78. A Visit
A Visit
One night, Asteria, Leto, Metis, and I
returned home long after
Hyperion had set the sun.
Our aunt Nyx now ruled the skies.
We entered the palace
with the cadence of laughter,
our feet stomping together,
flowers braided through our hair.
But as we crossed the main archway,
Coeus was waiting for us.
‘I heard you return.’ His expression
was unreadable. ‘You have guests.’
We looked at one another in surprise,
but I felt a flash of anger in my bones.
My parents must have sent my sisters.
We followed Coeus into his chambers.
There sitting on two gilded chairs
were the two Gods who had
turned my immortal life into a mess.
Perses… and Pallas.
It was Perses who cleared his throat.
‘Our apologies for the unannounced visit.’
We all stood there waiting for him
to continue.
‘But your father
has summoned you
back to the palace for
the joining ceremony.’
I let out a short, incredulous
bark of a laugh. ‘I thought
I made my intentions clear.’
Perses’s dark eyes, molten gold,
stared at me, then wandered
to look at Asteria by my side.
‘Perhaps he thought you would
have changed your mind.’
Asteria took my hand,
and I remembered the dream.
But I did not want to seem like
I was giving in too easily.
‘I would like to speak with Pallas.’
At the sound of his name,
Pallas looked me in the eye
waiting for my next words.
I looked at Perses and Coeus.
‘I would like to speak to him alone.’
The two Gods hesitated,
but obediently left us.
Leto and Metis
went with them.
Asteria squeezed my hand.
‘I am outside the door.’