Vasilikós of Greece and Italy rise in power, so will the Vasilikós of Asia. With Sophie’s rise as ruler, and my guiding hand and advice, your Vasilikós will replace Europe as number two.”

What is she up to? What does she mean by ruler? Nobody said anything about being a ruler.

Qiaohui closed her fan and walked away. Georgia took a deep breath, checked her hair in the mirror on the wall and made her way towards the green room.

She doesn’t care about poor little Neville. Mom was right. All Georgia love is power. Why do I allow myself to believe she has any sort of heart? Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. She’s going to catch me out of the green room. Think… She needs a distraction.

Sophie glanced at the end of the hallway and concentrated on a chair flanking a door. She shot an energy spark from her hand, which bounced off the wall and collided with the chair. The sound of the chair smashing against the wall made Georgia stop and change direction. Sophie hoped it gave her enough time to make it back to the green room.

Not bad
.
I guess I’m a natural at this Muse stuff.

***

While Callie circled around her, adjusting the dress here and there and fluffing the skirt, Sophie stood in front of a floor length mirror looking at herself.

Not bad. Can this really be me? Am I this person and is this now my life?

Angela handed Sophie her mask and stood smoothing out her own dress. She leaned over and checked out her hair, which like Sophie’s hair, was pulled back into a French twist.

Sophie playfully pushed her out of the way and Angela shoved back.

“Girls,” I swear, if you two mess up your hair or make-up, I will kill you.”

“Way to go, Mom. Debbie Downer.”

Callie frowned. “I’m serious. Grab the velvet boxes and let’s get your jewelry on, Sophie.”

“About that, Mom, let me make a suggestion.” Sophie took the choker out of the box. She walked behind Callie and placed it around her mother’s throat. Sophie closed the clasp and stood back to look at her mother.

“I can’t,” Callie said, but Sophie had moved onto the bracelet, which she placed on Angela’s wrist. “I couldn’t have made it this far without you.”

Angela hugged Sophie and said, “Thanks for the loaner.” Sophie put on the earrings and comb, checked the mirror again. She pulled out of her dressing table a single strand of pearls and asked Angela to help her put them on. They weren’t real, but her father had given them to her for her sixteenth birthday and the necklace was priceless to her. Once she had it secured around her neck, Sophie told everyone she was ready.

Georgia walked in and saw her diamond collection dispersed among the women and shook her head.

“It isn’t worth me arguing about it. It is time. Remember, you are representing this Vasilikós. Do not, I repeat, do not disappoint me.”

“I’ll do my best, Georgia,” Sophie said.

“You’ll have to do better than your best,” Georgia said. She glanced at the group of three women. “Very nice. Oh, Sophia, knowing you didn’t have the opportunity to practice in this dress, Bennett will be waiting for you at the top of the stairs instead of the bottom. Now, let’s get this over with so we can get our lives back to normalcy.”

“Whatever normal is,” Callie mumbled to the girls.

Georgia and Callie were about to leave when Sophie called her mother back. She grabbed her mother’s hand.

“Mom?” She was desperate to tell her mother that her dad would be at the ball, but couldn’t get the words out.

Maybe
this moment with Dad should be mine and mine alone.

Callie started first. “Listen honey, I know I’ve told you a million times how lovely you look, but I also wanted to say how proud I am.” Callie clasped Sophie’s hand in her own and kissed it.

“Thanks Mom, but…” She didn’t know what to do. She was on the verge of jumping into her new life and on top of everything she was going to see her father, for however long an invitation to this ball gave her. Sophie had left two invitations at the restaurant she had seen Persephone at, hoping she would retrieve them. She addressed them to ‘Saphie’.

“My only regret is that...,” Callie said, tearing up.

“Mom, please, don’t.”

“I wish your father were here. Angelo would have, well, he might have cried a little,” Callie said with a chuckle. “But, he would have been so proud, so very proud, sweetie. But, in his own way, he’ll always be with us.”

“In his own way,” Sophie said, touching her pearls, and deciding this wasn’t the right time.

“Okay, I have to run. Georgia is giving me the evil eye. Remember to lean on Bennett and don’t trip on your skirt.”

“I won’t and Mom...”

“Don’t say it or we’ll both start to cry. I know. Me too.”

Angela came up from behind and patted Sophie’s shoulder with her gloved hand.

“Ready, Soph?”

“Ready, Ang.”

“I’m thinking my nickname needs reworked.”

Persephone arrived without pomp and circumstance, followed closely by her entourage. She nervously clutched her invitation and the magical sylph scarf. She had almost left the scarf at home, thinking she didn’t need it. She had dipped her mask into the River Styx, which gave it the power to make a person unrecognizable. However, once she had her mask secured to her head, she second-guessed herself and brought her scarf as a precaution. Looking at the extensive security Georgia had created, Persephone was relieved she had. The security was impressive, and had she been a Demigod or a lesser goddess, it would have proven impenetrable. However, she stopped for a moment before entering the first of five checkpoints and covered her head with the sylph wrap.

