Fated (18 page)

In the middle, was an enormous pit. It spit fire, the flames licking the edges of the pit itself as it roared within. A firepit. Perfect.

But that wasn’t the worst part. Hanging upside down like bats from the trees above us were so many minor gods and goddesses that I could not count them all. From where I stood, I could see Alathea, Eris, Eros and Chaos. There had to be at least 30 more, but I couldn’t see their faces from here.

They were suspended in the air, held by long golden cords fastened at their ankles. Their hands were criss-crossed over their chests and held tight by an odd looking sheer material that surrounded their entire bodies. Only their hair was free and dangled downward toward the flame. Their eyes were tightly closed. It was as if they were in a strange, comatose state, much like how we found the Amazons in Eris’ home.

"Eris helped you," I pointed out. "She delivered Aphrodite to you. Why would you turn on her?"

"Why do you care?" Lachesis asked. "She is your sworn enemy."

"True," I acknowledged. "And I don’t care. I was simply curious."

"Well, you know what curiosity did to the cat." Lachesis smiled a slow, creepy smile at me.

"What do you hope to gain here?" I asked her. "What have these people done to you?"

"Absolutely nothing," she replied with a smug smile. "But they will be used as a message."

"Of what?" I asked in frustration.

"Of things that aren’t your concern." Another voice resounded through the encampment and I looked up to see Atropos and Clothos emerging from the black tent. They slowly walked to the edge of the fire where I stood with Lachesis.

"You do not have the right to demand knowledge from us," Clothos snapped in her superior way.

"Yet you cannot stop me, can you?" I asked. "You possess no magic here." I looked to Atropos. "Your breaths are no longer hazardous to me." Her ancient eyes snapped and I could see how much being rendered powerless truly vexed her.

From the opposite end, three hooded figured emerged from the red tent. The Keres. I watched them with interest as they crept to where we stood. When they reached us, I gazed at them curiously. And gasped.

They were hideous. It was no wonder they wore hoods. Their faces were ancient, like the Fates, but their skin looked like cracked stone. Their cloudy eyes were almost white and blood ran from the corners and dripped from their eyelashes to the ground. Everywhere they walked, they trailed blood.

"Do we repulse you?" the one nearest to me asked. I decided not to lie.

"Yes."

She smiled and grew even more terrifying as her gaunt face stretched over her jagged bones.

"We cry blood because of all that we have seen," she uttered. Reaching out a gnarled finger, she trailed it along my jawbone. "Such beauty," she hissed.

"If you had seen even a portion of what we have, you would not be so pure," she finished, dropping her hand back to her side. "Our sisters have damned us to a lifetime of suffering due to the evil that we have witnessed."

"Much of it at your own hands," Clothos reminded her. "You are not innocent, sister."

The Keres shook their heads. "As if we had a choice," the one in the middle croaked.

Lachesis stepped in. "That is neither here nor there. We have other things to attend to. It is time that we filled dear Harmonia in our plans."

"So, tell me."

I tried to sound brave and sincerely hoped that I carried it off. They could not read my mind here, something that worked in my favor. They were out of their element.

"We have brought you here to give you a choice," Clothos stated.

I waited through the long pause as they all watched me.

"And that is?" I prompted, when their silence continued.

The Fates’ grinned, all of them in unison. It was a startlingly frightening sight. I steeled myself for whatever atrocity that they would reveal. I didn’t have to wait long.

"Your life for theirs."

Lachesis motioned toward all of the gods dangling lifelessly over the fire.

"Your mother is there," she confirmed as she watched my gaze flit over each face. "And there is just one more thing
...
."

Cadmus stepped from the shadows, his face blank and silent.

"Step forward," Lachesis commanded him.

He silently moved forward until he stood in front of her, directly beside me.

"Cadmus!" I cried, grabbing his strong arm.

He didn’t even blink. It was if I had said nothing at all.

"Cadmus!" I cried again as I shook his arm. His eyes stared impassively past me as if he were in a trance.

