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I nod.
Pausing, Artemis pulls me into an embrace and replies softly, “Then I'll see what I can do about tracking down portraits of the Olympians. You deserve answers and closure.”
Much to Athena’s delight, she was no longer on around-the-clock babysit the human detail. Whether Apollo took pity on his sister or Artemis prompted Apollo to do so, I'm not sure, but her presence was much less frequent.
Though several guards have become routine wall decorations in my rooms, Hyacinthus was now the most frequent flier after Athena. Somehow, Hyacinthus spoke even less than Athena. Thankfully, he tends to stand guard in the hallway.
Day seven of gruel. The sight of the blended oat concoction makes me want to groan. Utterly odorless and tasteless, the matter was only aggravated further by luxurious and fragrant smells wafting up from the kitchen at mealtimes. When I finally get my mush, it almost hurt to eat.
I sit for a while contemplating my fate. Sitting up here only to starve or risk dying while making his life a living hell…. Or worse, eat the oat mush.
The answer was obvious to me.
The first place that I checked was the window. Throwing open the shutters, I stood looking out from on top of my windowsill. Staring out, I knew that I couldn’t escape from there. Four flights down there was a raised porch, but I would probably die if I leapt. There was a window on the floor below me but no easy way to get to it. I didn't want to climb those dead and crumbling hanging vines unless I had no other choice.
Think Pandora, clear your head. There must be a way out of this marble cage.
Crossing the door, I stared out the keyhole for several minutes. Though I couldn’t tell which guard was standing at attention, there still is one at the door, of course.
Sighing loudly, I decided to ease my mind with yet another bath.
Entering the giant bathing chamber, I don’t bother closing the door to my rooms behind me.
The large bath is sunk into the floors. Turning the dials, I wait at the edge for the steaming water to fill the basin. Crossing my legs and I watch the ripples rolling across the water.
Dragging my finger across the reflection pool, I watch a colorful image take shape in the water below me. My previous ripples still make it too garbled to see what I’m looking at.
Jolting to attention, I whirl my head around.
Nothing unusual is in the bathroom.
Nothing that would explain the colorful lights flickering in the water.
Rolling myself onto my knees, my face presses closer to the image. Blinking, I watch the image roll in the water. Still not quite discernable, I hover an inch over.
Is that a face?
My eyes widen as I feel two hands wrap around my shoulders and yank me downward. My body splashes into the water.
Sucked down, I fight against the invisible hands.
A silent scream escapes my lips. One that the water swallows up.
Struggling in the shallow pool, I push with all my might and leap out of the water. Thank gods that my legs are working. Bursting into the cold air, I gasp for breath.
Twirling around, I watch the basin suspiciously. Looking for whatever monster or god grappled me.
There was no one under the water.
It was just me in the bathtub.
Did I slip? Where in Tartarus are my clothes? I'm certain that I didn’t take them off yet.
From behind me, I hear the distinct sound of slow clapping. Instinctively, I freeze at the sound of the woman’s voice behind me. “That was quite a trick.” Twirling around, I hunch over in the water. Doing my best to cover my very exposed body.
A maiden sits at the edge of the pool, her legs dipping into the water. I lock my eyes on her face, she’s as naked as me. “Feeling modest all of a sudden?” She giggles playfully. Her long ebony hair sways with the movement of her chest, covering her breasts. “It's nothing that I haven’t seen before.” Her silver eyes wink.
The door to the main suite is propped open.
