Medusa: The Wronged

by JJ King

  Em shook her head, trying to gauge Athena’s mercurial moods. “But I didn’t know,” she huffed out a frustrated breath. “I didn’t fall in love on purpose. I didn’t choose to hurt you. It just happened. It felt like I couldn’t breathe when I wasn’t with him. I didn’t try to hurt you, not like you hurt me.”

  “I didn’t want to breathe without you!” Athena’s voice rose, echoing off the cavern walls. “Seeing you, with him, of all the beings in this world. Him! Why didn’t you love me? Why wasn’t I enough for you?”

  “I don’t know.” Em answered honestly because there was nothing left. If she died, she died knowing she was protecting her loved one and finally facing her accuser. “I did love you. I loved you enough to leave my parents, to dedicate myself to you. It just…” she sighed, “wasn’t the same.”

  “I grieved you.” Athena said, lowering herself to the floor. “I lost my mind and sought revenge because I couldn’t live in a world without you by my side.” She lifted a hand and slide her fingers through Em’s snakes, “I thought that maybe, if you weren’t so beautiful…” she chuckled, “but it wasn’t enough. I still loved you and so would he, so I’d tear you apart.” A silver tear dripped from her hazy eyes and slid down her already healed cheeks. “I’m sorry. Medusa,” she lifted her head and looked straight into Em’s eyes, “I’m so sorry.”

  Part of her wanted to rage, to make Athena relive every destructive decision she’d made, to make her understand the agony she’d put her through. But she was so tired of fighting back. The darkness had been her constant companion for too long. Em let the rage slide through her and focused on hope.

  “It’s done,” she said on a whisper. “What’s past is past. Can we just move on?” Em’s heart expanded as she saw Athena’s almost imperceptible nod.

  “Yes.” Athena raised a delicate hand to wipe the single tear from her cheek. “It is time.” She rose to her feet and extended a hand to Em who stared at it for a moment, wary out of habit, then took the offer and stood before the goddess. As one, they turned to look at Poseidon.

  Athena sighed and shook her head, “I can’t believe I’m going to help him after waiting so long to drive my spear into his worthless… “

  “Athena,” Em scolded lightly, slipping back into long forgotten roles.

  “Alright,” she reached into a pouch that was secured to her thigh and pulled out a small vial of clear liquid. “Pour this in his mouth and he’ll come around quickly.” She handed it to Em and turned away as if she couldn’t bare the thought of doing the act herself.

  Em rushed to Poseidon’s side. She cradled his head and slowly poured the liquid into his mouth, careful to not spill a single drop. She crooned to him and stroked his damp hair back from his face, then watched for any sign of relief.

  It came quickly, as promised. His eyes relaxed and returned to normal, then closed as the abused muscles in his body went limp.

  “He’ll be fine,” Athena’s face was stoic again but Em was no longer fooled. Seeing her with Poseidon like this was painful to the goddess, so she laid Poseidon gently on the floor and climbed to her feet. There were other things to discuss before her love awoke.

  Em stood before Athena, perfect again except for her shredded clothing, and met her gaze. She said nothing, just waited. Athena wasn’t stupid.

  “I have limits, Medusa.” She began, frowning slightly at the point. “When you chose him, I couldn’t see past the grief, so I sought out the most permanent punishments. The spells that were cast to make you this,” she lifted her hand to the snakes who hissed quietly and pushed out to meet her fingertips, “and to keep your parents imprisoned were meant to last forever.”

  Em’s heart dropped and her hands slicked with sweat. “What does that mean?”

  “It means that I have enough power to reverse one of my curses, but not both.” Athena smiled sadly and let her arm drop to her side. “You must choose, your sister’s life, or a return to your previous states for you, Sthenno, and Euryale.”

  Em shook her head, “But, Eury would still…”

  “Yes, the curse is deadly.”

  Em thought of the urn containing Athena’s blood and the instructions Hecate had given to reverse the spell. It could work, Eury could be whole as they spoke. She could be…

  “I choose Eury.” She spoke with finality and unwavering surety. There was nothing more important to her than her sister’s life, not even love or her own identity. She’d live with her snakes for eternity before chancing Eury’s life.

  Athena nodded, “So be it.” She stepped back then paused, inhaled sharply, and stepped forward to catch Em’s face in her hands.

  Her lips were soft for a split second before they moulded to Em’s mouth and moved, insistently, exploring urgently. It was as if Athena poured a lifetime of need and desperation into the single moment. Em wrapped her hands around Athena’s and raised onto her toes to hold on for dear life.

  When Athena broke the connection, Em staggered back, her system in utter chaos. She stared in wonder as the goddess grinned, pivoted, and disappeared in a flash of light. Em stayed frozen as her mind worked to right itself again.

  A long, painful-sounding groan from behind her snapped Em out of her shock. She spun and rushed to Poseidon’s side, sweeping him into her arms despite his moans. “Stop being a baby,” she murmured, leaning back to see his gorgeous face, “you’re going to be fine.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked in a scratchy voice. “Because it feels like my insides are liquefied.”

