"Like what?"
"Well, like your dog. When was the last time you saw a three-headed dog? And where did it come from? Are there more of them? What other animals are lurking in this mountain, or are they not in this mountain at all?" Griffin shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, just seems to me like there's a lot of questions and few answers. None of that is good for whatever this big thing is that's coming."
“Big thing?” I asked, the way Griffin spoke was as though he knew something was definitely coming.
“Atlas mentioned something about a prophecy the other day. He wouldn’t say much else about it, let alone what the prophecy said and who it involved.”
I frowned, finding the thought more than just discerning. Maybe Atlas was holding back too much. Not that he had ever really avoided any questions with me - save the one about my Goddess. But what if this prophecy had something to do with me and I never knew until it took place? What if something happened to me because of who she was and it happened while I still couldn't use my powers? No, Atlas wouldn't let that happen. No one would let that happen, I tried to convince myself.
Plus, why would they come after me if my Goddess hadn't manifested herself yet? I didn’t hold any value right now; I was still pretty much human the way Atlas had described it to me. Except for the healing a little faster than most.
"What kind of creatures do you think exist?” I decided to change the subject, something about this unknown prophecy was not sitting well with me. I didn’t want to dwell and harp on it when neither of us had any concrete answers. “Ooh! Do you think unicorns are real?"
The thought struck me with a sense of excitement; every little girl fantasises about unicorns at some point. Then again, if it was real, I would never be able to see it. A frown furrowed my brow, feeling the disappointment that curdled through me. Sometimes I forgot what had been stolen from me, just as some days it was easier to forget altogether the bad stuff and pretend my life truly was magical and wonderful.
"Val?" I looked back up at Griffin who had been smiling but it dissipated the moment he saw my face, "you okay?"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry. Got thinking."
He nodded his head just a little and continued what he was saying, "maybe griffins - those are lions with wings. And I want to say for the record, if they exist I'm getting an army so I can say I have an army of Griffins." I laughed instantly feeling better; I think he had made the joke just for that reason because he smiled proudly as soon as I did.
"Valentina?" I turned to look as Savannah, trailed by Aidan, came rushing over to the table. "There you are, we've been looking for you every-" She stopped speaking when she saw Griffin, swallowing hard and then smiling tersely, "where" she finished. "How are you?" She leaned in for a hug and pulled back to signal for Aidan to do the same.
"What's up Jailbait?" He mused my hair making my nose scrunch up.
"My hair is now, thank you." He smirked at me before turning to look at Griffin. His expression changed too, tightening just a bit. But Aidan was the King of fake smiles so he plastered on one for Griffin's sake.
"Thanks for letting us use this place. Not that we would've asked if I had wanted to."
"Don't I know it." Griffin muttered, that dark cloud I had almost forgotten about pulling itself back onto his face. "I hope you two enjoy yourselves.”
“We were."
"Want to go get something to eat Val?" Savannah barely cut him off but turned her back entirely to Griffin, looking over at me with an anxious expression.
"Actually, Griffin is my date tonight. He made me an amazing dinner and now we were just enjoying our drinks. Sorry, but don't let me stop you from going." I smiled as politely as I could before turning back to Griffin and holding my hand out across the table. He was surprised by the bold move but smiled at me before taking it, threading our fingers together.
I glanced back up at the King and Queen, "unless you two want to join us?" Savannah looked slightly uncomfortable, torn between wanting to stay and protect me and not wanting to be anywhere near Griffin even if Aidan was there.
“No,” she smiled politely, “you two enjoy yourselves. Sorry for interrupting.” She said with a very abrupt nod. I immediately felt bad for being a bit rude, Savannah was still my friend and I knew she had my best interests at heart. But I couldn’t help but feel somewhat protective over Griffin. Someone needed to cut him some slack, if only to show the others he wasn’t a bad guy like his God made him out to be.
I watched them both turn to go and Aidan slid his arm around her waist protectively, their heads bowed close in conversation. I had no doubt they were both talking about me.
“You didn’t have to do that. I wouldn’t have minded.”
“I did though.” I looked back over at him, “I know Hades did some things you regret to Savannah and I know it did a lot more than just scare her but that’s no reason to come over and blatantly try to pull us apart for “my protection”.” I tried to smile but we both knew I was faking it so I picked up my glass and finished off the soda.
"Do you want to dance?" Griffin startled me with the question. When I looked up to meet his eyes it was genuine request. He was trying to make me feel better and it was working. I couldn't stop the big stupid grin that grew on my face as I nodded.
"Yeah, I'd like that." He threw his head back and downed the rest of his drink before standing up and holding his hand out to me. I realised as I took his hand and glanced over to the bodies of the crowd dancing, that I didn't exactly know how to dance the way these people were.
