Chapter thirteen

“Can you hear me?”

Talia groaned a bit and tried opening her eyes. They were not wet or puffy and it did not take much effort. In a minute, She opened them wondering if she was still having that forsaken dream. She had to do a double-check. The hostel’s bed wasn’t this soft and she definitely did not own the blue silk sheet wrapped over her.

“You are awake.”

Talia shot up to the unfamiliar voice and focused on the sound of the voice. Before she saw him, She took in the splendor of wherever she was. It definitely wasn’t the hostel. The speaker was an impressive young man with brazen ash hair, dazzling yellow orbs, and very wet clothes. He would have radiated royalty if he didn’t look like a godawful pool boy. Brief moments of the accident rushed through her mind and Talia blanked out for a second. Was she dead?

“Who are you?” She dared to ask the man.

He gave a smile and Talia marveled at how his eyes changed colors.; From the beautiful sunset yellow to a spectacular ocean blue.

“At least you are okay.” The man replied, blatantly ignoring her question as he flashed another smile.

“Where the hell am I?” Talia questioned yet again. This time she crept out of the bed. It was cool and all that she wasn’t gasping for air anymore but she needed answers. Her mind was beginning to procure several ways to protect herself if the situation called for it. Talia shook in pain as her stomach tightened. An unfamiliar pain flared through her stomach walls and lungs.

“Do sit. You took in a lot of water.” The man said in concern, gently approaching her. Talia felt her instinct kick and her hands immediately shot up with a ball of light dancing around her palms.
“Do not come closer!” She warned. “Where am I and who are you?”

The man retreated in surrender but judging by the smirk on his lips, Talia knew he was just playing nice. He wasn’t a mere creature. She was standing before some sort of god, She just did not know which one.

“You are in the second realm and I am Denys. I- saved your life.”

Denys? Talia had heard of that name. The answer was beneath her tongue but she just could not reach it. Then she realized where she heard the name from. Talia dropped her hands realizing she was standing before the descendant of a Major god. The man in front of her was Poseidon’s son. Poseidon and Persephone.

“Oh, my word…”

He was a child to the goddess that just attempted to murder her.

“You are her son…” Talia pondered for a second about what she was going to do. He didn’t seem like he was a threat to her life but she did not like him either and running seemed to be out of the question. Every inch of the castle would be stacked with foot soldiers If he didn’t do something drastic first. So Talia opted to ask nicely.

“...Just get me the hell out of here.” She pleaded.

“I cannot do that.” He replied. The moment he said that, Talia felt her knees buckle. Why he was doing this was cryptic and she was still afraid to ask anyway. As if he read her mind, He continued. “If my mother finds out you are alive, You might actually wind up dead.”
He had a point but Talia did not trust him. She couldn’t. Not after witnessing firsthand what his mother was capable of. She wondered how her mother would cope after hearing the news. She just could not bear it. Memories of what her mother told her on the phone came knocking, intruding on the fragment of faith she had. Death and ruin… Her mother could die after hearing this.

“I know but she doesn't have to know. I am sure your mother has a lot of thongs top think about than some girl who ruined her dress.” Talia stammered, clambering away from the god and heading to the door. He did not try to stop her. At least, not physically. His words did the job and they did it perfectly.

“That mere dress was a gift from my father who is now late as everyone knows. And, She will hunt you down if she finds out you are still walking and breathing Miss Talia Trueborn. A goddess’s word is the law and my mother’s pride is life. So if you want to live Talia, Stay here.”

Something about everything he was saying spoke truth. He could not be lying. Talia stopped and turned to face him, unable to process what next step she was to take. Believe him or disregard his warnings. She made up her mind to trust him. At least, until another opportunity presented itself.

He walked past her, striding to the powerful blue door that seemed to have been fashioned out of corals.

“What now?’” She asked.

Denys stopped, his hands slightly grazing the doorknob. “Stay here and wait till I can convince my mother to spare your life or reach a compromise.” With that, He opened the door, walked out, and shut it. Despite his warnings, He did not entirely trust her. She heard the door click shut.

Screw that bastard!

***
The streets of the Northern Kingdom were once again filled with people for the second time in one week. The crowd was dumbstruck to see aliens in the carriage. It wasn’t rare, It was a phenomenon. No villager was aware of the developments excluding the nobles and the lucky few who got the word. Denys sighted his mother's front row, waving to her subjects before she finally got his view. There was a certain glow in her eyes. One she only had when she had won a battle. He heaved heavily just thinking about how he was going to bring up the topic to her. He slowly stepped down the keep to welcome his mother.

“Isn't it amazing.” Persephone marveled, kissing her son by the cheek when she crossed the coral gates, away from her people where she did not have to be a cold-hearted bitch.”

“How many are they?”Denys inquired, willing to indulge himself in a bit of small talk before getting to his delicate topic.

“There are four hundred of them. I took the best of the best and I might have failed some to keep the numbers down.” She replied. “I hope this plan of yours works.”

Eureka! An opportunity. Denys grasped it by the horn.

“You also killed some to keep the numbers down.”

Persephone calmly stared into her child’s eyes. He was naive like his father. Their greatest strength and possibly their greatest weakness. Without an ounce of regret, She replied to him. “You saw what she did. That dress was more than just a gift from your father. It was the last present he gave me before you know…”

“I know that Mother but Zeus does not know that. Right or wrong, The girl was from the first realm, and murdering her could have sparked unrest. You know how my uncle can be.”

Persephone pushed past Denys, apparently done with the conversation. He finally noticed she was no dressed in her subtle red gown that hugged around her upper torso and fell freely like living waters, up to her knees.

“Well, it is too late now Denys. My word is the law and that girl must be bloated chunks of meat waiting for sea hounds to devour as we speak.”

Denys considered throwing the bomb. He was hesitant but he was forced to speak. “And what if she is not?”

“If she isn't dead? Denys, That is not possible. Not without another god’s inte… Denys, Tell me you did not?”

Persephone was enraged. It was a descent to madness and to worsen things, Talia dropped right in on them.