“Penny for your thoughts?” Bella pulled Darcie out of her mind.
Darcie shook her head. “Nothing positive.”
Bella frowned and looked back at Des’ picture. “I know he comes off as abrupt, but Des is a kind soul. I fear you may be judging him too harshly.”
“My thoughts about him stem directly from his behavior,” Darcie pointed out, moving away from the glass case.
Bella bit her lip, revealing her internal struggle with what to say as she followed.
Darcie quickly revisited her interactions with the immortal in question and did not believe her opinion of Des to be misguided. He could display concern for her wellbeing but could just as easily turn all of his frustration and anger on her. It would be foolish of her to disregard his negative behavior.
“Des has not had… the easiest life,” Bella finally voiced. “There are things you do not know. Things that explain why he is the way he is.”
Darcie stopped walking and held up her hands. “I don’t need to know his past. It is not my business,” she informed Bella. “But, regardless of what has happened, I don’t think it excuses his behavior.”
“It does not excuse it,” Bella agreed. “But it could explain it.”
Darcie could see the young woman was trying her best to draw her interest. “I don’t think it is my business,” she repeated, but she did not discourage her by moving away this time.
Again, Bella chewed on her lip. “You know Lome was the first to bond with his One. Eshe was the first mortal woman to join the brothers.”
Darcie nodded.
“Well,” Bella fidgeted, rolling her hands together. “In the beginning, the brothers did not even know they needed to find a human woman to reach their full strength. Des was actually the first of the three to feel a deep connection with a mortal woman.”
Darcie’s eyes widened. “Des found his soulmate?”
“Yes. Her name was Ambrosia. She lived in the city-state of Sparta.”
“But he didn’t know who she was?” Darcie questioned. “Or how important she was?”
“No,” Bella contradicted. “He knew. He knew it the moment he laid eyes on her.
“He might not have known the details, but it was clear to him they shared a connection,” she continued. “After meeting Ambrosia, Des went back and spoke with his brothers and the other Nine. Charmian is actually the immortal who predicted the significance of the mortal woman. She is a clairvoyant.”
“Clairvoyant? You mean… she can see the future?”
“Yes,” Bella replied. “Charmian is able to see certain future events. They are often random in both subject and timing. Many of her mortal offspring have the ability as much. Though, not as strong as an immortal clairvoyant.”
“Mortal offspring?” Darcie’s brows furrowed. “Charmian has human kids?”
Bella blushed. “In the past, it was not uncommon for immortals to… mingle with humans. But that was years ago. The act is frowned upon by The Council now.”
The information did not shock Darcie as much as she would think. Professor Abernathy did enjoy Greek Myths after all.
“So Charmian knew the girl was Des’ soulmate?” Darcie brought them back to the main subject.
“Sort of,” Bella said. “Charmian was the first to hypothesize the brothers’ powers would grow after taking a mortal as their wife.”
“So what happened?” Darcie asked, unable not pry. “Why didn’t he marry her?”
The immortal released a sigh. “Des waited to tell Ambrosia the truth for a long time. He did not completely believe an immortal would be destined to take a mortal wife. All the while, he fell more and more in love with her.”
“But by the time he finally decided to ask her to be his, her father already agreed to a betrothal contract with another man,” Bella said. “It broke both Ambrosia’s and Des’ heart.” As Bella stopped talking, her expression conveyed deep sadness on her brother-in-law’s behalf.
While the story was unhappy, Darcie couldn’t find it in herself to feel too bad for Des. After all, she already knew he would get another chance to find his soulmate. He was an immortal. She felt greater sympathy for Ambrosia.
“I’m sorry he was sad,” Darcie allowed for Bella’s benefit, “but I don’t see how it explains his rudeness towards me.”
Bella held up a finger, quietly asking Darcie to wait on her judgement. “Des wandered around for centuries, finally believing he had another chance at finding Ambrosia and taking her as his wife. He kept searching until, one day, he found her.”
“He found Ambrosia?”
“She called herself by a different name,” Bella provided. “But yes. He found Ambrosia’s soul again.”
“I’m guessing something terrible happened.” Darcie made the statement without knowing how crass it would soon sound.
Bella’s brown eyes gazed into Darcie’s. “Yes. Something terrible happened. The same terrible thing which happened each of the four times Des found his One.”
Time seemed to slow. “What happened?”
“Over the entirety of Des’ immortal life, he has encountered his One five times. The first was Ambrosia, and their paths did not align. Des was lucky enough to find her again, but each time he did, the young woman would not survive long enough to seal her life with Des.”
“What do you mean?” Darcie asked. “The girl would get sick or something?”
Bella shook her head. “The first time, we all believed it to be a tragic accident. But after the death of two more girls, Thane and Lome started to wonder if someone was not striving to keep Des away from his One.”
Darcie’s blood ran cold, thinking of the attack in the parking lot. “Why would anyone do that?”
Bella shrugged. “We aren’t sure. I would say it was about power, but no one attempted to harm me when Thane and I met. Not to put it lightly, but I used to believe Des simply had horrible luck.”
“How did Des handle it?” Darcie couldn’t imagine seeing a person you love die over and over again.
