"That's your problem. I'm not going and that's final."
Someone lightly taps on his shoulder from behind. "Orion?"
He turns around to see his three wives smiling at him. "Yes?"
"If you are needed somewhere else, you can go. We will be all right."
"Aurora . . ."
"She's right." Stella comes close and kisses Orion's cheek. "The children will be fine. There are plenty of our friends who will love to take care of the children. Kirios Troy needs you."
Orion takes all three of his wives in his arms and kisses them. "You three promise you will be okay while I'm gone? I'll be back as soon as I can." He moves his hand over Stella's stomach. "I will be back to see my newest baby as soon as it's born."
They push him towards the ship. "We love you, Orion."
"I love you too."
Babu runs up to him and grabs his legs. "Daddy, don't go."
"I have to go, Babu. I'll be back, though. I promise."
"Here." The boy holds up a braided leather cord. "I made it for you."
"Awe, thank you." Orion ties it around his neck. "I'll wear it and not take it off until I'm back here. Be the man of the family while I'm gone and take care of the younger ones."
"Okay."
Orion waves one last time to them then he joins everyone on the ship.
* * *
Nova holds up the glowing pink lotus flower that her father gave her the night he first left them at Apollo's house. It gives off a faint aura of light that has always comforted her. It has been the one thing keeping her going since losing Troy. She owes him an apology and so much more that she can never fully apologize for. If she hadn't taken those drugs and hallucinated then run off, he wouldn't have been arrested and wrongly convicted of raping and killing her. He could be here with her and they could be happy like they were when their love was begging to blossom. Now, she will be seeing him again for the first time since he was fighting for his life in the arena over six years ago. Does he hate her? Will they have a future together, or has their flicker of romance died out over time?
There is a knock on her door and the first thing she sees is Dion's bright blue mohawk.
"Hey there. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Dion asks.
"Sure. Come on in. Would you like some coffee? I just made it."
"No thanks." Dion closes the door behind him and sits on Nova's bed. "You were supposed to marry me."
What is this about? "That was when I was the oracle and you were my guard. You turned out to not be an oracle guard at all, remember? Wait. You're not still interested in me, are you?"
"Way to make me feel even worse. I'll be going now."
"Stay." Nova sits next to him. "What is this really about? That was six years ago. You haven't made a move since."
"Atlas and Samuels went to pick up Troy and Orion from Delphi. They should be back in a couple of hours."
Ah. It makes sense now. "And you don't want me to fall back in love with Troy?"
"You and I have been friends for years, right? We work together, we play that videogame everyone else plays together. We make a great team. I don't want to lose that."
"Dion, you will always be my friend. Me having a romantic relationship with someone won't detract from our friendship."
Dion takes her hand. "But I don't want to be friends."
"Dion . . . don't."
He kneels down on one knee in front of her. "Nova Cunningham, will you marry me?"
Not this. Why is he so intent on doing this now? As much as Nova would be inclined to marry him if he was the only man she was interested in, she can't rule out the person she still undeniably loves. "I don't want to hurt you. Dion, listen to me. You are a great guy. You're funny and kind. You're my very good friend. However, if I agreed to marry you, I would only be lying. That lie would hurt both of us so much more in the future. I will tell you this, though. Let me meet with Troy tonight. If I don't still have those feelings for him that I once did, then I will marry you."
"Do what you will." Dion doesn't say another word as he storms to the door and leaves, slamming the door behind him.
* * *
As Silver drinks from his flask and makes his way down the hall to his room, he hears arguing from behind his son's door. Leto runs out of the room. Her face is pink and streaked with tears as she holds her stomach. Her hair is disheveled and she has the beginnings of a black eye. "Leto? Leto, what's wrong? Where are you going?"
She pulls the thin platinum ring from her finger and throws it at the door. "Ask your heartless son!"
"Leto!" He watches as she leaves the building and takes off into the crowds outside. There's only one explanation for this and it's awful. It's time to be a father and put his foot down. He goes to Zodiac's door and kicks it open. "What did you do?"
