Chapter thirty six

"Denys, You can do this." Persephone's soft lilting voice said as she tried to pump her son up.

As much as Denys hoisted and pulled, the stone's grip would not falter and the poor creature could not take his eyes from the hypnotic stone glare. He relieved it all again. The nightmares and cruel words of Poseidon ringed in his skull and hollowed in and out like it was yesterday. Deny felt his hands burn in unworthiness. His eyes stung as his father's favorite words made way to his ear as if he were truly there.

" How proud I am to have raised a son so much like me yet so much different from me."

Then his mother's words followed like a haunting raven cry. "You have to want this Denys." It was the last straw to break the camel's back.

"Enough!" Denys bawled, a wave of blue energy burst out of him, almost strong enough to send his mother flying. "It is not me mother." He finally muttered, collapsing on the stone and residing to the cruel truth, He would always be Poseidon's least desired son.

"No," Persephone retorted sharply. "That is a lie you are telling yourself and between you and me, It is making you lose. You should not let your emotions stand in the way of the greatness right in front of you. Did you even take your dose today?"

She meant the potion that was meant to increase his chances of lifting the cursed trident but Denys now knew better than to trust that piss and bitter herbs were enough to convince his father.

"That is not it mother and you know it. Let us admit it, I will never wield the trident. It will always be Pegasus. Even in death, Father will always prefer his cursed son over me."

Persephone glared at him."Honor your brother's memory, Son!"

"No. What memory is there to preserve when he is not even dead? Just in case you forgot, let me freshen your memory mother, My brother was cursed to be a horse because Father sought to keep on fighting destiny and you sent him away because you could not bear to see the cost of your happi-"

Without much of a thought, Persephone's hand cracked across her son's face, snapping it back with the force of a blow.

"Shut up!" She screeched. "Your father did not do that. It was Hades. It was that monster." Then she broke down on the earth in a mess of sobs and suffering. Denys noticed life draining out of the vegetation. It was an eerie sight to behold.

He didn't mean to be a monster. He did not mean to lash out like that but it was the sad truth. He faced his father with nothing but venom in his heart and while he was not sure the stone-hearted god could hear him, He was sure to get his message sent.

"Maybe if you decide not to be so selfish, you can make another bargain to return your beloved son to his natural state and perhaps save this realm. If not, it will burn father. Some have seen it in the fire."

 ***

The sky was an array of beautiful deep blue. Almost like the true skies but darker. In stead of the birds that danced in the sky, Talia saw fishes take their place for a change. It was an insanely beautiful day but her mind resided on the sphere on her hands and her mind was in an even darker space. Talia couldn't shake Sybil's words off her mind. Words like how she was losing her mother's love. Talia stared into the ball and asked herself a damning question. Her mother had not seen her for days. Of all the things she could have sent to comfort her daughter, She sent a distant memory. Maybe it was childish but Talia expected more. Her world was slowly descending into chaos and she wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Just before she could do something stupid like toss the only thing that reminded her of home, She heard a voice say, "Talia, Are you alright?"

She turned to see Solomon standing around her. As always, he was rocking his preppy look–blazers and selvedge Jean.

"No," Talia admitted, betraying her Fae for the first time in a long time. "I am not okay."

He sat close. "Goddess problems?"

"Persephone hasn't had the time to be a thorn in the flesh. I think she has other things to worry about. The thing is... I tried to contact my mother."

Solomon frowned. He looked pissed. Talia wasn't sure why but she suspected it had something to do with what she said.

"Remember what happened the last time you tried that, You need to know your stay here depends entirely on the decisions you make."

'I did not use magic. The Prince did me a favor of visiting her in the first realm for my sake."

"And?" Solomon probed, his head tilting a little.

At that moment, Talia felt her defenses go off. Her eyes shifted to the side and became glazed with a layer of tears. As she blinked, they dripped from her eyelids and slid down her cheeks just as she attempted to speak.

"I was expecting more." She began, her lips quivering. "I am not sure what I wanted but it was certainly more than this... sphere. I mean... She had a chance to speak to me. To say anything she wanted to and all she sent was this stupid ball. It makes me wonder..."

"You are not seriously going to let yourself believe your mother does not love you?"

"I know she does love me," Talia answered. "But I would do anything to speak to her myself. I feel... I know this cannot be all my mother wished to tell me. I know her too well."

"So you do not trust the Prince?"

"He might be kind and decent but he is still his mother's son. He might as well be clueless to his mother's trickery." Talia disclosed. "Persephone has threatened me. She promised to harm my mother if I do not submit to her. I suspect that is why my mother gave me this. A sign to tell me of her predicament."

Solomon hoisted himself up. He was finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with everything Talia was spewing. "Submit?" He drawled, swallowing at the thought of what devastating meaning that simple word meant in the lips of the Queen of the second realm. "I thought Zeus had freed you from her grasp and why would she want to harm your mother? You have done nothing severe to warrant all these?"

"But the goddess wants to keep her pride intact. She wants me to cross my name off the book of Life. But I do not think I can do it. Not until I know my mother is safe and she approves."

"But in doing that, you could risk putting yourself in a delicate position. Think about this Talia."

"Solomon, Look at me. " Talia begged, striving to win his support. Now more than ever, She needed to be assured she was taking the right step. "You have a pack, Don't you? And I do not mean the brotherhood alliance the shifters here have formed. We both know this was never the plan. To be citizens of this realm. Don't you miss your family? Your true pack?"

"I do." He confessed. "It is constant hell for me knowing I won't be there when my younger brother gets his guide. I will never know what shifter he is going to be. Neither will I be there for him through his transition."

"What would you do if there was a chance you could see him again?"

"Before I can answer that Talia, I need to know what you plan to do."


"Dream walking," Talia said tightly.