  Em wiped her hand over his creased brow. “Just give it a few minutes.” She closed her eyes and tried to convince herself that it was finally over. When it didn’t work right away, Em told herself to take her own advice and give it a few minutes, or more.

  They sat, cradling each other, until her legs were strong enough to stand, then they leaned on one another and slowly made their way to the long stairs that lead them to the ruins above. Em focused on taking one step at a time and on leaving the past firmly where it belonged.

  As they stepped into the still bright sunlight, Poseidon turned his face to the heavens and sighed, pulling her close into his chest. “Let’s never hide in the shadows again,” he said, sparing a quick look of disgust at the building behind them.

  Em shielded her eyes from the sun so she could see his face and grinned, “You do realize that you live beneath the ocean, right? There’s no sunlight down there.”

  He made a dismissive sound and started down the path to where her family, Eury included, waited. “Saucy brat,” he mumbled in a teasing tone. “You know what I mean.”

  She just laughed, giving into the feeling of pure joy overtaking her with each step. She felt free for the first time since she’d been cursed and meant to enjoy every moment of her new life. Em stepped out of Poseidon’s arms, lifted her arms into the air and spun around like she’d done as a young girl. She glanced over her shoulder to see Poseidon watching her, his eyes glinting with unspoken love that made her heart swell in return. When he reached for her, she dashed away, giggling, hoping he’d chase her as he had when they’d first met.

  “Wench,” he called out, chuckling. “You know I’m still recovering or else I’d catch you in a moment.” He started down the hill after her, getting closer with each stride.

  She let him catch her, let him scoop her up in his arms and brand her with his kisses. Em wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, pouring every ounce of love she felt for him into the connection. When he broke away and stared down at her, she felt as though she were shining again.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, running his fingertips down her cheek while her snakes hissed contentedly and curled around his fingers. Gently, he pressed his lips to hers once more, then shifted back and asked with a straight face, “So, tell me. Now that you’ve experienced us both, who do you say is the best kisser? Me or my niece?”

  Em’s mouth dropped open in mock horror as Poseidon danced back from her hand,
which shot out to smack him on the arm. “How about we agree to never speak of that again?” She stared him down until he chuckled and nodded in agreement. Then she reached for him, threading her fingers through his. “Take me home.”

  *****

  Eury was sitting up in bed, sipping from a glass of water under their parent’s watchful gaze when Em opened the door to her bedroom. It took only one moment, one tear filled glance, and Em was flying across the room and into her sister’s arms.

  “I’m so sorry,” Em sobbed as Eury blubbered apologies and wept into her neck. When Thea joined them, they pulled her in and just held each other.

  “Don’t be sorry, Em,” Eury blubbered. “You saved my life.”

  “You saved our family.” Em reached for the box of tissues her mother held out and gave her sister one, then another, to mop up her tears. “Eury, if you’d given up like I did, we wouldn’t all be together again. How did you know they were in trouble?”

  “It never sat right with me that we didn’t hear it straight from them.” Eury looked over Em’s shoulder to where Thea sat and shrugged. “After we came back from Athens that last time, you and Thea were so defeated, you didn’t even want to talk about the possibility that something had happened to them.”

  “Because we tried, Eury,” Thea’s eyes filmed over with emotion. She turned to their parents and shook her head adamantly. “We tried, Mom.” Eury reached out and took her mother’s offered hand then looked to their father. “Dad, we didn’t just give up on you.”

  Phorcys clenched his jaw visibly and shook his head. “We know, baby.”

  “We did, though.” Em’s throat felt swollen when she swallowed. “We believed everyone without proof and, eventually, we gave up and stopped asking questions.” She looked back at Eury and said with a broken voice, “But you didn’t.” She threw her arms around her sister once more and squeezed hard. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “Athena planned it that way,” Ceto said softly. Em turned to her mother and had to bite down on her lip to stop herself from crying. The grief for years lost between them shone like diamonds in her mother’s eyes. Em remembered all the times she’d cried for her mom and let her own tears fall.

  They’d lost so much because of Athena’s pettiness. Her broken heart, Em corrected silently. Athena had done all of this because she’d loved unrequitedly. Once more, guilt pushed against Em’s heart, trying to infest her soul, but this time she was strong enough to push back. She’d fallen in love and had followed her heart. She should have spent eternity by Poseidon’s side, making a family and watching the world evolve. She and her family had never deserved to be punished as they had.

  Em pushed up from the bed and reached out for Eury and Thea. When their hands slipped, without hesitation, into hers, she grinned and hauled them up and into her arms. “I love you guys,” she whispered, pressing her lips against damp cheeks.

  She stayed by her sisters’ sides for an hour, never leaving her family’s sight for more than a moment and never letting them out of hers. It was like some part of her still doubted they’d still be there if she so much as blinked. After surviving without them for so long, she couldn’t stand even the thought of living without them again.