“After the first death, Des mourned the loss. Once he grieved, though, he continued searching the world for Ambrosia. When he encountered the third Ambrosia, he rejoiced in finding her only to receive swift heart break when she was the victim of a carriage accident. He did not search for his soulmate after that.”
Darcie did mental math. “It happened again?”
“Yes,” Bella’s eyes had lost their brightness. “Twice in two centuries.”
“That’s terrible.”
“I’ve only witnessed the aftermath of Des losing the two most recent women. I see how he loses a piece of himself each time. I can only imagine how he might be if he was not dealt this hand. How much happiness he would exude if his existence wasn’t marred by the death of four different women, all of whom he felt a deep connection with?”
Darcie couldn’t stop imaging the deaths of the innocent women, or the grief Des must have felt following the demise of each one. “I don’t know what to say.”
“There is nothing to say,” Bella placed a small hand on Darcie’s arm. “I don’t mean to burden you by telling you this. I thought it could be beneficial for you to know Des has reasons for certain behaviors. The knowledge might not make them reasonable, but perhaps it helps you better understand the man behind the mask fate forced him to don.”
Chapter 16
Sunlight peeked through the cloudy sky as Darcie walked through the lush grass. She shaded her eyes and followed the winding path past the immense hedges blocking her from view.
A week passed with still no word on when she would be able to go home. Thane must have been tired of Darcie’s daily questions and pleas. His agreement to allow her to explore the gardens and courtyards had appeasement written all over it.
Both Lome and Bella offered to give her a tour of the immense space outside of the large home, but Darcie graciously declined. Despite the freedom to roam the house on her own, she rarely found herself without a companion of so
me sort. She enjoyed the conversation and the new information she would receive about their lives and experiences, but there was something to be said about having time to herself.
Lome pointed her in the direction of the back courtyard entrance and Darcie found herself distracted by finally being outside again. She barely noticed the artwork arranged throughout the space. She inhaled the air, reveling in the odor emanating from the flowers and plants. She enjoyed being among nature again.
As she continued to wander, her mind began doing the same. She thought about her father and hoped he was doing alright without her. While she still disliked the immortals’ ability to manipulate her dad’s thoughts, she was glad he wasn’t worried. In fact, John Abernathy seemed unbothered by her absence when they last spoke on the phone.
If only they manipulated his mind to go shopping and complete the household chores Darcie typically did, the young woman might be able to not worry as much.
Maybe I’ll ask Lome for the favor. He seemed to be the more laid-back brother.
She turned the corner of a tall hedge and observed a pond a bit off in the distance. It looked like the perfect place to sit and absorb the sun.
Darcie moved through the less-maintained grass until she stood at the edge of the water. As she stared at the surface, she could see fish of varying sizes swimming beneath the dark blue water. Her eyes followed a bright orange fish before it faded into the murky depths.
Darcie folded her feet beneath her, not caring the grass could stain the light blue dress Bella had loaned her.
Darcie shook her head, remembering the odd conversation she had with Thane regarding her wardrobe.
“I don’t understand why you can’t just go get my clothes for me?” Darcie asked, exasperated with Thane for requesting she wear the clothes Bella offered.
Bella was much smaller than Darcie, and the girl highly suspected the offered clothes were made specifically for Darcie. It made her uncomfortable to think the immortals were choosing her clothes.
“Even if I could get your clothes, you must realize you stand out in them.” Thane replied, unaffected by her irritation. It wasn’t the first time they had the argument. Bella sat in the corner of the room, trying to hide her amused smile.
“Why does that matter?” She threw her hands in the air. “No one else sees me.”
Thinking back, Darcie could see the slight twinkle of amusement in his eye.
“For now,” Thane said. “But if you want more freedom, you must not draw more attention to yourself than necessary.”
Darcie wanted to roll her eyes and tell him that was impossible. No matter what she wore, everyone would know she was the poor mortal girl trapped with the brothers for her own protection, but Darcie resisted the urge to be snarky.
It didn’t take long for her to realize she didn’t mind what they tried to put her in, as long as it meant more freedom. More freedom meant more opportunity to try and find a way back home. Totally worth it.
Hence, Darcie sat on the grass in a fancy blue dress made of the softest fabric she ever felt. She wasn’t a tomboy in any sense of the word, but neither would she consider herself a princess. She didn’t feel comfortable in the feminine clothing, but it no longer irritated her.
As Darcie sat there, listening to the sounds of nature around her, she felt a calm wash over her. For a moment, her body and soul were able to relax for the first time in what felt like forever. If she were being honest, she hadn’t felt so at peace since her father moved them from Maine. Not even the mythological reality she found herself in was able to diminish her mood. It was amazing.
Growing sleepy, Darcie leaned back and laid down on the soft ground. The sound of wind moving through the trees lulled her into a peaceful doze.
Cold moisture pressed against Darcie’s cheek, rousing her from sleep. Dazed, she swiped her hand across her face and tried to shoo away whatever created the uncomfortable sensation.
The sensation returned, this time accompanied by the sound of sniffs.
