by D. S. Murphy
“Zeus commanded his newly made army to kill everyone else. There was a great battle, but Zeus’s forces were greater, and the surviving Olympians went into hiding. Only his wife Hera, and his daughter Athena, stayed with him. They were the only two he trusted.”
We’d reached the other side of the skull, and I could see the three figures standing alone on Mount Olympus, over a pile of bodies.
“I still don’t understand what any of this has to do with me,” I said.
“When Zeus’s surprise attack failed, and most of the Olympians went into hiding, he tried to use the Moirai—the Fates—to finish them off.”
Able turned the skull over and I could see the carvings continued on the other side. A large carving of three women was in the middle, followed by the miniscule scenes around the edges. I marveled at the detail, running my fingers over the smooth bone.
“Clotho spins the thread of life; Lachesis determines how long one lives by measuring it; and Atropos chooses how someone dies by cutting the thread of life with her shears. Some say they were Zeus’s own daughters, but they were actually born of the Titan Themis.”
“They’d always been left to their own devices, but when Zeus took over, he started controlling their powers. He would tell them who to kill, who to give tragedy or wealth, health or sickness. The Fates used to be mostly random, accidental and mysterious. Under Zeus, those loyal to him were rewarded, and those who weren’t, punished.”
I shared a look with Sitri, who was standing in the corner with his arms crossed. He looked as anxious and frustrated as I felt. Why were we getting a history lesson right now, when there were more important things to talk about?
“After the failed rebellion, the remaining heirs and immortals took refuge here, in Nevah, where Zeus’s armies couldn’t reach them. So he commanded the Fates to start killing the immortals. Only they have the power to sever a divine thread, and it usually takes all three of them together. But the Fates ran, and hid the golden shears. Without their powers, Zeus had to stop his slaughter.”
“He regrouped and started a massive propaganda campaign against the other gods and their progeny, convincing the world that they were merely myth and folklore. At best, childish stories. At worst, witchcraft and devilry. Since then, he’s used his hunters to finish us off quietly. The rest of us are still alive, only because of the Fates’ refusal of Zeus’s command. They are our saviors, our religion, our mothers. We exist in their resistance.”
“I don’t understand why we’re talking about this,” Sitri said, running a hand through his dark hair. “Nobody has seen the Fates in thousands of years. What do they have to do with Kaidance?”
Able reached for my arm, and gently pulled the glove off my left hand. He turned my wrist slowly, examining the red mark around my wrist. “I’ve heard rumors of a mark like this. The scarlet thread. It’s very rare. It’s said to be a gift from the Fates. That you’ve been chosen to receive their powers.”
“That’s impossible,” Sitri said. “The Fates are virgins. They have no descendants.”
“As far as we know,” Able said. “Yet here she is. She may not be a descendent at all. Maybe the Fates chose her for some other reason. If you can see the threads of fate, then you may have received more of their powers. Like the power to sever the strings of life. That would make you an unstoppable weapon—and the world’s most deadly assassin. If Zeus suspects you have that ability, he will do absolutely anything to kill you, before you destroy him.”
13
I lay in bed late the next morning, hating myself as I looked around my luxurious bedroom. My stomach twisted with guilt when I thought about what I’d done to Mist. They’d brought me here as a guest, to protect me. Although I hadn’t done it on purpose—and I was pissed off at Able for not sharing his suspicions earlier—a sick part of me was proud that I’d finally wiped the smug look off her face. I was tempted to say she deserved it, for bullying me all week. That’s the part of myself I hated. Mist’s face when I touched the thread haunted me. I’ve never seen anyone look so utterly defeated, so hopeless, so terrified. Like a lifetime of nightmares coming to life at the same time. I wanted to shrug it off, but I couldn’t. I felt changed.
Since my brother died, people have looked at me a certain way. Like I was dangerous. Like I couldn’t be trusted, because I might snap and accidentally kill someone. I’d been able to bear it because I knew it wasn’t true. Until now. Suddenly, all those years, all those looks were justified. I was dangerous. And not just to myself.
