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Do I say his name? Call Hades to the forest? No. That would be idiotic. Then we’d all surely be dead.
“Come on, time to face your judgment at the mountain.” Spat the god at Dad. Eyes full of pure vitriol.
The mountain? What’s the mountain? I watched him from my sunken position. Praying to anyone to help us. Fading in and out of consciousness, Dad’s eyes flickered between understanding and lost in memories. Almost like someone hit his head and caused a concussion. Knocking memories right out of him.
Throwing Dad over his shoulder, he watched dazed from his position. dropping in and out of consciousness. Wandering between the plane of what’s reality and what’s fiction.
His dangerous eyes watch my dad. “If we wait here, will your hunting partner return?”
Even through all the terror that he stirs in me, there’s something regal about him. The way he holds his head, his gait, like people are meant to be seen. Meant to strike fear into all our hearts. Like we should regret not giving him all the duly earned respect.
“I don’t know how many times that I need to tell you this, but I came here alone.” He spits blood in the direction of the god.
“Do not lie to me.” A fire blazed in his eyes. “Fine. Maybe you’ll come to your senses after some time to think about your decisions on who is truly worthy of your protection.” Everything feels like a game to this stranger.
Vivid blue eyes pour into my spot. As though he knows where I'm standing. “Come with me,” commands the god.
If I go, Dad and I will be together.
“No.” Dad slurs. Hardly conscious. His eyes appear to stare forward in a daze. Head bowing from the left to the right like he is struggling to hold himself open.
Freezing, I don’t dare breathe.
Waiting several moments, the god grew impatient. “Fine, the Lord will find her anyway.”
My fingers dig into the ground at my feet as though I'm trying to grow roots. Anything to stabilize me.
Pale eyes stare directly through me. Frozen, I hardly dared to breathe. My body begins to shake out of fear. Please, what god do we need to plead to be turned into trees.
He saunters to me, bending over slightly to look at the tree.
Blood.
My blood rests on the tree.
Dragging a long finger up the length of the tree, he dampens his finger in my blood. Coyly the god asked, “Now how would your blood get all the way over here? Perhaps I'll give this to the hounds. They’d be able to assist me with matching the blood to the mortal.”
Spitting a large gob of blood in his direction, I can’t help but be proud of Dad’s bravery. “Blood spatters. Not sure what to tell you.” Cringing, I see one of his eyes is nearly swollen shut, his mouth red from blood. “Probably from your bad aim.”
The god ignores his mumbling. Focused instead on the clearing. Scanning once more, he finds me. “Oh, child of woe, return to your home, Miss Bringer of Destruction.” He sticks out his hand in my direction. Scary how closely he knew where I was. Only slightly off to one side of me. “One day, you’ll be mine.”
Shuddering, I stay put. Not moving. This was a trap. I could see it plainly in his face.
The god wants me to run. Then he’d have something to chase.
A cat and mouse game between an immortal and mortal was not the kind of game I would play.
I refuse to take his bait.
Standing so still and rigid, I feel my muscles scream from exhaustion. Threatening to call it in if the deity doesn’t leave soon.
A person can only remain so still for so long.
After what felt like a century of waiting, I knew that the god has nothing but time to wait. He refuses to leave until I move first.
Surveying the ground, I knew I needed to think quickly.
Locking my hands around a rock, I skip it across the ground. Two eagles bolt from the trees above in the direction of the rock. After much circling and searching, the eagles return to the god’s side.