Darcie opened her eyes and was greeted by a large, brown nose as it pressed against her once again.
“Woah,” Darcie gently sat up and leaned away. She took in the sight of the large dog in front of her. She guessed his size to be like that of a Great Dane, but his face and fur resembled a German Shepherd.
The large animal let her create distance between them. He sat on his hind legs, tail wagging as he stared at her, waiting for her to call him back. Despite his immense size and sudden appearance, he looked harmless.
Darcie held out a hand for him to sniff. “Well, hello there,” she greeted.
The dog pressed his head into her hand, urging her to pet him. Darcie laughed and obliged. She leaned forward to get better access to the back of his large ears.
“Argos, here boy!”
Darcie’s hand stilled. She knew that voice.
The dog turned his head in the direction of the sound. Darcie followed his example.
Sure enough, Des approached from the direction opposite of the house. He was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, more casual than Darcie had ever seen him. She forced her eyes away from his body, trying not to notice his muscles move as he walked.
Darcie could tell the moment Des recognized her. As soon as he focused on her face, the immortal stopped in his tracks. She thought about calling out a greeting, but her companion beat her to it.
The friendly dog beside her let out one loud bark. Darcie held up a hand and offered Des a weak smile.
After another moment, Des resumed his approach. The dog beside her began panting in excitement but remained sitting.
“I see you have met Argos,” Des stated once within earshot.
Darcie turned her eyes to the large dog. It was easier to look at him than the distant stranger. “Argos.”
His ears perked up in response to his name. His big brown eyes alternated between Darcie and Des. She reached out and continued to pet him. “He is very sweet.”
“Yes,” Des agreed with amusement. “Not the fearful guard dog he was intended to be.”
On cue, Argos laid down and inched forward until his head rested on Darcie’s leg. Her heart melted.
“He likes you.”
Darcie turned towards Des and offered a sheepish smile. “I always wanted a dog,” she revealed. “But we traveled too much to get one.”
Des nodded. “They can be a lot of work, but nothing beats the companionship of a pet.”
“How long have you had him?”
“About forty years.”
“What?” Darcie looked back at Argos. He barely looked out of the puppy stage.
“He’s not a normal dog,” Des supplied.
Her confusion grew. “What do you mean by that?”
“Argos is a particular breed of animal with a rather long lifespan.”
“I’ve never heard of a dog living that long.” Darcie was sure Des was pulling her leg. She didn’t find the joke funny.
Des looked unsure. Finally, he said, “Think of the mythical creatures mortals have come up with over the years.”
“You’re saying Argos is mythical?” Darcie did not hide her skepticism.
“I’m saying Argos is real, but humans might consider him a mythical creature. There are many rare and exotic animals humans do not know are real.”
Despite all Darcie recently learned about the world, that information might have been the most unbelievable. How could animals exist without people knowing about them? She voiced the question.
“They are rare. Some live in places uninhabited by humans. Others look like animals mortals are accustomed to seeing, like Argos.” The dog-like creature raised his head in response to his name before promptly laying back down on Darcie.
She slowly scratched his head, all the while looking for some clue he was a creature of legend. Suddenly, realization dawned.
Darcie smirked as she looked back up at Des. “Argos? Like Odysseus’ dog?”
Des grinned. His reaction nearly s
tole the breath from her lungs. She worked to control the reaction. “You’ve read The Odyssey?” He asked, looking impressed.
“It was actually one of my nighttime stories growing up.” Darcie remembered her father tucking her in and reading portions of the lengthy epic to lull her to sleep. It didn’t take him long to realize Darcie was too interested in the stories to let herself fall asleep. Those nights reading together were actually some of her favorite childhood memories.
“Daughter of a historian,” Des stated.
“Exactly.” Darcie decided not to address she had not shared her father’s occupation with him. No doubt one of his siblings, or their wives, informed him.
The two continued to look at one another without speaking.
Des’ expression appeared thoughtful, processing different thoughts.
Darcie wasn’t sure how, but she knew she should not interrupt.
“I do not believe I have ever apologized.” Des finally said, surprising her. That was not what she thought he would say.
Darcie tilted her head to the side. He seemed sincere. “For what?”
“For the upheaval to your life. It is not fair.”
No, it’s not, she thought to herself.
“It’s not your fault.” If anyone was supportive of Darcie returning to her normal life, it was Des. In fact, his support to have her leave almost reached an insulting level.
“Regardless,” Des tucked his hands into his pockets, not looking entirely sure of himself. “However misguided my siblings are, they claim to be doing this for my benefit. I am sorry you are caught up in this.”
Darcie chewed on her inner cheek, resisting the urge to ask what he meant when he said “this.” Did he mean the mistake of assuming she was his soulmate? Or for essentially keeping her locked up for her protection?
“Well,” Darcie shrugged, “thanks… I appreciate it.”
Des nodded and an awkward silence followed.
“Argos and I go for a walk every day,” Des finally said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Since he seems taken with you, feel free to join us anytime. I know you feel cooped up in the house.” Argos’ tail began wagging again. Darcie watched and gave an incredulous laugh. She looked at Des with a questioning gaze.
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