"What have you done to him?" I demanded, whirling to face the Fates. "Magic doesn’t work here. How have you done this?"

"Ah, sweet Harmonia," Clothos mocked me. "You simply don’t think things through. Of course magic cannot be rendered here. But magical spells that are timed correctly can be effective ."

I stared at her in confusion, trying to make sense of her words.

"It’s a time released spell," she declared simply. "It was administered by Eris at the same time as her love potion. It was meant to become active as he crossed the sea and landed on these shores. He became our agent, feeding the same potion to your father and the Amazons and then he led them straight to us. They are up there also." She gestured proudly to the trees above us. "Calypso’s nymphs are quite nimble and strong. This is all their handiwork."

I struggled with the simple act of breathing, an exercise in futility as soon as she spoke her next words.

"Cadmus," she ordered. "Step forward."

He obediently walked directly toward the fire.

I screamed and grabbed Cadmus, pulling with all of my might on his arms, trying to force him to stop moving. It was no use. He was much too strong and shook me off as easily as if I were a feather.

"Stop!" I screamed to Lachesis. "Please, I’ll do anything."

"Anything?" she asked, with her eyebrow raised.

"Yes. Anything," I promised.

"Cadmus, stop," she ordered. He halted with one foot hovering over the fire.

"Step back."

He took one step backward, standing as still as a statue, staring blankly straight ahead and I breathed a small sigh of relief. But my relief was short lived. Lachesis turned to me with an arrogant, knowing expression on her weathered face.

"Your life for theirs?" she asked politely.

I nodded. "My life for theirs."

"This was easier than we thought, sisters," she murmured in amusement.

They shared satisfied grins and I felt nausea rising in my belly.

"Too easy, though," she mused. "It’s not nearly satisfying enough. Alexi?" she called.

Alexi stepped from the opposite side of the pit with his expressionless face. He was firmly grasping the elbow of my mother. My mortal mother.

Shoving her forward, she stopped limply next to the edge of the fire. The flames leaped from the massive hole and licked at their feet. I could smell the singed hair of the gods and goddesses hanging upside down above it and I flinched. My mother’s face was as stone, as emotionless as Cadmus’. She was enchanted, too.

"We can’t let you have both of them," Clothos said smoothly. "That would be so unlike us.

What would people think? You may choose one. And then of course, you can have the rest of them." She motioned above our heads, as though the gods hanging over us were worthless chattel.

"I must choose Cadmus or my mortal mother?" I asked incredulously. "Lachesis, that’s unnecessary. I’m giving you my life willingly. I’m handing it to you. It’s yours. Take it."

Lachesis laughed. "And we thank you. But we must have our amusement, too. Which one will you choose?"

I stared at my mother’s helpless form. She was so vulnerable and delicately human. I wondered if Alexi had taken her against her will or bewitched her to get her here . Or maybe he had even lied and told her that I needed her, in which case she would have come willingly which made it all the worse. Her dark hair, just like mine, glistened in the light from the fire.

My gaze shifted to my soul mate. He stood silently next to me, his muscles taut and poised for movement, but rendered useless by the strange spell. All the strength in the world was useless if your mind was captive. His liquid dark eyes stared straight ahead, completely oblivious to my agony.

"No." I murmured. "I cannot."

"I thought you might say that," Lachesis grinned. "Which means that you all shall die."

A thought came to me. "You cannot kill them. It takes Zeus’ sword to kill an immortal.

And you don’t have it."

Annoyance flashed upon her face.

"Correct. But we will find it. In the meantime, your precious friends and family will burn in this fire in torment until we find the sword and put them out of their misery. Your mortal mother, of course, can so easily die. Perhaps it would be more humane to choose her, Keeper.

Her death will be quick. If you choose Cadmus, you can suffer together."

"You would burn us alive until you find the sword?" I repeated in horror.

"Now you’re catching on," Lachesis nodded. "There is one small thing though. One little thing. There is a box, a box containing murderous souls. We know that Ahmose took it for you.

