by elda lore
+ + +
“If throwing her in the pool wasn’t your intention, what exactly was your intention as you made a spectacle of yourself and her?” Zeke’s tone admonished me like a five-year-old, although that had been several lifetimes ago.
“She shifted, and the weight forced the momentum toward the pool.”
Zeke narrowed his eyes at me. “You seem to have a particular interest in Veva.”
“No, sir.” My eyebrows rose at the thought. “I was only joking around with her.”
He nodded once. “What we all witnessed proved otherwise.”
Something in his tone registered awkwardly with me. A strange sense of protectiveness crawled over my skin. My father had a player mentality, and age did not discourage him. Had he checked out Veva in her wet attire? All his professions of love and special care for Persephone and Veva I took at face value, meaning they were off limits because of his relationship and connection to their mothers. It hadn’t crossed my mind that Zeke might desire one of them as his own. I shouldn’t put it past him that he would.
“Are you saying…”
His hand rose to stop me from speaking.
“I’ll stop you before you say something you’ll regret. If you didn’t want to show her off to everyone, you have an uncanny way of proving that. I don’t think anyone missed her.” His lip twitched as if he fought a smile, a smile of pleasure at what he saw, and my fists balled at my sides. I stepped forward.
“You wouldn’t…”
“I don’t think I care for your implication.” Zeke’s face turned stern and his booming tenor grew, but the twinkle in his eye told me wayward thoughts had crossed his mind, if only briefly. He couldn’t have her. He was too old. For that fact, so was I. “I must commend you in one regard. You could have used your powers to stop things from escalating. As I’m not clear what Veva does or does not know, I appreciate that you did not expose yourself to her.”
My power. I didn’t fully understand it myself. I went to trainings daily, but I hadn’t learned to control the inevitable.
“I apologize, again. It was not my intention to throw her in the pool.”
“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Veva. I see you always watching her. Your punishment should include spending time with her. In fact, that will be your punishment. I’m ordering you not to leave her side. You will be her entertainment and her escort for the remainder of the week.”
“What?” However, the conviction of my dismay wasn’t strong enough. “She hates me.”
“And that’s what you deserve. The rest of the week.”
“She’ll eat my heart out and serve it to crows for breakfast.”
“Don’t be dramatic, and besides, that’s already happened to someone else.”
Zeke’s sense of humor was untimely, but his tone proved he was serious. He didn’t care if she did carve me up in little pieces and feed me to the birds; I was to make up for what I had done.
“I’m adding another stipulation. She’s off limits to you.”
“Wasn’t she off limits before?” I bit.
“She was, but now I’m making it clear. You are not allowed to have any relations with her.”
“Considering how she feels about me, I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”
“Considering you’re my son, it just might be.” He winked at me and I hated the implication that we were similar. I was nothing like him. I’d never do the things he’d done, although in this moment, thoughts of killing him crossed my mind.
VEVA
The next morning, I woke with images of the night before in my head. A beautiful, star-filled evening. Candles glimmered around that elongated pool, increasing the aura of a magical night. Dressed in a manner making me feel sensual and seductive. Zeke had sent Persephone and I on a shopping spree, complete with a maid servant as an escort. She took us to several dress shops about an hour from the estate. Having a maid made me uncomfortable, but Persephone seemed strangely comfortable with the service. The girl’s name was Maya, but at one point Persephone called her Mina. Tears filled her eyes as she reached for the girl, and stroked her arm, apologizing while she corrected her name. I didn’t understand the interchange, but Persephone briefly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them to admire her reflection. She wore a beautiful white dress. My dress, on the other hand, was completely ruined. Solis, I screamed in my head as a fist beat down on the bed. My gorgeous dress, something I’d never owned before, was a heap of blue disaster in the hallway outside our room. Like a spoiled child, I de-robed, and tossed the stunning material into the hall. I couldn’t even think of it piled in our trash bin.
The door to our room opened, and Persephone walked in with a vase filled to exploding with whimsical, yellow flowers. She muttered some Latin name for them as she took a deep inhale of the fragrant flower before setting the vase on the stand between our beds.
“Those are lovely.” The airy display was bright and cheerful, and looked handpicked from a meadow.
“They’re for you.”
My heart stopped. Literally, I choked on a breath. “What?” Persephone held out a card for me that had been tucked inside the arrangement.
You still shone brighter than the sun last night. My deepest apologies.
That signature lightning bolt completed the apology, and I exhaled a breath. I shook my head and closed my eyes. I did not understand Solis.
A knock interrupted my thoughts, and Persephone turned for the door. I crawled to the end of the bed, peeking over the edge enough to see the would-be visitor. Discovering it was Solis, I scrambled back up the mattress, hoping he hadn’t seen me. I had wild hair and tear-stained eyes from crying myself to sleep. I didn’t wish to see him, and I definitely didn’t want him to see me.
“Is Veva awake yet?” His voice was low, the jovial booming tenor missing. My brows pinched at the change.
“She is. Would you like to come in?” I cursed Persephone in my head. No, we do not want him in our room. I did not want him near me.