The first security detail, which included several herculean-sized men, a few powerful witches and numerous Olympian-sensitive beasts almost made her turn away, but she reminded herself she was Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, Queen of the Underworld, and failure was not an option. A unicorn approached and she stood frozen as the beast sniffed her curiously. She pulled the scarf tighter around her head and watched the creature’s eyes glaze over. In its hypnotic trance, the beast bowed down to her, offering the top of its head for her to touch. She reached over and patted it wishing she had a knife to slit its throat, but her hunt didn’t involve this lowly creature, and she moved on to the next checkpoint. Once in the interior of the ballroom, she told herself tonight was a night that must begin with subtlety.

“Take your positions,” she said to the group escorting her and off they went, weaving into the crowd and disappearing. She scanned the room and found an alcove that would serve her purposes and placed herself behind a group of people in it. She remembered how things used to be. She had been the goddess of spring, responsible for creating new growth during the season of rebirth. But now, damned to permanent residence in the Underworld, surrounded by soil so dead nothing grew in it, her powers were diminished and the only flowers she saw were the ones she painted in her studio. Thankfully, Penny’s revenge project was just what she needed and her recent visits to the mortal realm quickly restored her powers to a decent level.

Persephone believed chaos required light brush strokes because creating a masterpiece of carnage required careful consideration of each and every detail. She took in the room and was nauseous at seeing so many Demigods enjoying themselves.

How had the unwanted mistakes of Olympus risen to power while the Olympians suffered horribly? It's disgusting. It’s taking every ounce of control not to begin killing each and every one of them. They were the abominations, not me. I was part of Zeus’ plan, not them. And yet, they walk around like they were gods, protecting mortals–of all things.

The idea of inflicting enough pain on those who for their sake she was damned to a year-round existence with her miserable husband made all of her suffering so worthwhile and satisfying. She was relieved admitting her marriage was miserable. It wasn’t about whether or not she hated Hades because she didn’t completely dislike him. Sure, to a certain degree she had a love/more hate relationship with him, but he did have some positives. But she was willing to admit she hated their life together. She hated the Underworld, but most of all, she hated Demigods and mortals, and if she was successful tonight she would doom the mortal race to an unending Hell of waste while also making her husband even more miserable. That was a win-win for her. The man, posing as her plus-one, remained with her and she glanced up at him.

“You know what to do,” she said.

“Yes,” he replied.

Persephone saw Penny in the balcony. She waved at her and Penny waved back.

“Dear me, Penny has the worst taste in clothing.” Persephone commented. “I will have to introduce her to Versace because she looks like a two-Drachma hooker.”

Persephone noticed a male Siren taking his place with the orchestra. He signaled for them to end the waltz they were playing. She watched the tall Minotaur she remembered seeing in the village square reach the top of the stairs.

The Siren banged the tall staff three times. “Attention, attention, Vasilikós and guests…it is my privilege to announce the arrival of Rose, Agatha and Cleo, the Fates."

Persephone applauded as the three sisters entered. They were near the end of their three-hundred-sixty-five days of power and looked frail. They were seated in wheelchairs at the center of the cheering crowd, and the three Fates waved and thanked everyone for their warm welcome. The Fates’ escorts moved them to an area that was corded off, where they could easily receive any additional well wishes from attendees.

Persephone turned her attention away from the Fates as the Siren banged the staff again.

“Attention, attention, Vasilikós and guests, it is my pleasure to announce Sophia, Muse to the Vasilikós of Greece and Italy, granddaughter to Grand Duchess Georgia of the Vasilikós of Greece and Italy, and daughter to Callista, Lady in Waiting to Grand Duchess Georgia and Muse to the Vasilikós of Greece and Italy.”

The door opened and Sophie stepped out. For a second, Persephone held her breath because the young Muse was breathtaking.

“Too bad you’ll be dead before the end of this evening,” the goddess said with a smirk. “Maybe I can do it without much bloodshed. I would hate to ruin her lovely dress.” Persephone focused her attention on the young couple, as the loud cheering died away and willed herself to hear the exchange between them.

“Hello, Beast,” the Muse said.

He beamed. “I don’t have words.”

The Muse smiled back at him and slipped her arm into his. “Sometimes, words aren’t necessary.”

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” the Muse replied.

Had she not been so intent on chaos, Persephone would have wept with joy.
It was too sweet
.
Such a shame. Well, such a shame that after I rip it off of her dead body, Sophie’s dress will have to be taken in. That Muse is kind of pudgy. And just look at that miserable Gorgon mutt. It makes me sick.

“Disgusting. I can smell the Gorgon from all the way over here.”

Persephone caught Sophie’s eye and blew a kiss to her. The goddess nudged the man standing next to her. He wore a black bird-beak mask that covered most of his face. He waved and Persephone could see the Muse fighting back tears.

“Enjoy it, while you can,” Persephone said.