Zodiac is scrubbing blood off of his hands in the kitchen sink. Broken glass is spread out around the tile floor of the kitchen and the bed is a mess. The table has been overturned, spilling the dishes onto the floor. The smell of sulfur fills the air as a candle burns out, leaving a charred spot in the carpet near the bed. "She's my slave. I can do whatever I want."
He closes the door and crosses his arms as he continues to survey the scene. "What did you do to her?"
"I did what I had to do. She didn't want to get rid of the baby . . . so I had to rough her up a bit and force her. Stupid woman."
Silver's eyes fill with tears. "How could you? I wanted to be a grandfather. That precious life has been snuffed out before it even got a chance to think, to breathe, to love. What gives you the right to play God?"
"I am my own god. I've struggled for years alone." Zodiac dries his hands on a towel and turns around, revealing the handprint across his cheek where Leto slapped him. "Where was God then, huh? Your old world Earth religion is dead, Jarred. Jesus isn't watching you all the way on this side of the galaxy. He doesn't care about you."
"You're speaking about things you can't comprehend. Jesus is love and you have no love in your heart. You are hardened and cold. You've shut everyone out. If this is who you truly are, then you are not my son. I'll get out of your life. That's what you wanted this entire time anyway. When you were eight, you begged me not to leave. Now that I'm trying my hardest to be a part of your life, all you do is push me away. I'm sorry you hate me, but don't take that hatred out on Leto. She loves you."
Zodiac turns his back to him and looks through the curtains to the street below. "Do you know why I had to do that?"
"I don't want to hear your excuses. It's unforgiveable. I have taken many lives over the years, but not once did I ever think about killing you or Nova. Children are never a problem, Zodiac. They are a blessing. I didn't want to be a father, but you two were the greatest things to happen in my life."
Zodiac's voice is barely audible as he whispers. "I was scared to be like you."
"Son . . ."
"I didn't want to bring a child into a world like this. You will never understand the pain I went through after you left. You were my best friend and I wanted to be just like you. I remember everything. I always have. I don't want to hurt an innocent child like you hurt me. That night when you left, I would have rather been dead. Don't you remember how many emotional issues I had? You devastated me. I cried for three days straight. I stopped eating. I couldn't sleep. I sneaked into Apollo's kitchen and stole a bottle of vodka and drank the entire thing. I was eight! I was in the hospital for two days. They kept telling me that everything was going to be okay, that you were only going to be gone for that one week, but I knew better. On the night of that sixth day, I stayed up all night, watching the clock until midnight. When you didn't show up, I sat outside and called for you until sunrise. When the sun rose above the mountains and there was no sign of you, I died inside. I stopped caring about anything. I felt worthless. Who throws their children away like that? If you didn't want to raise us, then you shouldn't have had us at all."
Silver moves closer to him. "Zodiac . . . I didn't
know. I didn't know how much I hurt you. Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask. That's why I can't be a father. I'm in a very dangerous line of work. I don't want to leave a child without a father. I know what it's like to feel completely alone."
"You had Troy's family and your sister."
Zodiac's voice cracks as he chokes back tears. "But I didn't have the one person who mattered. I didn't have you."
Hearing his son finally speak to him about this makes it all so much clearer. Everything makes sense now. Silver was expecting Zodiac to understand now that he's older, but that's not the part that needs to understand. When it comes to this issue, Zodiac is that eight year old little boy who can't comprehend why his daddy left him. That wound hasn't healed yet. Moving on without closure is like trying to build a home on a cracked foundation. Sure, you can build the house, but eventually the crack will grow larger. Eventually, even the fanciest house will fall victim to that single crack lurking below the surface. It has to be stripped down to that crack then either repaired or moved somewhere else and rebuilt.