“Could she come to the door instead?” I shook my head in response, although neither could see me. No, I would not go to the door. I did not want to see him.
“Of course,” Persephone answered sweetly, and I knew it would only take five steps to cross the small hallway to our beds. My head already shook adamantly as Persephone rounded the corner. She signaled back to the door with a raised finger: one moment, please, and then she rounded my bed.
“He looks so sad.” Her whisper rang louder than expected, and my head continued to shake without additional response. No, I did not care if he was sorry. I did not want to hear his words. I had determined that Solis was the devil, pure evil, but Persephone wasn’t taking my refusal. Reaching for my arm, she yanked me out of bed. I fumbled and tripped into her. Smoothing my hair, I walked to the door, holding my head as high as I could, to find a repentant Solis with his head dipped. I didn’t speak, just stood inside our door.
“I’d like very much for you to attend this afternoon’s festivities.” He presented me with a gold envelope. I paused before accepting it, and in that instance, his eyes were the only part of him that moved. Slowly, he traveled over my feet and swirled up my ankles. He eyed the feathers inked on my leg, climbing higher as if he stroked them with each blink. He crossed over my short-shorts and scanned my thin cami, lingering on the hint of cleavage at the low neck-line. His hesitation reminded me of last night, the way his eyes drank in my body in my beautiful dress. He licked his lips as he had the night before. The reminder snapped me out of my haze. I snatched the envelope from his fingers. My other hand came to the door, preparing to slam it in his face. His foot came forward in anticipation of my intention, and one hand reached to the side of the doorframe, outside my line of vision. Drawing back, he presented me with a long garment bag. I froze. For the first time, his eyes met mine and he pierced me to the floor with the apology in them. Heavy lids and honey eyes implored me to forgive him, and all my resolve to not be
near him, to not see him, not hear him, crashed to my bare feet. My body wanted to launch at him. Without a word, he held out the bag, bowed his head when I took it, and stepped away.
+ + +
The invitation included a full itinerary. Festivities involved daily activities to celebrate Zeke’s guests. Persephone and I were honored to be included, and we crossed the large expanse of lawn adjacent the pool area, covered with billowing white tents and colorful flags. The arrangement was similar to a medieval festival. The atmosphere was celebratory, and the infectious prospect of a good time took hold of me. Lightened by Solis’ flowers and apology, he had also given me a restored dress and a new one for the grand ball at the end of the week. I’d never had such lush clothing, as a simple farm girl, and the prospect of another disaster was quickly forgotten when I held the silky blue fabric that matched my tattoo. The color shimmered like water in the deep ocean, and the material flowed over my fingers, tickling them with promises.
Persephone and I found a trolley shuttle taking guests to the first destination. The invitation read to dress accordingly, but I didn’t heed the warning. We travelled to an elevated height where the temperature dropped. In contrast to the heat in the valley below, the cool temperature brought goosebumps to my bare arms. In jeans and a T-shirt, I hadn’t taken the warning seriously.
Our destination involved a flat cliff overlooking the great, brown valley below. Brightly colored, triangular canvases, larger than an awning, lined up, and pointed toward the opposite mountain range. The oversized kites looked like hang gliders, rippling and whining in the wind atop this cliff. The sound reminded me of horses primed for a race, their manes fluttering in the wind, their nostrils flaring with anticipation of the start. The colors billowed and contracted; the canvases poised and aimed for flight.
We found Heph under his, a rich brown color with a ring of fire on the back. He was locked into a five-point harness and held the triangle kite over his head by a metal support.
“Hi Persephone,” he said shyly. “Hey Vee,” he offered with more affection. Since the day in the library, a strange friendship developed with Heph. Being near him brought me comfort. He calmed my temper that day and a silent bond had formed between us. He found me before I entered the house last night and offered me his shirt as protection. By then the tears leaked, and his large arm encompassed me as he escorted me back to my room. His body language today held him rigid and preventative. It only took a moment to realize who he tried to block from my view.
Next to Heph stood Solis, under a gray canvas with a bright yellow lightning bolt splashed across the angry sky.
“You made it,” Solis beamed in my direction. His face lit up then fell slowly as I stared at him. Dressed in a flannel plaid shirt, with shorts and construction boots, the outfit contrasted his bubbling appearance. He looked rugged, earthy, and too good. He reached out a hand in my direction and tipped his head for me to come to him. Like a moth to a flame, I ignored the warning of being scorched and walked to him.
His hand covered mine and he tugged me closer to him.
“I’m so happy you made it,” he said to me, and then called over his shoulder. “Christoff, help harness her.”
“What?” There was definitely an echo as I said the word at the same time as Heph.
“You can’t be serious,” Heph growled from feet away.
“I am,” Solis stated. Instantly, a middle-aged gentleman tapped my foot to rise and I stepped unthinkingly into a contraption of several connected seat belts and clamps.
