9. Medusa #3
Medusa had expected a three-course meal, but as Gaston kept returning with tray after tray of food, it was obvious Chef Lucie was spoiling them with a veritable feast. Every course was rich and full of flavor—smoked salmon tartlets that melted in her mouth, caviar toast points that burst with the briny crispness of the sea, fresh tomato salad served with creamy ricotta—on and on it went.
“This is all too much,” she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “I don’t think I can have any more, my stomach is bursting.”
“We only have dessert left,” Gaston announced.
“Well, there’s always room for dessert,” Perseus said with a grin. “But maybe you can wait a while before you serve it, Gaston? To give us some time to digest.”
“Of course, monsieur.” With a deep bow, he cleared their table of the used plates and shuffled away.
“Thank you, Perseus,” Medusa said. “This is probably the most amazing meal I’ve ever had in my life.”
“I’m glad.”
“You really didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”
“Yes. Yes, I did.” His expression turned serious, and to her surprise, he dragged his chair closer to her. “Medusa,” he began as he took her hand into his. “I wanted to apologize.”
His words caught her so off guard that she would have dropped off her chair if he wasn’t holding her. “Apologize? For what?”
“For last night. It hasn’t escaped me that things between us became strained after I asked if you would meet my brother.”
“Oh. It’s not?—”
“No, no, please let me finish.”
She clamped her mouth shut. “Go on.”
“You were right about meeting my brother.”
So that’s what this was all about. “We’ve only known each other a short amount of time.”
“I know, but that doesn’t matter to me. Still, I should have respected your feelings on the matter instead of reacting like a petulant child.”
“I thought you were mad at me.”
“I was, but that’s why I needed some space to think about it. About us.”
“Oh.” She swallowed hard. “I’m glad you agree with me then.”
“Not quite.” His grip tightened on her hand.
“You’re not sure about me, and that’s okay.
I should respect that. But I want you to know, I’m very certain of my feelings for you.
We can take things slow, as slow as you want, because from my perspective, you and me are inevitable.
” His green eyes bore into her very soul.
“I know where I want things to go, and someday soon I hope you’ll feel the same way too. ”
Blood pounded in her ears as his words sank in.
Inevitable , he said.
“I…I…” Jerking her hand away, she quickly stood up. Despite the fact that they were outside on an open-air balcony, her lungs couldn’t quite process oxygen. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
His expression remained neutral. “Go ahead. I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
She hurried off in the direction of the ladies’ room, her heart pounding all the way. Once inside, she shut the door behind her, leaning against it as her legs seemingly turned to jelly. She covered her face with her hands.
What have I done?
Regret seeped into her. She shouldn’t have let it get this far. How hard would it have been to just make him admit who he was? There were so many things she could have done to force his hand. She could have threatened to turn him to stone—or someone he loved, like his sister or parents.
Now it was too late. She would have to hurt him, to save her sisters.
Walking over to the sink, Medusa opened the tap.
As she bent down to splash water on her face, the strangest sensation crept up her arms, and her snakelets let out a collective rattle of warning.
Slowly, she lifted her head, catching her reflection in the mirror—as well as that of a dark, smoky sphere growing behind her.
What the —“Mmmpphh!”
A black, vine-like limb shot out from the smoke blob and wrapped around her face, covering her mouth so that she couldn’t speak.
When she tried to make a run for it, more vines appeared, snaking around her torso and locking her arms and legs, holding her in place.
Her snakelets attempted to aid her by biting and hissing at their attacker, but they eventually were silenced as a thick, dark veil covered them.
Blinking, she focused her gaze on the mirror, on the reflection of the ominous globe of smoke from where the vines grew.
It expanded and filled out until it was bigger than her, then split into two identical shapes—large, human-like figures.
Almost human, anyway. They retained their smoke-like appearance and their faces had no discernable features except for the two red eyes that glowed like embers.
She’d seen all kinds of monsters and creatures having lived in Vale Crossing, but nothing like these smoke men.
