Chapter Twenty-Five
IT’S A GENTLE sensation; floating in that blackness.
A small ebb and flow of waves on a small lake roll my body up and down.
Awareness snaps forth as my eyes blink open staring up at a completely dark sky.
For the first time, there is no moon. I haven’t returned here since I started training my power in the real world.
With little ceremony, the waves deposit me on the shore, the sand soft and welcoming. I lay there for a while, basking in the comfort of the sand meeting the flow of the water; basking in the lack of pain. Eventually, I sit up, the water lapping at my feet.
I stand shakily, woozy on my feet. No pain, but the physical strain must still be reaching me here. Even so, there’s nothing else for it. Ignoring the headache that starts to come forth, I summon the remainder of my energy.
“Lunos! Goddess!” Ripples echo across the water in the wake of my voice and power. There’s no telling if she’ll hear me, but for some reason I know she will. I believe she will.
“My, my. You have been busy,” the crystal-clear tone of Lunos’s voice chimes behind me. I turn in the sand and see the goddess of magic and moon tower above me. Her silver eyes of power flick across my body, as if reading my past through it.
“You manifested my power while awake.” Her head tilts to the side, an owl considering prey in the wheat fields. “A few times it seems. You have exceeded my expectations; you will be more than ready when you reach me.”
A chill grabs me at that. “Ready for this war of yours?”
Lunos straightens her head, immediately making me regret the acid in my words. The goddess steps past me and gazes out onto the lake.
“It is not my war Skion. It is the eternal war. The one that returns, every cycle, in every form.” Lunos languidly spins in place, ethereal threads of power drifting from her. “And yes. You will be ready to aid my efforts, now that you understand what power is.”
The corner of my lip twitches, still irked that Lunos hadn’t simply explained to me. “Why didn’t you tell me? It would have been simpler.”
The goddess sighs, disappointed in my question.
“Think about it, Skion. Would you have truly believed if I had told you? No. An infinitesimally small fleck of doubt would have remained, locking away your power forever. And that, I cannot abide. I need your power.” As soon as she gives life to the words, I realize what a stupid question that had been. True power requires true belief.
“What can you tell me about this power, this magic? Will it always be this painful to use?”
Lunos quirks an eyebrow and looks up in the night sky. “Pain…I have forgotten what that feels like. But, yes. Any use of this power, this magic, comes with a cost.”
Unless I hold onto it forever. My little test proved that, but I’m not ready to share that with Lunos.
Her words today have felt…hungry. No, they’ve also been that way, haven’t they?
More than that though, Helia’s fate eats at me.
Aspect or no, being thrown aside as a reward is enough to encourage wariness.
The world quakes, the night twisting above us, a sign of my waking.
“Too late for more. Keep training Skion. Keep using my power and come to me.”
***
The familiar sensation of a bed of furs cushions my back, giving me a quiet surety. I open my eyes and attempt to roll out of Helia’s bed, only to be greeted with a surge of dull pain thrumming through me. Groaning, I lie back down and take in the surroundings.
I’m right; this is Helia’s room, except no Helia resting on my chest this time.
She is nowhere to be seen, though the remnants of a breakfast lay on her desk.
I assume breakfast based on the light shining through the one window in her room.
It’s not long before exhaustion and pain force my eyes closed.
Besides, too much is on my mind to glean tidbits about Helia.
What does Lunos truly want? All this talk of belief and power, the eternal war…through it all, me. The Conduit. It can’t be as simple as randomly being a fated champion of a goddess. There has to be more to it.
The gentle creak of the wooden door interrupts my thoughts as someone walks in. Through cracked lids, I see Helia look my way, a gloomy pallor clear as day. I force my eyes open, watching as the weight on her chiseled shoulders evaporates. Relief washes over her like the first spring rains.
“One of these days, I’ll find my way to your bed on my own.”
Helia’s mouth twitches before clutching her face, laughter uncontrollably rips from the depths of her soul.
Not a chuckle, not a belly laugh, but something akin to a tonic from a physic; a healing balm to drive away the demons.
Rushing to my side, Helia easily scoops me off the bed, tenderly clutching me to her chest. The drop of a tear hits my head, the first drops of a rainstorm.
I shove the pain to the side; she needs this and so do I.
Her scent floods my nostrils; grass, forest pine, and fresh dew.
Eventually the clouds fade, and Helia lowers me like a winter snowflake back on the bed, earning her a grateful sound as the cloud of furs soothe the fiery pain shooting through my body.
Bringing over the chair from the desk, she falls into it at the bedside.
Through a splayed hand, I see those green eyes staring into my soul, my own storm brewing within.
“Andra told me what happened in the alleyway two nights ago. Skion, you—”
“Two nights ago?!” I struggle to push myself up and fall back due to the pain. “I’ve been out that long?”
Helia gives a throaty, yet exasperated affirmation before continuing. “Skion, you have to promise me you won’t do that again. I know what we are and what we face. But, seeing you like this…” With each word, Helia leans closer to the bed until she is practically leaning on it. “I cannot lose you.”
My mouth dries out and the pain fades to the background. Hearing those words is sudden; our relationship is still developing. Pantheons, we haven’t even had sex yet. Seeing the raw vulnerability of my commander, my savior, it is difficult to resist.
Struggling, I stammer a reply. “I-I, um, thank you Helia. It warms me to hear you say that. But, I can’t make that promise; you know I can’t. I’d do anything to protect you, and the others. Well, maybe not Andra.”
