50. ‘I Need Power’
‘I Need Power’
I tensed at her words
as a pair of River Gods
walked by, their weathered
features deep in discussion.
Quickly, I grabbed
Styx’s hand and pulled
her into a corner where the arch
hid us from the hallway.
‘Styx,’ I said quietly,
‘keep your voice down!’
She pulled her hand
roughly out of mine.
‘Why?’ she asked bitterly.
‘I do not want this version
of immortality. Where I am
judged for how I look,
not what I can do.
Where nymphs like Acaste
treat me with such disdain
while my parents silently watch
and even you look at me
with such pity in your eyes!’
I stared at her, my mouth open
at this outburst.
Had I not just defended her
in front of her sisters?
Had she not seen how much
I was willing to do for her?
As though she could
read my mind,
Styx pulled back from me
and said coldly,
‘You are not here all the time.
And I do not need protection
when I can create life, and
NONE of them can.’
Her breathing was becoming
ragged now and to my shock
I realized Styx,
brave Styx,
was about to burst into tears.
I moved forward cautiously
and took her hand again.
She was in pain.
How could I help her?
‘Styx, I beg you—’
That was when we heard
the footsteps and the words