80. Outside the Door
Outside the Door
The voices were loud in my mind,
demanding my attention.
O Goddess hear our prayers.
O Goddess please protect us.
The chatter was overwhelming.
When I carried uncertainty,
my Oracles chattered loudly
and I had to close my eyes
to quiet them down.
My head throbbed.
Metis was being impatient.
‘What is taking them so long?’
I placed a soothing hand
on her arm. ‘Give them time.’
I did not add especially Styx.
The three of us knew now
that patience was the only way
to win a place in her heart.
But Metis was easy to anger
and hard to soothe.
She shook my hand off
and said, ‘This is not fair.
They should not have come.
Styx did not want to see him.’
Her rage was righteous now,
but I knew Metis well.
I had seen her once destroy
her entire chambers in fury
when my mother had told her
she was to stay in her halls
after she had been caught
trying to listen in to my father
and one of his brother’s conversations.
Metis had never liked rules.
Behind me I heard footsteps
and turned to see Perses.
My heart skipped a beat
as his eyes met mine.
His chest was bare and every
sinew and muscle was a work of art.
Suddenly the voices in my head
grew very quiet and I sighed with relief.
‘Asteria.’ He nodded at me.
‘May I have a word?’
Leto and Metis looked at each other
with silent understanding.
‘Let us know when they emerge,’ Leto said
as they left.