86. How to Shake a Serpent #3
Stone gods and goddesses littered the place.
Medusa nearly cried out when she saw her parents and sisters in the mix, but she held it all in, forcing her face to maintain its serene mask.
She continued to observe the battle, taking note of the range of attacks and the damage they caused. All were catastrophic and delivered with murderous viciousness. She had seen war before, but nothing on this scale or pattern.
There were blindfolded girls as well. Each held a smoking chalice and was on Athena's side of the battle. With fluid, elegant hand movements, they controlled the smoke like serpentine wisps. Whoever the smoke touched became noticeably weaker and was easily struck down, waiting to be petrified.
"I apologise for using your head in that manner. I believed you were dead." Perseus solemnly took in the scene as well. "Know that I was merely following Athena's orders."
This bastard wants something from me. And he wanted it badly enough to attempt emotional manipulation.
"Then, I didn't see you as human."
The nerve to sound as if he now saw her as human even as she stood before him as a gorgon.
When you sought me out in another universe, did I not seem human to you? Did Antonii not seem human to you when you killed him?
"And now?" Medusa managed to ask in a calm voice.
He continued to stare at Athena with hatred. "Now I see what must be done. She manipulated me from the start. Killed my family. Lied to me about Zeus killing my mother."
"And how did you learn that truth?"
He paused, then said, "I just... she later told me."
Lies. Lachesis probably revealed the truth to him.
Now that Medusa thought of it, Lachesis, tormented by loneliness, may have given Perseus the benefit of the doubt when he came to Sarpedon.
Then he double-crossed her, stole her ruler and did whatever it was he did after.
That was what Medusa needed to know. How did he jump worlds?
That day on the farm, he seemed so familiar with Earth, even handling a gun.
"After the battle, instead of acclaim, I was tossed aside." Bitterness laced his voice as he glared at a now triumphant Athena who had Zeus in chains. "She tossed me aside," he whispered before his expression grew flat.
Perseus turned to her. His gaze was direct, emotionless and resolute. "I found the Monolith, and as they say on Earth, the rest is history. No—" He shook his head, appearing caught in his own thoughts. "The rest was supposed to be history, but things... things spiralled."
When he lifted his eyes, raw desperation burned within. "You want him back, don't you?"
Even though Medusa guessed who he was referring to, she asked anyway. "Who?"
"Your husband." He began approaching her, that desperation burning even fiercer. "I can help you. With the Monolith, you can get him back."
Medusa would be lying if she said her heart did not leap at the possibility his words promised. Since getting the key, since seeing Prometheus crumble to a pile of dust, a stubborn hope had remained, gnawing in the background.
But Antonii warned me...
"Have you forgotten?" Medusa asked. "You killed him. Why dangle the possibility of bringing him back to life now?"
He shook his head and began to pace. "You would not understand."
Medusa chuffed. "How convenient."
"Did you not see all I showed you?" Perseus was suddenly before her face, blocking her view of triumphant Athena. "I am like you. They took from us, moulded us with pain. But together, we can fix Cosmolith."
Medusa recoiled in disgust "Together?" Was he insane?
"Yes. Together." He nodded, appearing absolutely convinced by the nonsense he just suggested. "The first time, I did not get it right; I tried again and he—I mean, it slipped from me."
Medusa frowned. "What slipped from you?"
"A chance to fix it all. To rid this world of beasts—evil beings like them." He jabbed a finger at the fighting gods.
"You said you tried the first time and failed? So why zealously seek me out in another world? I must be part of this evil you speak of."
He watched her with a blank expression. Then something shifted in his eyes.
"Why seek cooperation now? Look, I'm still very much a gorgon?" When she gestured at her snakes, she could swear his face twitched. "The gall to ask a widow to join hands with her husband's killer."
"Fine!" He shouted. "Fine... I apologise for beheading you twice and killing your husband. I'm sorry."
A disbelieving sound slipped out before she could help it. She suppressed the urge to glare. "Will apologies bring him back? Will all the apologies in the world bring him back?"
"That's why I'm offering you a way." Desperation was back in his gaze. "The Monolith can help."
This entire encounter didn't make sense. This desperation and his insistence that the Monolith can help. Could it be what she suspected?
"You... you have attempted it."
"Attempted what?" He withdrew and stood straighter, composure returning.
"You attempted to use the Monolith to bring back your brother."
First he said nothing, silently watching her.
"Yes," he finally spat with such bitterness that the world around them began to ripple. "Yes, I tried and met bitter failure. Something stood in my way. Something I now see." He crowded her again. "If you help me, I will show you how to bring your husband back."
He nodded as if coming to a brilliant conclusion. "You hold enough Monolith energy to seal my connection to my younger body. I do not care about slaying beasts, power or revenge. I just want to get my brother and flee the continent."
A dark, vindictive part of Medusa enjoyed his grovelling; still, she maintained her calm. "And you promise to tell me how to bring my husband back if I help?"
He nodded eagerly.
What a lying bastard. Medusa coolly met his eyes and asked, "What do I need to do?"
A triumphant smile lit his face as he offered his hand. "You're connected to the Monolith like I am. A split happened when you slayed me on Earth, but some of my consciousness returned to Cosmolith as yours did. I can fix it if you take my hand."
Medusa looked from the offending hand to his face.
"You can trust me," he said with an ingratiating smile.
"I can trust you?"
He nodded as if his words alone were enough to inspire trust. Did this fool learn nothing from their short encounters? Was he unaware of her boiling hatred?
But it was fine. She had recalled that something similar had happened before, but it was with Akrivi.
When she ripped off his earring, she had found herself in a different plane.
Then she had felt detached from her curse, a weaker entity watching a scene from the sidelines, but now...
Now things were different. She was one with her curse.
"You can trust me," he urged again, still offering his hand. "I can make everything return to the way it was. I can even take you back to Earth. You will be with your husband once more in that quaint house on the farm. And your dog too."
"Oh." Medusa raised her brow, amazed.
"Yes," he nodded like an eager salesman. "If you help me, I will show you all the wonders the Monolith can achieve.
Twice today, she was urged to cheat. Perhaps it was time to lean fully into that.
For the first time since their encounter began, Medusa smiled at Perseus, flashing her fangs. "Sure, I trust you."
The moment they shook hands, she followed her instincts.