If you tell us where it is, we’ll let both Cadmus and your mother live. Only you need to die.

What do you think about this bargain?"

"I can’t give it to you
...
." I murmured uncertainly.

But even as I spoke, my eyes turned once again to Cadmus and my mother. I thought of Ares and Aphrodite
...
their laughing faces from happier times. I thought of Cadmus’ chocolate eyes sparkling into mine as he grinned. And I knew, in the space of that one second, that I would gladly do it. I would give them exactly what they wanted and I would exchange my life for theirs.

Thanks to the Fates, I had a couple thousand years of practice at dealing with sadness and tragedy. I could do this. I could put aside fear and sadness and do what I needed to do.

"You have prepared me well for this day," I said to them calmly. "But tell me, how do I know that you will stand by your side of the bargain? How do I know that you will release everyone else?"

"Harmonia, use your head," Clothos answered. "You will be alive in this pit until we find the sword. You will see us release everyone. You will be in agony, but you will be conscious.

That is part of the fun."

I thought on that for a moment.

"Alright. We have a deal. I will give you the box on one condition. Let me say goodbye to them. Please. Restore them to their normal selves so that I can tell them goodbye. I have never knowingly done anything to offend you or against you. I have done all that you have asked for thousands of years. Please. Can’t you do this one thing for me?"

I hated pleading with them. I hated it more than anything I had ever done. My hatred for them completely filled me up. But if I could just look into Cadmus’ eyes one more time and see the love that he held for me there
...
it would be worth it. I could willingly step to my death.

"Give us a moment," Lachesis demanded.

She and the other two Fates convened in a huddle. I stood quietly, my gaze flitting from each suspended god and goddess to my mother and Cadmus. A moment later, the old hags turned

"Fine," Lachesis answered simply. "Where is the box?"

I slid my knapsack off of my back and pulled out the box. I handed it to her with shaking fingers. One of the ancient Keres started to say something, but at Lachesis’ glare, she closed her mouth and remained silent.

Lachesis motioned to a group of nymphs hovering nearby in the trees and then gestured toward Cadmus and my mother.

"Restrain them."

The nymphs stepped forward reluctantly and did as she asked.

"I would also like to say goodbye to Ares and Aphrodite," I demanded.

Lachesis narrowed her eyes at me, but still gestured toward another nymph.

"Get them down," she instructed. She turned back to me. "No tricks."

I shook my head. "No. No tricks."

I watched a couple of smaller nymphs shimmy spritely up the trees to the cocoons that my mother and father were restrained in. Pushing them, they swung the strange looking pods toward other servants waiting to catch them. Yet another servant released a pulley which lowered my parents safely to the ground.

Within a few minutes, they were unwrapped and stood lifelessly next to Cadmus and my mother. My mother’s silvery eyes shone in the firelight, but they were as empty as everyone else’s. I sighed heavily. It was heartbreaking and I was helpless.

Lachesis turned to them and walked from person to person, stopping to murmur something in each one’s ear. And one by one, the life returned to their eyes. As soon as they looked around and realized where they were, they began struggling hard against the nymphs restraining holds.

But it was no use.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ares roared. Cadmus sought my gaze and I watched as realization dawned on his handsome face.

"Why are you here?" he asked me. "What is this?"

"I’m here because I’m the only one who can save you," I murmured as I stepped to him. "I love you so much." I traced his face with my hand, lingering over his lips. His dark eyes were panicked.

"Harmonia, I don’t know what you are thinking, but whatever it is, put it out of your mind."

He desperately tried to hold my gaze, but I moved forward to Aphrodite and Ares. In their faces, I found such familiarity and comfort. Aphrodite was outraged, her lovely face practically shooting sparks.

"You will wish you had never even existed," she spit toward the Fates. "Release us this instant."

"Mother," I murmured. "You will be released soon. Please, protect Cadmus and see that my mother gets safely back home."

Aphrodite stared at me anxiously. "Of course, I will. But where do you plan on being?

You are always with me, right at my side. That should not change. I won’t have it!"