Helia’s unintentional chuckle dissolves the edge of where that conversation was headed.
“So be it. I suppose I wouldn’t fall for someone who would put their own safety over others.” A resigned smirk finishes blunting that edge, and I smile in kind, the corners of my eyes crinkling.
“Wait, so you’re falling for me? I thought you had already fallen.
I mean, you do keep putting me in your bed.
” A muscle twitches in Helia’s cheek, only serving to urge me forward.
I pull the saddest pout I can muster. “You keep putting me here but nothing happens. Almost makes a girl think she isn’t wanted. ”
Am I being an ass, considering I’m the reason nothing has happened? Yes. Am I okay teasing Helia like this? Based on the feral smolder in her eyes; absolutely.
Helia pushes out of the chair and looms over me. A mountain lioness approaching cornered prey. A hand slowly glides up my chest and gently, but oh so firmly, grips the side of my face. With the intensity of the summer sun, Helia leans in.
“You know, there are easier ways to tell me you’re ready.” The edge of Helia’s thumb traces along the edge of my jaw, eliciting a soft moan from deep within. “Mmm, see? You do know the easier ways.”
An abrupt rumble from my stomach kills the tension with the ease of a seasoned hunter. Helia barks a laugh, pushing herself away. Planting a kiss on the top of my head, she heads out to grab food, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Are you fucking kidding me?! Fingers trace where Helia’s thumb explored.
How in all the pantheons am I supposed to create this kind of moment again?
How am I to create this magic? I force the held air in my lungs out, pushing whatever lingering frustrated arousal out of my body. Well, trying to push. Failing, really.
Before long, Helia returns, pushing the door open with a platter of cheese, flatbread, fresh cuts of cooked meat.
Olena steps in right behind her, radiantly beaming at me. “Skion! Sister! I was so worried.”
I beam right back, welcoming her kind words as much as the food Helia places on my lap.
Helia smiles, hidden from Olena’s gaze, and shoots me a wink.
Maybe there’s hope after all. Curiously, Olena steps back out of the door only to pull in a few large parcels wrapped in linen.
I know exactly what they are and I mouth a thank you around a bite of food as Olena closes the door.
Flashing another brilliant smile in recognition of my thanks, she bounces on the balls of her feet unable to hide her glee.
“We’ll talk later. You’ll have to tell me all about it.” Olena snaps a quick salute to Helia. “Commander.” Without waiting for anything else, she leaves quickly, closing the door behind her.
Helia cocks an eyebrow as I eat. Grinning, I gesture a gloriously food-laden hand for her to open them, taking a bite before setting the food aside; I want to be fully present for this.
Inside of the first two is my newly made armor.
I need to revisit the blacksmith and thank him; it’s perfect.
A bronze chest plate with simple leather pauldrons exactly like he promised.
Helia nods appreciatively while opening the final and largest package.
Helia blows out a low whistle of admiration and I don’t fault her.
That blacksmith is blessed by the gods. The blue tipped spearheads line the outer edge as before, but right in the center is a silver painting of the moon, intricately laced just like my mark.
No matter my worries about Lunos, Helia is still an Aspect of her; of the moon. I hope she understands.
“This is a heavy shield for you. You sure you can use it?”
“It’s yours.” I can’t stop my grin, even if I had wanted to.
“I noticed how worn yours was and, after you mentioned collecting things from the places you visit, I thought this would, well…” My grin dims slightly, thought unfinished.
Neither of us know what would come from this adventure.
Helia hefts it and tests the weight on her arm, lifting it a few times.
“It’s a good shield Skion. I will carry it with honor.” I wince at my name, a chip in the beauty of an otherwise joyful moment. Helia is still caught up in her new shield as I blow out a breath; it’s time.
“Helia?” She stops and turns to focus on my face at the slight quiver in my tone, the urgent uncertainty. I forge ahead before my nerve dissolves in the well of anxiety threatening to bubble forth. “I’ve decided. My name is Itho.”
It hangs in the air between us; crystalline and fragile. A spark of something new, hope for the future, a blatant defiance of fate. Laying the shield down, Helia sidles alongside the bed and firmly grips my head in her hands.
“Thank you Itho, for sharing this moment with me.” Helia gently kisses my cheek. “Thank you for your bravery.” Now the other cheek. “Thank you for your trust.” She lays a long kiss on my forehead, tension fleeing my body. “Thank you for your truth.”
We lock eyes, lost in each other’s soul, each finding the peace we’ve been searching for.
After a moment I can’t help but flick down to her lips, aching to kiss her.
Helia understands perfectly and pulls my head up slightly, taking possession.
The unyielding yet supple kiss makes time stop.
Surely Ephos the sultry goddess of love would approve.
The slow, passion fueled kiss quickly turns heated as our tongues dance together, seeking and thirsting for each other.
A quick pounding at the door shatters the moment.
Fuck. Helia pulls away with an earthy frustrated growl, echoing my sentiment wholeheartedly.
“WHAT?!” Helia swings the door open in a flurry and pushes a loose lock of her hair behind an ear. Bellius stands at the door, arching an eyebrow while saluting, a brief look cast my way.
“Apologies commander. Pellax sent for you. It seems our prisoner took his own life. Bit off his gods-damned tongue and choked on the blood.”