I pulled the blankets over my face as the sun crept into the room. I was in no hurry to expose myself to the rest of the family. I wasn’t prepared to handle the looks. The same looks I’d always faced, but this time, it wasn’t just suspicion. This time their fears were justified. I was a monster.
I stayed in bed until I heard movement around the house. I couldn’t pretend it was still too early to get up, and I knew Able and the others would be waiting for me. We’d tabled the discussion last night, when my I couldn’t keep my eyelids open, but there was more I needed to find out. Like what we were going to do about Matt.
I took a shower, then went through my wardrobe. The stacks of brand new clothes made me feel worse about myself. I didn’t deserve them; their sheen and softness was a reproach rather than a comfort.
I pulled on a pair of blue jeans and thick black sweater. Then I put on Charlie’s necklace. I pushed it into my skin until the sharp points of the lego bricks dug into my collarbone. The pain made me feel better.
Sitri was waiting for me outside my door, snoozing on a chair he’d carried into the hall. I admired his rugged profile, the early morning light framing him in a soft glow, the dark stubble on his chin. He was wearing jeans and a pair of black boots, with a white tank top. He’d removed his other shirt and was using it like a pillow. I kicked one of his feet to wake him. He jumped up, instantly alert. One of his fists was pulled halfway back, as he searched frantically for a target. His eyes softened when he saw me. Then he shrugged sheepishly and let his arm fall.
“Did you sleep here?” I asked.
“Not really,” he said. “I was having trouble sleeping. Every tiny noise got me out of bed to investigate, so finally I just thought it’d be easier to stay here.”
“It’s sweet of you to be so worried,” I said. “But your room is literally right next to mine. Isn’t that enough?”
“Through two closed doors? No way. They could come in and take you out the window, or the front door, and I’d never even know.”
“Just because I had a vision doesn’t mean it’s going to happen soon. It could be a long time. Are you going to sleep in the hall for the next month?”
“If I have to.” He flashed a determined smile. “Unless you want to keep the doors between us open.”
I bit my lip. That would almost be like sharing a room. But I didn’t want him sleeping in a chair. He deserved his rest.
“Okay,” I said finally. “Open door policy. Except when I’m changing or in the bathroom.”
Mist and Stephanie were eating breakfast when we walked into the dining room. Mist flinched when she saw me. The tension in the room was unbearable as I put some toast and eggs on my plate. Stephanie eyed us coolly as we sat down. It was impossible to relax under her gaze. For some reason her disapproving look was even more powerful on her young face.
“I’m so sorry about yesterday,” I said, my voice breaking. “I never meant to hurt you.”
Mist scoffed and rolled her eyes.
“You didn’t hurt me,” she said. “You just surprised me. Something that hasn’t happened for a very, very long time. It’s my fault. I let my guard down and underestimated you. I won’t make that mistake again.” She grabbed her plate and left the room, slamming the door behind her.
There was a long pause after she left, then Stephanie stood to leave as well. “I believe you didn’t do it on purpose, because you would be incapable of lying to my husband or I. But if you ever harm Mis
t or anyone in this family again, I’ll kill you.”
I gulped as she left the room.
“It wasn’t your fault,” Sitri said quietly. “You didn’t know what you were doing.”
“Part of me wanted to hurt her,” I admitted, stirring the scrambled eggs on my plate. “When she came at me, I was looking for weaknesses. I was looking for a way to do damage.”
“But you didn’t know what would happen. What could happen. Able shouldn’t have kept that a secret. He should have told us. Or you at least.”