“You have been wasting our time, Medusa.” The holes where their mouths should be opened as they spoke, moving together and speaking in one voice. “I warned you not to delay me any longer.”
The voice. The one that spoke on the phone after her sisters had been kidnapped.
“You have forced our hand,” the twin smoke men said in that eerie, distorted tone. “And now, you will help us make the halfling speak his father’s name. But we will do it our way. He will admit who he is, one way or another. Then we will destroy him.”
Destroy him?
Dread and fear filled her. They never said anything about killing Perseus.
No!
However, Medusa could only scream internally, helpless as the smoke men’s vine-like limbs squeezed her tight and lifted her off the ground. They dragged her behind them as they headed out into the dining room.
I have to warn him.
But how?
“Medusa? I—What the fuck?” Perseus jumped to his feet, leaping over the table as he dashed toward them, pure rage on his face. “Who are you? Let her go or else,” he growled, fists at his side. “You’re going to regret this.”
Run, Perseus! She pleaded at him, wishing he could see her eyes. Oh gods… don’t let him be hurt.
“We will let her go,” they said. “But only if you do what we want.”
“And what is that?”
“For you to admit who you are.”
Perseus’s jaw ticked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Good. If he doesn’t admit it, they won’t kill him.
“You know who you are. And only you can admit it.”
“I can’t admit what I don’t know. Now let her go. Or I’ll make you.”
“You are a liar!” they shouted. “You know who you are. What you are. Say it now or else we’ll crush her to death.” They nodded at Medusa and more vines appeared, wrapping themselves around her. “You know all about the prophecy, don’t you, Perseus?”
Prophecy? Medusa blinked at him. What prophecy?
She waited for him to deny knowing about a prophecy, but he remained silent.
“Say it, halfling! Or watch her die.”
The bonds tightened around her, the pressure on her muscles and bones excruciating. The gag on her mouth loosened just enough so she could scream aloud before clamping around her lips once more.
“Medusa!” he cried. “Don’t hurt her, please.”
“Then do as we say.”
Anguish crossed his face. “Alright.”
Perseus, no! They’re going to kill you.
He lifted his chin. “I am Perseus. Son of Zeus, King of Olympus.”
Medusa let out a shout of surprise as the bonds around her disappeared. Pain shot up her arm as she landed on her side, but she ignored it as she pushed herself up.
I have to protect him!
“Medusa!” Perseus rushed toward her. But before he could reach her, his entire body jerked back.
“Perseus!” She reached her hand out, helpless and only able to watch as the same dark vines that had wrapped around her now snaked around his chest, lifting him high up in the air. “Let him go! You have what you want.”
“Indeed, we do.” The smoke men laughed in unison. “And so will you, dear Medusa, thank you for your assistance on this matter.”
“No!” She turned to Perseus, whose face was a mask of confusion. “No…”
“What are they saying, Medusa?” he rasped.
“I…” Her throat tightened as a knot grew in her chest. “It’s not what you think.”
“You have served your purpose, dear Medusa. You were an excellent inside agent.” The smoke men’s red eyes grew bright. “And we keep our promises. It is done.”
“Done? You mean…?”
“Yes.”
At that moment, her phone buzzed in her pocket, indicating a message had come in.
Medusa should have been happy. Her sisters were home.
But Perseus was going to die.
“And now,” the smoke men continued. “This is the end for you, Perseus, Son of Zeus.”
The vines tightened around Perseus’s neck and torso, and he choked as his eyes bulged out. His hands clawed at his neck as his skin turned blue.
“Please, stop. I’ll do anything. Take me instead.”
“Why would we do that, when you’re much better as an ally, Medusa? And I do not dare make enemies of the gorgons. Your kind are known to hold a grudge after all.” They turned back to Perseus. “Too bad you didn’t take the golden apple when you had the chance.”
“No!” There was no way she could get the vines off him, so she did the only thing she could do. Whipping her glasses off, she turned her stare at the smoke men, her snakelets standing on end, hissing full on as her magic reached its peak.
“Fool!” the smoke men mocked. “Your stare does not affect us. We are no mere mortal men.”
