Origin of the Sphinx (6 page)

“I had not seen it coming, Clo.” Atropos’s voice was biting.

“Even so, I would like to see us unite. I hate wasting thread I’ve made.” She looked up, and stopped knitting. Her eyes met those of each of her sisters, and when they nodded in assent, she took a book from under her cloak. Its cover was dark red leather with gold lettering.

“Here is the history of the girl’s mother, and the curse that was placed. This record is written by our hands, so it will be unbiased from human or god. It can be read only by the Sphinx, or those whose intent toward the cursed creature is pure.

We will also allow the creature ample thread, such that she will have her choice of when to pass to the underworld. Until she conceives, she will remain immortal. There is much she can do with this time. This is what we will do.”

Priska found her voice. “Can she break the curse?”

“The curse was placed by a god. The words are binding. Even Apollo cannot retract it. The terms must be fulfilled.” Lachesis explained this in measured words, knowing the weight of what she said.

“But it is unfair.” Priska sounded angry, but the anger was really her frustration at being helpless.

“Child, you have seen much in your days, but you have much left to see. The gods are often rash, selfish, and thoughtless. They are also omnipotent. Their words are irrevocable and immutable. Until Phoibe, or now her offspring, loves Apollo, the curse will stand as pronounced,” Clotho explained.

Priska nodded.

“Our time draws to an end here. If you have further questions ask them now.” Atropos demanded.

“Why?” It was the rasping voice of Damon. His face was haggard, and it bore the grief of his loss. He looked at each of the young women as though they might provide understanding to his broken heart.

The silence in the room was deafening.

“There is no reason.” Clotho walked up to the mortal, and met his gaze. “It is not right, but we cannot change it.”

“Then who? Who can change it?”

“I do not know who has that power.” Clotho shook her head. “I’m so sorry.” She stepped back two paces, bent her head, and her needles started clicking.

Atropos and Lachesis stepped up to join their sister. “Hail and farewell.” They addressed the room, and in a flash they were gone.

“Damon?” Priska walked over to the man, still standing where Clotho had left him. “Damon?”

He turned and looked at her, shock on his face. “Priska?” His voice sounded on the edge of hysteria. Priska led him to a chair, had him take slow, deep breaths, and instructed him to close his eyes. She hoped he would sleep, but when he looked up at her only minutes later, his eyes still wild, she knew it had been too much.

“Damon. Are you awake then?” She bustled around the room, picking up as though it needed tidying.

“Asleep? What do you mean?”

“You must have fallen asleep. I heard you cry out ‘Why?’”

“Why? I…I thought the Fates… Phoibe’s baby is cursed...” He sounded confused, unsure of what to believe.

“Damon,” she said, trying to keep her voice controlled, devoid of the tension she felt. “All the stress of the last few days, and staying up half the night... I think you are exhausted. We are still waiting for the Moirae.” The lie was delivered purposefully.

He nodded his head slowly.

Priska snapped her fingers. “I know. Why don’t you go home to Thalla? Aren’t the boys home, too? You all just need some peace right now. I will wait with Dido. I will tell you everything you need to know.”

He nodded; his mind numb. He allowed Priska to lead him to the door, and without a goodbye he started to walk home.

The next morning, Priska came alone to Damon’s house. She had left Dido sleeping, knowing no one would go near a house that death had recently touched so heavily. She told Damon the Fates had come, and that Dido had been taken to be with her mother and father. She saw relief pass over his face, and then guilt that he should feel that way. She knew her presence would be a reminder to him, so she added a farewell. She said that she was going to visit family in the north county.

He nodded, his mind overwhelmed by the horror he was still trying to convince himself was only a dream.

Priska bid him to make her farewell to the rest of the family, and then she walked out the door.

~ προχωρήσουμε ~

Priska left the small home of Isaak and Phoibe. It was a few hours after dark, and she hoped to avoid meeting anyone. She carried Dido wrapped in a blanket. If anyone were to look, they would see the angelic features of Phoibe in infant form. Priska sighed, remembering when Damon had first brought Phoibe down from the grazing land. It seemed like just yesterday and now…She squared her shoulders, committing herself to do right by Phoibe’s child. As luck would have it, Priska met no one that dark night, and so as she walked, she planned.

Priska returned home to pack. She would not raise the creature so close to where Phoibe grew up. It would not be fair to Phoibe, Damon, and especially Dido.

Priska looked around her home. It had been nice living in Belen: quiet, serene– up until recently. With a sigh, she went to gather those few things which would be difficult to replace. She went out to the stable, pulled out her cart, and began to load it. They would need provisions until they established somewhere, she thought, pulling sacks of wheat down, loading Phoibe’s favorite grinding stones. She took seeds, cured meats, olives, and some flour that had already been ground. She would need to take a milking goat, she thought to herself. Moving…transition…it would be more difficult with a baby. A baby? What do you call a cursed creature?