“What…what is this?” I questioned, blindly letting myself be clicked and snapped into the awkward binding. I shivered when a breeze caught under the canvas. Solis quickly unbuckled his chest clips and shimmied out of his flannel shirt. Holding it out to me, I blinked at him.
“I want you to ride with me.” He paused, still dangling the shirt at me. “Please.”
Not fully understanding the concept of riding anything, I took the soft material and stretched it over me. The arms hung too long and I rolled them several times to accommodate mine. The length gave me the appearance of wearing a dress. The warm material smelled like sunshine.
“I knew I’d get you in my shirt somehow.” He winked at me, then tugged me forward by the chest buckle on my harness. I stumbled in front of him.
“What…what is this?” I repeated, grabbing the metal rod before me. Solis was at my back and an additional clack behind me let me know, he and I were snapped together.
“Solis? Oh, my God, what are you doing?” My voice rose with each syllable.
“It’s a race. We fly to the other side of the valley.” His breath tickled below my ear, exposed under the helmet Christoff placed on my head.
“I’m not flying with you, anywhere,” I snorted, but based on my harness and current position, I was about to go where Solis went.
“Hold onto the rod, that’s all I ask.” His voice dipped deeper and a shiver rippled over my skin despite the warmth of his flannel shirt. Sucking in a breath, a whiff of sunshine caught my nose and the scent added to my tremors. I was surrounded by Solis. His arms wrapped around mine, bracing his hand on either side of mine along the metal support.
“Don’t worry. Thunder knows how to fly.” Solis reached up and stroked a hand down the underside of the gray canvas. The material rippled and the triangular point at the front of the glider tipped upward, as if caught in the wind. The strange sound of a horse whinnying followed by a hoof scraping dirt whispered around me. I had the eerie sense things were not as they appeared to me.
“Ready to lose this year?” Heph taunted from his ready position to our left. I turned right as well, to notice a line of people, braced with hands on the metal supports and canvases pointed forward. Turning back to the left, I noticed Persephone had disappeared from Heph and every other rider was singular. Solis was the only one with an additional rider.
“Solis,” I warned, slowly, clenching the bar before me.
“Not going to lose, brother. You know I always win this race.”
“What race?” I asked through clenched teeth noticing the sharp drop off of the cliff before me and the great distance to the opposing mountain. He could not be serious.
“You have an extra passenger this year,” Heph teased, and I twisted my head to look at him.
“Not going to be an issue. She’s as light as a peacock feather.” The words brushed my neck like a light breeze.
“Oh my God,” I blurted, realizing what we were about to do. I released the bar and with trembling fingers, attempted to unclick the harness at my chest.
“Besides, I think she’s going to bring me good luck.” Solis commented, ignoring me.
“You’ll need it,” Heph laughed. “But, of course, I always let you win.”
“Let me win?” Solis scoffed behind me, paying no attention to my struggles in his jovial teasing with his brother. “Thunder rules the sky.”
“On your mark.” The booming sound fired over the kites and the sails dipped and rose in anticipation.
“Solis.” My tone squeaked with panic. My fingers shook so rapidly they couldn’t get a grasp on the buckle.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.”
“Get set.” Those two words rippled through my body and I struggled to decide if it was I promise or Get set that upset me further.
“Don’t promise me anything, just get me out of this.” My voice quivered. The frustration built inside me. Like a slow boil, panic and irritation collided within me.
“Oh my God, Solis. I hate you. Get me out of this.” Full-on hysteria was about to hit me. It crawled under my skin, creeping to the surface. The anger was coming.
“Go.” A shot went off and bright triangle shapes jostled for the edge of the cliff.
“No, Solis. Please. Please.”
“I need you to run with me.” He ignored my plea with his gentle command. Most gliders were passing us.
“Veva.” He barked. “Run.”
Not willing to follow his demands, I remained with my feet flat on the ground until one arm wrapped around my waist and he hoisted me upward. Jogging with me, jostling with the support one handed, the glider dipped to the left and right as he struggled.
“Whoa, Thunder,” he called out. He’d named his glider, I mocked in my head to suppress the full-on scream preparing to escape me.
“Grab the pole.” He yelled as we staggered to the cliff edge.
“No. As if throwing me in the pool wasn’t enough, now you want to throw me off a cliff?” I yelled over the growing sound of clomping hooves and whistling wind.
“I’m not throwing us over a cliff, but if we don’t steady this thing by you holding onto the rod, we’re going to drop like a stone. Hold still.” His command harsher than previous, I stopped kicking out my legs and reached for the steel pole.
“I’m going to swing you in front of me. I need you to wrap your legs backward on either side of my hips.” His demand rose over the heightening sound of wind whipping the sails. We were closing in on the others, nearing the edge of the cliff.
“I’m not wrapping any part of me over you,” I snipped, but his immediate bark of “Just do it” coincided with us reaching the ledge. My legs sprang outward like a toe-touch jump, and then flipped back so the full length of Solis pressed against me. My thighs straddled his hips in a position that felt strangely compromising and erotic at the same time. His center matched up with mine and I dangled precariously with only my legs over his and my hands on the steel.