After breakfast we went straight to Able’s study. We knocked before entering. I felt a touch of excitement. After all, the conflict between Mist and I wasn’t the only thing that happened yesterday. I’d seen Matt’s death. And for the first time, people here believed me. I’d been waiting for a moment like this my whole life. To actually be able to warn someone in time to stop their death. If my attack on Mist made me feel guilty, maybe saving Matt would redeem me. Otherwise, what good were my powers, except for making me feel responsible for everyone I didn’t warn?
“Come in,” Able called. We entered the room to find Able in a pair of silk pajamas, leaning over one of his skulls with a pair of spectacles and tiny knife. It was something new, it looked like a miniature deer skull. The crystal decanter from the night before was empty, and there was an ash tray with a few cigar stubs. One was still burning. I wondered if Able had slept.
“What do you want us to do first?” Sitri asked.
Able ignored him, making a microscopic incision into the skull and then brushing away bits of bone with his fingertips.
“Do you want us to go warn Matt?” I asked hopefully.
“No.” Able said, without looking up from his sculpture.
I was stunned by his answer. No?
“We put everyone on high alert. We tell them there is a threat of an attack. We bolster our defenses. But we don’t tell Matt what you saw.”
“He has a right to know,” Sitri said.
“My decision is final,” Able said calmly, returning to his work.
“But we have to save him!” I said. “Isn’t that the whole point? To avoid death? He should hide.”
“You think that’s what he’d want?” Able said, looking up at me. His dark eyes were like thunderstorms. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years, it’s this: death will not be cheated. If he was meant to die, but doesn’t, someone else will take his place. How would he feel if people die while he’s hiding to protect himself?”
“If it were me,” Sitri said, “I’d want to fight. You couldn’t keep me from fighting. But I’d still want to know.”
“And in knowing, what if your confidence was compromised?” I jumped when Stephanie started talking. She was standing in the corner behind us, but I hadn’t seen her come in. Was she in the room before we got there?
“What if you hesitated, and it caused your death? A self-fulfilling prophecy?”
Sitri bit his lip for a moment, then nodded.
“We don’t tell Matt,” he agreed.
I couldn’t believe this was happening. They believed me but they still weren’t going to warn him? I looked between them, my mouth open.
“You can’t just let him die,” I said, gesturing vaguely with my hands.
“I’m not abandoning him. I’m suggesting that telling him isn’t the best way to protect him. We’ll bring him into the house. You said you saw him outside, so maybe that will help. But I can’t worry about one person exclusively. I have a responsibility to everyone under my care. And of course, let’s not forget: they probably aren’t coming here for Matt. They’re coming here for you.”
My throat felt dry and scratchy. I had no response to that.
“And more importantly, while Matt’s death would be tragic, yours could be significantly worse. We still don’t know exactly what they hope to do with you, whether they actually want to kill you or use you somehow. But if Zeus is after you, and willing to restart a war that has been cooling for several thousand years, the stakes are high. Maybe higher than we can imagine. So if anyone needs our attention it’s you.”
Sitri nodded grimly, rubbing his jaw.
“What do you want me to do?” I asked.
“I suggest a trip to the armory. Then, until they come for you, practice.”
“Wait, you want her to fight?” Sitri asked. “You just said they’re coming for her. She needs to be hidden. Guarded.”
I wanted to disagree. I wanted to say something foolish like I could take care of myself. But seriously, after getting my ass kicked by Mist, I wasn’t sure how well I’d fair in a real fight.
“Of course we’ll protect her,” Stephanie said. “And chances are, she’ll never be in any real danger. But would you have her completely defenseless? Without even a weapon on her for emergencies? No, she should be armed. As for fighting, wouldn’t you rather learn what she can? What’s the alternative, sitting around on her thumbs, like a princess, waiting for a knight to fight her battles for her?”
“I’m not a princess,” I said, clenching my fists. Stephanie was right. Maybe I sucked at fighting, but that didn’t mean I shouldn’t try to get better. Plus, after what I’d done to Mist, it’s not like I was completely defenseless. I’m not sure I wanted to do anything like that again—to inflict that kind of suffering on someone. On the other hand, it was better than running them through with a sword, right? Maybe I just needed to learn how to control it better.