As Silver watches Zodiac crying silently, he knows the answer, if Zodiac will allow him. He holds out his arms to his son. "I'm here if you need me. I can't make up for that pain, but I can help you mend what has been broken. You don't have to wait for me anymore. Your daddy is here and I'm never leaving again."
Zodiac takes a few steps towards the door then stops. "Call me Dax when I'm undercover." He lets out a pained scream and throws himself into Silver's arms. "Daddy! Don't leave me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything."
Silver holds onto his son tighter than he ever has before. This time, he will never let go, not until he wants him to. "Shh. It's okay. I understand now. We will work through this together. You will always be my little boy. It's all right. I'm here. I've got you." He kisses Zodiac's head. "I love you."
"I love you too."
4
Troy removes the black cloth from his eyes and looks around at the interior of the space transport. The technology seems foreign now after so long away from it. Compared to the natural things and handmade crafts, it feels disconnected, impersonal, and cold. He stares at the pure Nymph's eyes for a minute. Who is he? Why does he look so familiar? Those glasses, that fluffy hair, the cardigan and scarf . . . Troy knows this man. "Atlas?"
He laughs. "Hey, brother. I guess I haven't changed much in six years. You though . . ." Atlas traces the spider brand on Troy's forehead then touches the gold septum ring in his nose. "You have changed a lot."
"Where are the others? How is Xanthe? Was her new baby delivered all right? Did our father come back to his senses? I can't wait to see everyone. I bet they'll be so surprised."
Atlas pours a glass of water and helps Troy sit up to drink. "Yeah. Things were . . . finalized. Everything worked out in the end."
"That's good. And what of Zodiac?"
"There was a violent riot in Pax."
For some reason, the news doesn't hit him as hard as he feared. Maybe because Zodiac has been dead to him for so long. It was bound to happen sometime. "Oh. I see. And Nova?"
"She's in Himmel with us. Her father is taking care of her."
Orion sits beside them and pulls out a worn piece of fabric from his tunic. "While we're travelling back to Himmel, I have your horoscopes."
"You really got into all that, didn't you?" Atlas asks.
"It's a big part of the culture in nomadic Nymph tribes."
"Okay. Do me first." Atlas says. "I'm a Libra."
Orion scans over the cloth. "Let me see . . . ah here it is. Libra: Your life is changing rapidly. Your insecurities must be challenged and overcome. Friends will come and go this year, leaving you ultimately questioning your loyalties. Being in tune with your true purpose will help you avoid a catastrophe."
"Oh dear gods, that sounds awful. Where do you get these?"
"From the mystic in my village."
Atlas smoothes Troy's hair. "Do Troy's next. He's a Taurus."
"If you want me to. Taurus: Your quest for comfort and luxury is nearing an end, but the treasures awaiting you may not be the ones you set out to find. Be cautious of those around you. They may not be who they seem. Imposters, spies, and traitors block your way to glory. Do not let past alliances cloud your vision of your future."
Troy pulls the blanket around him and hides his face from them. Great. That's just what he needs right now. Could someone have changed that much in the time he's been away? Or were these people always hiding secrets from him? Only time will tell. Until then, can he actually trust anyone? Should he be taking these seriously? Better safe than sorry.
"What about yours, Orion?" Atlas asks.
Orion folds the cloth and slips it into his tunic. "It doesn't matter."
"Is it that bad?"
"Let's change the subject, shall we?" Orion asks. "I'll say this. I sincerely hope this doesn't come true."
"Maybe there's been a mistake?"
"The mystics don't make mistakes. I should have read this before I left. Maybe my wives will read it and discuss a plan with Chief Seri."
Troy peeks out from his blanket cocoon. "Calm down, Orion. These horoscopes aren't definitive. Mine kept saying for years that my family and loved ones were in trouble, but they're fine."
Orion groans and leans back against the metal wall to watch the cold darkness of space pass by outside the windows.
