LYSSANDRA

  ‘’Thank you my king’’I bowed at Perseus as I was holding the cup of my wine. He looked pleased by my appearance at his home, even late at night. His clothing was warm-toned, and his hand was cupped right at the wine his servant girls gave us.

  Me, in Perseus ' house, felt such a strange invitation, especially when Adara and two soldiers appeared at the temple in the middle of the night. It worried me that I wouldn’t have anyone to protect the temple and the rest. Well, Paris could…He did not seem to be dressed as a servant girl again…But would he protect it?

  ‘’You seem like a skeptic oracle,’’Perseus noticed.

  I shook my head, sinking in my thoughts once more. Then again Adara did mention that priests like these wouldn’t interfere with the rules of the son of Zeus. That made me relieved.

  Adara entered the room with a cunning smile and she rested her back against one of the columns.

  But the king seemed different tonight. His eyes had lost the chirpy light, his posture was heavy and his fingers were tapping the edge of the furniture.

  He almost seemed eager for me to say something. Well, it was the reason he asked me here, wasn’t it? I stood up and I told him the truth. That I found a way to stop the snake. I was ready to explain my plan but Perseus stood up.

  ‘’You are not the first one to say something like this oracle’’He glared at me. I could see now that he got tired of waiting. Perseus walked close to me as he guided me to the balcony. For a second I thought that he would push me to the ground but instead, he made me watch people carrying masks around the marketplace, putting giant logs to stand on a wide place as they were beginning to show the cattle and goats they were to put on the fire. I was never in any of the celebrations so it was something interesting to see. Maybe I could participate if I…

  And then I saw two young boys playing with sticks one of them was pretending to be a snake.

  ‘’Everyone is expecting this solstice to see something extraordinary’’

  I tried to hide my worries as my wounded hand began to come into pain. And then his arm wrapped around my shoulder. It was a simple movement, a gesture of advice but I could feel a great weight pressuring me down, tickles of energy roaming on my spine.

  ‘’I know that you won’t be surprised but I am expecting you to succeed’’He informed me with a big smile.

  I turned to him with a frown. Was that a trick?

  ‘’Perhaps can I ask my king’s reasons for it?’’ I asked him as she walked away.

  He let out a shrug and took a sip from the wine. ‘’It is a simple feeling.’’

  Do not fail.

  Frankly, it was worse than I expected as I was waiting for him to say that he knew that I was a fraud that I committed crimes and I would be thrown down the river. Yes, pressuring me was worse than death I suppose.

  I walked outside with the guardianship of Adara. Even when soldiers were in the halls they were all looking at us with respect. Or rather her.

  ‘’I hope that he didn’t push a lot,’’ said the messenger as if she was the one in charge of him.

  I shook my head and kept walking as I looked at the statues of Zeus. There was that thought again.

  ‘’You said to me a few moons ago’’I turned to Adara who was jumping instead of walking. ‘’About a prophecy the king was afraid of?’’

  Adara stopped and she turned on me, looking confused. Did I say something wrong? And then I realized that we were still inside the palace with soldiers all around. My face flustered as Adara held my hand tight and we both rushed out. Surprisingly, in that mistake I made she was laughing.

  We remained silent until we walked out of the village, the people were surprised at first when they saw us out but with a glance at Perseus symbols on her clothes they shut out of it.

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  In the middle of the forest, Adara finally spoke.’’He feels haunted by it’’She reminded me again. But that was not enough. Did he want his supposed father to understand that he didn’t want to overthrow him? Or that he wants to and tries to find a way. He is getting way too old for any more conquers and staying here…

  Do not fail. Well, I will either die by the poison or by execution.

  ‘’Now, why wasn’t that handsome man with you?’’ asked Adara, wrapping her arm around me, pulling me closer and I felt my heart preparing to explode.

  ‘’Adamantious?’’ I asked her and I tried to think of a great lie but she frowned, disappointed.

  ‘’No, no, the blonde one with the beautiful eyes.’’

  Oh, him. I had to think of another lie since I didn’t know where he was.

  Instead of thinking right, I pushed her away and she seemed all so surprised. Was she expecting something different?

  ‘’Thank you for helping me but I can handle the rest of the road myself.’’

  Adara blinked and a warm smile formed upon her face.

  ‘’Of course you can’’She whispered and then she moved her fingers on my hair and almost close to my ears and then my eyes. After this, she offered me a coin. Such an interesting thing to have here, especially her.

  ‘’Thank you?’’I arched my brow and she laughed.

  ‘’It is for luck,’’She explained calmly to me.

  Well, it was a nice gift but for luck, I was not for certainty. I was ready to thank her again but that beautiful woman caught me off guard as she laid a kiss on my cheek.

  ‘’Goodnight, Lyssandra.’’

  Before I was ready to speak she was long gone. So, I walked alone in the forest with a face deep red and warm.

  All those nights with Thais and Adamantious missing felt so dark and lonely. Even if we had fights, it felt terrible without them.

  Maybe they finally chose to leave you, run away.

  I hated those thoughts.

  At the steps of the temple, there was Paris, walking left and right with a sort of panic. His eyes met mine and he rushed to me.

  Another thought that I hated to imagine. Him being…even the idea of calling that name made me sick.

  I was waiting for weeks for him to confess something, anything but he would have done it earlier, wouldn’t he?

  ‘’Where have you been?’’He asked, his lips and voice now in sync.

  Oh right. His hands were tight on my shoulders, asking me the same question over and over again.

  ‘’Perseus asked for me so I went’’I replied and walked coldly away from him. But he insisted on following me inside.

  ‘’Listen to me woman,’’ He called out to me as we were standing in front of the statue of Apollo.

  Oh, what happened to the ‘’oracle’’?

  I turned back to see his body shaking, with beads of sweat falling from his head. Was he mad at me? No, he wouldn’t be like this.

  ‘’I searched everywhere for you and you are telling me that you were simply called by Persues?’’

  I nodded, I could not understand why he was so upset.

  But I explained what he wanted to say to me and yet Paris was not pleased.

  ‘’I thought that you were ‘’His voice shook and I could not listen to anything. I took a few steps close to him but the moment I was ready to reach his hand he pushed me away.

  ‘’I thought that you were dead or worse’’He barked like a fox, eyes glaring at me and yet everything at sink.’’Why don’t you care about your life?’’

  Why don’t I care?

  ‘’You are so reckless day by day you are being poisoned and you refuse.’’

  I bit my lower lip and tried to restrain my rage. Who does he think he is?

  There was a harsh laugh and he leaned to me.’’Maybe you want to die-’’

  Everything became so fast, I didn’t realize what I did until his face was turned to the right, my hand was burning and his face had a shade of red with his eyes flickering.

  ‘’Don’t’’I held my breath.’’I don’t’’Why was my voice breaking? ‘’I don’t want to’’

  Not yet. I cannot die yet. Not until I am done with it. I will do whatever it takes no matter who I will have to…

  ‘’Goodnight Paris,’’I said with a mock and walked inside.