I met Stephanie’s eyes and nodded, to show my commitment. I needed to be able to defend myself. If I didn’t, I put other people’s lives at risk.
“The armory it is then,” Stephanie said. “After that, come see me in my room.”
The armory was a vast cellar with curving stone walls. The ceiling was raised like a cathedral, and large tapestries told the story of a hundred battles. On either end were statues so large that the entrance and exit to the room passed through their legs. Their shoulders were pressed into the ceiling like they were holding it up.
“Ares at one end, Athena at the other,” Sitri said, pointing at the statues. “To remind soldiers it takes both strength and strategy to win a war.”
Glass cases lined the walls, filled with all kind of weaponry. Hundreds of spears, swords, daggers and shields gleamed from display shelves. Some of the swords were so beautiful and finely made, they seemed to be glowing.
“This just seems so… historic,” I said. “Can’t we use something more modern? Like that gun you used last time?”
Sitri opened up one of the cases and pulled out a pair of twin swords with curved blades.
“Bullets won’t stop hunters,” he said. “They’ll slow them down a lot, but you could fill them with bullets and they’d still reach you. And then they’d cut you in half. A sword is the only way to actually block their attack. Iron has been used as a defense against the supernatural for thousands of years. It basically diffuses energy, making it impossible to focus. All the hunters have swords that are charged with Zeus’ nearly unlimited supply of energy. Iron takes away the obvious advantage one person would have, and makes the match a little more even, based on natural skill and strength.”
“For me, a sword is best, so I can block and have a chance at attacking. For you, I’m not exactly sure yet. You haven’t learned how to use any weapons. We could hide you behind a shield, but a powerful blow would crush you anyway.”
Sitri pressed a concealed button on the stone wall and I gasped as the display case rotated, revealing a small room filled with modern guns and weaponry. It looked like something from a James Bond film—we watched them sometimes when I was younger—the part where Q hands out spy gadgets.
Sitri picked up a sawed-off shotgun from the shelf and handed it to me. My hand sunk under the weight. Then he grabbed a handful of shells and slipped them into my pockets.
“Start with that,” he said. “Point and shoot. The shells are filled with iron ball bearings. Like I said, it won’t kill them, but it’ll
hurt, and reduce their ability to draw on Zeus’ energy. It’ll slow them down a lot, and make them weaker. At least then you’ll have a chance.”
“Should I have a sword too?” I asked.
“Pick one out,” he said.
I ran my hand over a dozen of the swords mounted against the wall. The first I tried to pick up was so heavy I dropped it, and it clattered to the floor of the display case. Sitri hefted it back up for me.
“Maybe let’s start off with something a little smaller,” he said with a smirk. I reached for another. It felt lighter in my hands. Sitri nodded to the corner where three large practice mats were set up. They had a soft, spongy texture.
“Hold it up. Defend yourself,” he said.
I raised the sword out in front of me and waited. He didn’t attack. He just stood there, smiling at me. After less than a minute, my arm was shaking from the weight.
“I get the point,” I said, lowering the sword. “Asshole.”
“I’m not saying you can’t learn to use it. But with no training, you need weapons you can use immediately. Right?”
I hated feeling like such a wimp, but I nodded.
Sitri walked down several cases and pulled out another sword. It was straight and razor thin, and less than an inch wide. He held it out to me carefully.
“Watch it with that,” Heph said. “Made in Damascus—sharp enough to slice a falling piece of silk in half, strong enough to split stones without dulling. Craftsmen added wood and organic debris to their furnaces to release carbon. The carbon fused with the molten iron to produce carbon-laced steel, hard but flexible.”
The light blade swung easily in my hand.
“So this is where the party is,” said Sam, entering through the same door we had, under the legs of Athena. I paled as I saw him open one of the cases and pull out a weapon.