* * *
Nova prepares herself for whatever is waiting for her inside the hospital room. The sterilized chemical smell tingles her nose and turns her stomach, making her nerves only that much worse. She slowly steps inside the dimly-lit room. Monitors beep and buzz, filling the bleak room with their electronic song. Her heart drops when she sees the wheelchair in the corner.
Atlas looks up from his tea where he is curled up in a maroon armchair below the window where pale morning sunlight warms the harshness of metal and glass. "Hey, Nova. He's asleep right now. You can come back later. I'll call your phone when he wakes up. He just got out of a minor procedure on his legs."
"His legs? Can he walk?"
"Barely. Sometimes he's fine and can walk normally for about thirty minutes, then he will collapse as his muscles give out. He's just very weak. The doctors say that this isn't only from the Ebola. Troy was injured by a lion in Delphi that affected some nerves in his back. The virus only exacerbated it. We are such fragile beings."
Nova watches Troy's shallow breathing below the plain white sheet. "Can they fix him?"
"Only time will tell. They are administering medical regenerative nanobots into his body that should target the damaged nerves and repair them. It's quite fascinating. My professor at the academy was one of the chief developers of this specific type of medical nanobot. As for Troy's eyes, he will be going into surgery soon. You need to know that there is a very slight chance he could lose his sight altogether. It's slight, but it's a possibility." Atlas pours another porcelain teacup full of the sweet-smelling tea and slides the saucer across the small table towards Nova. "Sit and have some tea if you're staying. It will help to soothe your anxiety."
She slips off her coat and drapes it over the back of the chair. Sitting, she takes the warm cup in her hand and breathes deeply of the steam. "Thank you. I bet you're happy to see him again."
"Absolutely. You have no idea how alone I felt after every other one of my siblings and my parents died. I knew Troy was still out there, but I didn't know if I would ever see him again. You know how close we used to be. Troy and Sparta had their own competitiveness, but Troy and I would do our schoolwork together almost every night."
"I remember. So, does Troy know about your family?"
"No. No one has told him."
Nova sips her tea. "You should tell him. If this goes on for much longer, he will eventually find out on his own. That will hurt him a lot more."
"I can't do it, Nova. He already asked about them on the ship on the way here. You know how Troy is. He is strong and stalwart on the
outside, but under that, he is fragile. Now that he's physically weak, I don't have the heart to damage him emotionally. We just need to never let him go to Athens so he can't find out."
"And you think once he's king, he won't live in the palace in Athens? Or that he won't see the public records of their deaths? He will hate you for not telling him the truth."
Troy mumbles from the bed. "Truth about what?"
Nova goes over to him and gently removes the gauze from around his violet eyes. "Hello, Troy."
"Nova . . . can you close the blinds? The light hurts my eyes."
"I've got it." Atlas closes them then sits back down. "You two talk and pretend I'm not here."
"Okay." Nova turns back to Troy and sees his face for the first time in nearly seven years. She sees the piercings, the brand, the short beard, but most of all, she sees the exhaustion. How much has he gone through to look this weathered? Is the Troy she used to love still under there? She pushes his bangs out of his face. "I've missed you."
Troy smiles and takes her hand. "I missed you too. I thought about you every day. Orion had his family in Delphi, but I was all alone. I held onto the memories we had together. You kept me going."
"Oh, Troy. Are you feeling all right?"
"Better than I was. I don't like being like this. I feel so . . . useless."
"Don't worry about that right now. You're not useless. Everyone has times when they rely on other people. You're hurt. That's not your fault. Let us take care of you so you can get better and be useful again."
"Do you want to be here, Nova?" Troy asks. "Atlas is doing a fine job looking after me. You can go back to the guild hall."
"I want to be here. I couldn't sleep last night because I was so excited to see you."
"I'm glad you're here. Where is my owner?"
Nova traces the lines on the palm of his hand. "Orion? He said he had someone to talk to. He looked like he had a lot on his mind."
"He's a lot different than he used to be. So, who is your owner now? I see you're not living with Apollo anymore."
Paradise Forgotten Trilogy Page 43