Medusa cursed and without thought or hesitation, she charged at one of them, tackling him to the ground. The other smoke man let out a scream of rage as another limb shot out from his body and swatted her away.
“You brainless cow! I gave you the chance to leave, and now you’ll regret it.”
Medusa felt her body being lifted up as a smoke limb wrapped around her ankle. She screamed as her world turned upside down. “Let me go!”
“Too late for that, my dear. You’ll be dead, along with your lover.”
She tried to break free, but it was useless. She could only hang there, helpless as she watched Perseus, listening to the sickening sounds of him choking and gurgling as the life drained out of him.
It’s all my fault, she cried, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
From out of nowhere, a ripple of magic crawled over her skin. At first, she thought she was hallucinating it, but even her snakelets quivered with excitement.
Whoever they were, they weren’t very strong, a five at most, but then more popped up, maybe half a dozen or so.
Thunderous growls and roars, followed by an ear-splitting howl, filled the air. Panic rushed at Medusa. She ignored the shooting pain up her leg as she twisted around in an attempt to free herself. Pulling herself up, she grabbed at her leg.
“Let go of me! I— ahhhh !” She screamed as she suddenly hit the ground, her shoulder hitting the stone floor. There was no time to feel pain as adrenaline rushed through her body, and she pulled herself up. “Perseus!”
The scene around her was pure chaos. Wolves—no, shifters—piled on top of the smoke men, snarling and barking as their teeth and claws ripped at the shadowy figures.
To her horror, the smoke began to dissipate and slink away, revealing two very human men, who simply lay there as the beasts tore into them.
Covering her mouth, she glanced around. “Perseus!”
He was lying on the floor a few feet away, completely still. She rushed toward him, but a large wolf leaped toward her, blocking her path.
“I need to see him, please,” she pleaded at the wolf, into rich hazel eyes that looked familiar. “You’re…Theo, right? His brother? I need to?—”
The wolf snapped at her.
“Please, I?—”
Something in the air shifted, and the wolf was gone. In its place was a tall, powerful man with dark brown hair and hazel eyes that blazed with rage. “You,” he said, taking a menacing step forward. “You did this.”
“What? I—no?—”
A hand seized her wrist. “I heard everything. When Perseus sent that SOS, it activated not just the GPS on his device, but the phone too. I heard it all. You’ve been working with them. Their inside agent.”
“No! I mean, I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she cried. “I just want to make sure he’s okay.”
“He will be, don’t worry,” Theo sneered. “And when he wakes up, you’ll regret ever crossing paths with our pack.”
“What? I didn’t?—”
“Shut up!” His fingers tightened around her wrist. “You’ll be coming with me, you traitor. You’ll pay for what you did. You’ll get a taste of shifter justice, and then I’ll turn you over to Eros—if there’s anything left of you.”
Terror crawled over her skin, and so in an act of desperation, she did the only thing she could.
Think of home.
That strange tug pulled at her chest once more as magic surrounded her, the same one that brought her to the Upperworld.
The spell once again dragged her through the different layers of the world, and when she opened her eyes, she appeared in the same spot from where she left, back in her home, staring at her reflection from the gilt-edged glass mirror.
I’m back.
Wasting no time, she rushed out of the bathroom—and promptly collided with another figure.
“Medusa!” Calliope cried, her arms wrapping around her and pulling her tight. “Oh, my gods, you’re back!”
“I am.” She untangled her cousin’s arms from her body. “The girls, are they?—”
“Safe, thank the gods.”
Medusa covered her mouth as she sobbed with relief. “Indeed. Are they alright? Were they harmed?”
“Yes. And no.” Calliope frowned. “I mean, not physically. As for the rest, I’m not sure. They’re at the healing rooms, being checked out as we speak. But, what took you so long? You said you’d appear back here as soon as I sent the message. I’ve sent at least half a dozen.”
Medusa’s throat tightened as her hand clutched at her chest, as if that would stop her heart from breaking into pieces. “I had terrible cell reception,” she whispered. “But never mind that. Take me to the girls.”