  Em laughed until it was hard to breathe and cried more than once as they shared old memories or remembered just how long they’d been forced to be apart, but through it all she longed to be in Poseidon’s arms. He’d kissed her until her legs had almost dissolved after delivering her to the front door, then promised to come back as soon as he could.

  The moon was high in the night sky when Em excused herself for a bit of fresh air and made her was to the courtyard. She lowered herself down onto a lounge chair and focused on her muscles, letting them relax in turn as she gazed up at the stars.

  “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Ceto descended the stairs and padded across the grass on bare feet to take the chair next to her.

  “The stars?” Em asked, twisting to see her mother nod. She stared at the woman that had birthed and raised her into a young woman and wished for the millionth time that she’d had her guidance in the years since. With a quiet nod, she agreed. “They’re more beautiful here than anywhere else in the world. Believe me, I’ve been everywhere.”

  “I longed for them beneath the sea,” Ceto sighed. “For them and my children.” She was silent for a moment. “When you become a mother, everything changes. All of a sudden there’s a part of your heart that’s living outside your body and it’s terrifying. I think the worst part of being imprisoned all this time wasn’t that I couldn’t travel the world or see the sun and stars, but that I had no idea if you were alright.” She rolled to her side and held out a hand.

  Em took her mother’s hand. “It wasn’t all cupcakes and sparkles, but we managed to find our way.”

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you through,” Ceto murmured, squeezing her hand.

  “I am, too.” Silence hung in the air for a moment as Em blinked back emotion.

  “I’m here now, though, and I’d like to offer some motherly advice if you want to hear it.” Ceto’s uncertainty made Em’s heart ache.

  “Of course I want to hear it. I’ve been waiting lifetimes to hear it.” She pushed up and circled around to face her mom.

  The smile that lifted Ceto’s lips took her from beautiful to devastatingly gorgeous. Em basked in the warmth of that smile and waited for her mother’s words of wisdom.

  “He loves you,” Ceto said simply, sitting up to face Em.

  Em’s heart swelled at the reminder of what she already knew. She nodded, “I know.”

  “Then be with him, in the moment and from now on, and leave the past in the shadows, where it belongs.” Ceto took a deep breath and slipped an envelope into Em’s hands. “He asked me to give you this.”

  Em’s heart stuttered as she took the envelope and stared down at it. The only word scrawled on the front was her name, her true name, Medusa, in Poseidon’s familiar script. She slipped a finger beneath the seal, barely noticing when her mother stood up and went back into the house.

  It was just a letter but it felt momentous, so she took her time and slit it open slowly. The paper inside smelled of the ocean and looked like papyrus. Em smiled and pulled the single sheet free from the envelope.

  Close your eyes and trust me. ~ Poseidon

  Em stared down at the request that was so easily asked but would take every ounce of strength she had to commit to. Her lips turned up as she traced the words with a fingertip and felt the depth of her love and trust throb like a pulse in the place deep within her where the darkness had resided for too long. She closed her eyes…

  … and felt the rush of air move around her body like a whirlwind. Strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her in and up until she was surrounded by him. His tongue, so wildly delicious and clever, parted her lips and tasted, then nibbled at her flesh. Em forgot the world and gave herself to the kiss, wrapping her arms up and around his neck, then tilting her head to take the kiss even deeper. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed up so she hovered above him, and pulled back so their lips were a breath away. She barely noticed when they stopped moving.

  The sound of the crashing surf on the rocky shore of the Aegean and the scent of the salty sea that was so much a part of Poseidon that it brought a smile to her lips, broke through the kiss induced fog in Em’s mind. She pulled back an inch more and glanced over his shoulder, then felt her skin go from hot to scorching. Em shifted her gaze back to Poseidon, who seemed quite pleased with himself, and whispered, “This is where we first made love.”

  Poseidon’s hands stroked the length of her back, bringing back more memories of the day she’d given herself to him, body and soul. Em arched up and closed her eyes, letting the sensation fill her.

  “Open your eyes,” Poseidon said in a husky tone that betrayed his arousal.

  Em slit her eyes open and waited for him to tell her what he’d like. The fire traveling
through her veins made thinking straight a near impossibility.

  He was watching her with an intensity that chased away the languid haze and made her frown in confusion. She lifted a hand to his heart. “I see you,” she whispered.

  His smile was slow and devastating, touching her deep inside. He wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her free, then lowered her until her feet touched the sand. Then his hands were in her hair, tilting her head back so their gazes met and held.

  “I’m supposed to be a god, like them,” he jutted his chin toward Olympus then looked back into her eyes, “but I’m not and I haven’t been since the day I first saw you.”

  Em swallowed, remembering that day so clearly it felt like just yesterday. She blinked back tears as Poseidon continued earnestly.

  “When I lost you, I lost a part of myself that I never found,” he smiled that crooked grin that made her stomach flip, “until I walked into that room and saw you again. Gods, Em,” he broke a hand away to thrust into his long hair, “I love you so much it terrifies me. I can’t lose you again, I won’t.” His eyes glistened now with unshed tears. Em felt her eyes fill instantly but didn’t try to stop them.