"For once, mother, you aren’t going to have a choice."

I kissed her lightly on the cheek and moved to Ares. He stood before me with a gaze like thunder. I vaguely remembered the time he had rescued me from Cleopatra’s golden barge.

He had been wearing much the same expression at the time. I smiled at him, cupping his face.

"I love you, father. Avenge this."

He nodded. "I will avenge everything." I did not doubt him. Fury simmered in his eyes, turning them almost black. He was the only one of the Olympic gods who didn’t possess the strange silver eye color. I hugged him quickly and moved again.

I stood in front of my mortal mother. She stared around us in bewilderment, unable to comprehend where we were or what was going on. I couldn’t blame her. It was so far beyond her reality that it was crazy. And as a mortal, she was immersed in the haze of this island much more quickly.

"Mom, I want you to know that I love you, okay?"

She nodded quietly. "And I love you. But what we are doing here? Am I dreaming?"

I nodded, watching her eyes fill up with the bewilderment that this island induced.

"Yes, you’re dreaming. Go back to sleep now. I’ll see you in the morning."

With wide eyes, she murmured an agreement. I choked back my tears as I motioned to Lachesis and my mother’s face once again went slack and lifeless. She did not need to see what was coming. Her mortal mind would break from it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ares and Cadmus still struggling against the restraining hold of the nymphs. I moved once again to Cadmus and kissed him softly.

"Cadmus, I love you. Forever. Remember that." I felt a tear escape the corner of my eye and slide hotly down my cheek.

"Harmonia, don’t," he pleaded, his eyes full of pain. "Please, I’m begging you."

I pressed one more kiss to his lips and then turned away from him while I still could.

"Okay," I mumbled, taking a deep breath. "I’m ready."

I ignored the frantic protests from my family and Cadmus as I stood numbly in front of the Moirae. I felt my bloodstone lying limp and silently against my chest like the cold lump of stone that it was. It couldn’t help me here. Nothing could.

As I stood waiting for what seemed like an eternity, every feeling that I’d ever had, both goddess and mortal, flooded back to me with a vengeance. My lives flashed before my eyes-good memories and bad ones- and in that moment, none of the sadness mattered. Because no matter what life I led, no matter what sadness it contained, it was always outweighed by the joy and happiness that I found with my soul mate and my family. I had been very blessed.

As I bowed my head, I felt a strange fog descend upon me and I realized with a start that it was the effects of Ogygia. It was beginning to steal my consciousness. Very soon, I would forget my purpose here.

"Do it!" I hissed.

"Do what?" Lachesis asked me in amusement. "It is for you to do, Keeper."

I eyed the ledge of the pit. It was so close. Just two steps away. I took a shaking step.

Then one more.

I stood with my toes curled around the edge, ignoring the shouts and protests of the others as I felt the warmth of the fire heat my legs and my face. The orange flames were mesmerizing and I stared into them. Soon, I would be among them. And I wanted to do it while I was focused on the love that I felt while I could still remember it. Conjuring every peaceful feeling that I could, I drew upon my inner strength. Picturing Cadmus’ beautiful face, I lifted my foot.

"Wait!" a voice hissed. Keeping my foot poised in mid-air, I turned my head slightly.

A Keres had broken rank and moved forward.

"Wait!" she repeated.

"What are you doing?" Clothos demanded of her. But the old Keres ignored her, keeping her cloudy eyes fixed upon mine.

"Harmonia, remember," she instructed. "Remember! It is made from feathers and flame."

At the old hag’s words, as if someone had flipped a switch, a memory did form in my mind. A magnificent crimson bird with iridescent feathers and azure eyes. A bird that built a funeral pyre for itself and then lit it on fire...dying in its own flame. I could see it as clearly in my mind as if it stood in front of me. I glanced at my wrist. I had the mark and it was pulsing erratically right this moment.

I was the Phoenix, the Chosen One.

"Yesssss," she hissed. "You remember."

I nodded and turned my head toward Cadmus. "I love you."

And I stepped from the ledge.