Page 51 of The Stars

They sat at the head table under arches of flowers and decorations the villagers had hurriedly strung up. Music filled the air, joyous and celebratory, as the smells of roasting meat and bread wafted around them.

It was almost surreal, like something she’d seen in a movie. The entire village had turned out to honor them, to praise them as gods. They’d barely wrapped their heads around their identities as Pandora and Epimetheus, and yet here they were, celebrated and revered. It was a strange, heady feeling.

The villagers talked about how they had not only saved Theo but the entire town. If they hadn’t stopped Thanatos, he would have destroyed everything and everyone there.

Amy supposed that it could be true. From what she could remember of the myths, Thanatos would have wiped the entire village from history without blinking an eye.

The feast stretched on for hours—dancing, laughter, and an endless flow of food and something close to wine. Amy tried to join in, smiling and nodding as villagers approached her with gifts and words of thanks, but her mind was far away, still turning over Prometheus’ parting words.

You are the only one here with that power.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, her exhaustion finally caught up to her. She exchanged a glance with Dante, who seemed equally drained.

“Ready to head back?” Dante asked, leaning in close so only she could hear.

She nodded gratefully. “Yeah, I think I’ve had enough ‘godhood’ for one day.”

They quickly said their goodbyes before making their way back to the temple. The familiar sight of the ancient structure brought a strange comfort to Amy—it was the closest thing they had to a home in this strange world.

As they entered, the sounds of the feast still faintly carried on the breeze, but here, in the quiet of the ancient stone walls, Amy could finally breathe again. She sank down onto the bed and ran her hands through her hair, still processing everything that had happened.

Dante sat beside her, stretching out his legs and letting out a long sigh. “Today was… something.”

“Yeah,” Amy agreed, her voice barely above a whisper. She stared at the ground, her thoughts a whirlwind of power, gods, and responsibility. How could she control all of this? Could she truly figure out how to use her powers to get them back home?

Dante must have sensed her anxiety, because he placed a hand on her knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Are you okay?”

She nodded and leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. “I’m just… scared. I don’t know if I can get us home.”

Dante wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. “You can,” he said firmly. “I have faith in you. Like Prometheus said, you have the power. You made that.” He motioned to the knife that sat beside her on the bed.

“Yeah.” She smiled slightly. “I didn’t even really have to think about it.”

“So maybe the power to take us back is like creating the dagger?” he suggested.

She shook her head. “No, I’ve tried several times to just think about taking us back.”

“And nothing?” he asked, and she nodded. “Maybe…” he started but then stopped.

“What?” she asked after a moment.

“Well, maybe you don’t want to go back?” he surprised her by saying.

“I…” She stood up and walked over to look out over the water as the truth bubbled inside her. He was right. She didn’t want to go back to a world she knew would soon be destroyed.

He moved behind her and when his arms wrapped around her, she leaned back against his chest.

“It is peaceful here,” she said softly. She glanced up at the moon and felt a shiver race through her. “And the world isn’t destroyed or on the verge of it.”

The weight of his arms around her was grounding, and for the first time since Prometheus had disappeared into the sea, Amy allowed herself to relax, just for a moment. They stood there in the dimming light, the temple quiet and still, a brief moment of peace amidst the chaos.

But deep down, Amy knew this was only the beginning. The journey ahead was fraught with danger, gods who sought to destroy them, and powers she was only really beginning to understand.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon, plunging the temple into darkness, Amy closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“I know it’s time to go,” she said, taking a deep breath. Then she turned into his arms. “But can we have one last night together here?”

He smiled down at her. “One last night.” He brushed his lips across hers. In that instant, her entire body reacted almost as much as it had when they’d been in danger. Every fiber of her being was on fire, heated, as his hands ran over her.