Priska went to check on Dido. She was sleeping quietly in the cradle Hera had given Phoibe. Priska felt resentment toward the removed goddess. As she reminisced on her limited experiences with the gods, she couldn’t think of a single time they had gotten involved and there had been any real benefit for those whose lives they touched.

She returned to the packing.

They would live remote, at least until Dido was older. As long as it took for Dido to be comfortable and self-sustaining, Priska committed herself. She shook her head, and with a deep breath she acknowledged she had no concept of what she was getting herself into.

How do you raise a monster?

EPILOGUE

Athan swallowed back bile. He’d had no idea. This was certainly not the picture of the gods he had been taught in the conservatory. Not that he had believed they were all good, far from it. But to be so cruel? So vindictive? He had thought that was all in the past… The past… This was the past. He shook his head.

Having been friends with Symeon, Athan had met Apollo a few times. Sure, he’d been arrogant, but that was to be expected, right? And even though Athan’s father, Hermes, and Apollo had a lot of history, most of which was pretty bad, Athan hadn’t held it against Apollo. Overall, he had thought the god to be friendly, an ok guy, at least as far as gods went.

Athan shook his head with disgust, and glanced at his watch. It had been just over an hour since Hope left. One hour. How could one hour make your world seem upside down?

How on earth did she have a book about the Sphinx? How had Leto gotten it from the Moirae?

He looked at his watch again, as if willing time to have passed, time that would bring Hope back. How long would it take her to cool off?

Because she had to come back.

She had to.

INDEX OF MYTHOLOGY FIGURES

Aphrodite
- Goddess of love, beauty, desire, and pleasure

Apollo
- God of light, music, arts, knowledge, healing, plague and darkness, prophecy, poetry, athleticism, manly beauty, and enlightenment

Ares
- God of war, bloodshed, and violence

Artemis
- Virgin goddess of the hunt, wilderness, animals, young girls, and childbirth

Athena
- Goddess of intelligence and skill, warfare, battle strategy, handicrafts, and wisdom

Demeter
-Goddess of grain, agriculture and the harvest, growth and nourishment

Dionysus
- God of wine, parties and festivals, madness, chaos, drunkenness, drugs, and ecstasy

Eros
- God of love and desire

Hades
- King of the underworld and the dead, and god of the earth’s hidden wealth, both agricultural produce and precious metals

Hephaestus
- Crippled god of fire, metalworking, and crafts

Hera
- Queen of the heavens and goddess of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings, and empires

Hermes
- God of boundaries, travel, communication, trade, thievery, trickery, language, writing, diplomacy, and athletics

Hestia
- Virgin goddess of the hearth, home and chastity

Leto
- Titan Goddess of Motherhood

Moirae
- the Fates, The incarnation of destiny, namely: Clotho (spinner), Lachesis (allotter) and Atropos (inevitable)

Persephone
- Queen of the underworld, wife of Hades and goddess of spring growth

Poseidon
- God of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, earthquakes, and the creator of horses

Zeus
- King of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky, weather, thunder, lightning, law, order, and fate

The Graeae
- three ancient sea spirits who personified the white foam of the sea; they shared one eye and one tooth between them, by name: Deino, Enyo, and Pemphredo

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Here it is… My big list of THANK YOUs…

Mari- Thanks for encouraging me to write down the first ten pages. Who would have thought it would have turned into so many?

Sam- I’m glad someone learned how to punctuate,.!;–

Nate- I love your creative genius. The cover is gorgeous, the website fantastic, and I love the fonts… all of them.

Pete and Ashlyn- Such amazing talent at bringing my characters to life. Thanks for sharing them with anyone that would listen.

Alli, Cassy, and Katie- My first beta-readers aka bestie pals. Luurrrvvs!

Emily- Thanks for taking the book away from Sam when you didn’t even have to read it.

Lauren- Thanks for taking an interest in Curse of the Sphinx, and for encouraging the novella, Origin of the Sphinx.

Mom and Dad- Thanks for raising me to believe that I really can do anything I put my mind to.

Jason- There isn’t enough paper or time to list all the reasons I’m grateful to you.

And to you, the reader of my work…

Stories improve with the telling. Thank you for letting me tell you mine.

And if I’ve forgotten you (and I’m sure I left out way too many of the people I love, who have helped me along), remember I’m super lame with my memory, especially when I’m tired. Which just happens to be all the time. Please forgive me, and send me an email so I can include you on the next book. Mrrrp!