The dancing I had done back home had consisted of one of my siblings, or a few, playing guitars while we laughed and sang around the bonfire. Sometimes we would stand up and jump, sway and wave our hands to the music but dancing like how everyone was doing here? Never.
It looked provocative, it looked sexual and for a second I panicked. Griffin squeezed my hand though and led me further into the crowd before twisting me around so I was facing him. This was good; it was an excellent starting point. At least my butt wasn't going to be pressed up against his body because I definitely didn't know what to do with it.
He continued to hold my hand before taking up the other. Together we swayed and moved our bodies to the beat in some semblance of dancing. It was nice, albeit a little awkward given the strange looks everyone was sending our way. I didn't care though, I was happy because Griffin wanted me to be happy. This is what love was supposed to be like.
The song changed to a slower beat and he stepped closer, wrapping one arm around my waist and held me tightly.
"I'm sorry in advance if I step on your toes." He whispered in my ear, the sensation of his breath was hot down the back of my neck. I smiled, nodding my head in contentment. That didn't matter; he was slow dancing with me. I'd only ever imagined this would happen on my wedding day.
The world around us seemed to stop as we danced. No one else on the dance floor mattered except him and I. Time itself seemed to freeze. I struggled to paint this all in my memory for fear that if I forgot I would never be able to recall again how his hands felt around me, the smell of his cologne or the way we seemed to fit together perfectly. I looked up at Griffin and realised he must be thinking the same thing as me as he suddenly leaned in, about to kiss me.
I didn't mean to but in a flash, I pressed my hands against his chest throwing his weight backwards as I skirted away and shook my head. He looked angry for a second but then it dissipated as he mimicked my action.
"Sorry, that was out of line."
"No, I shouldn't have reacted so violently. I don't know what came over me, I just... panicked." I bit down on my lip, looking at my feet as he approached me again. He reached out and took me by the waist, pulling us close together.
"It's okay Val, we'll take it slow. I get it." He smiled, "besides, we have eternity." I couldn't help but chuckle at the idea as I nodded.
"You're right, eternity is a long time... But I hope it doesn't take me that long to get comfortable with kis
sing."
"Is it something I..."
"No. Nothing like that, I'm just not ready yet." He nodded his head in understanding as we resumed our dancing position. He smiled down at me, and suddenly twirled me out of his grip and pulled me back in. I laughed breathlessly, barely managing to catch myself on his chest.
"You know, for someone who doesn't like dancing you're pretty good at it." He shrugged and didn't reply as he pulled me closer still. It was a tight grip, almost possessive a voice reasoned in the back of my mind. But it was understandable; I was the only person here who believed in him. He needed that; it would kill him to lose it.
We lost ourselves in the dance again and it wasn't long before I started to regret not letting him kiss me. It was just a kiss after all; nothing bad could come of it. He had stopped when I wanted him to and that's all I needed to know. A kiss didn't say forever and it certainly didn't promise anything more than a kiss.
My stomach twisted tightly as I looked up at Griffin nervously, "I want you to kiss me again." I said quietly, almost too quiet as he first stared down at me in surprise before ascending his head slowly.
It was a painful gesture, it felt like it took him eons to reach me and then all at once his lips were on mine. They weren't soft and sweet like I had expected or anticipated from the books I read, they were chaffed and rough, but the kiss itself was lovely. He pulled back, running his tongue over his dry lips like he subconsciously knew before he smiled at me and squeezed me gently.
"Would you like to get out of here? Go back to my place or something?" Now that promised something more. I glanced around the room, as if looking for something to give my answer for me but there was nothing, no one. Not even Savannah and Aidan were lingering anymore.
"Okay." I said carefully, mind reeling in horror that I had said yes. Why would I do that? I was leading him on. I was a terrible person. I shouldn't go.
I steeled myself to back out moments later but I barely had the chance, Griffin was quick to stop dancing as he took my hand and led me once more through the crowd. I rationalised that I was being dramatic, nothing that bad could happen. Griffin liked me; I knew that he liked me. He wouldn't do anything drastic to ruin that.
But Hades might.
My mind couldn't stop talking as he took me quickly to another exit I hadn't known existed. I looked back at the crowd of drunken dancers and wondered vaguely if anyone had even noticed me being led away. Did they care? It was a foolish question but it was too late to ask it. Griffin tugged me through the door that led me not back to our hallway but to another hallway completely.
"Where are we?"
"The back exit. Don't worry. It's just through this door."
"You're apartment?"
He didn't answer me as he pulled me through the threshold.
Chapter Thirteen
He moved so fast I barely had any time to take anything in around me. All I knew was the hallway we entered, and subsequently exited, had been dark. It reminded me of the underground where Aidan and I had found Savannah, it was chilly and damp like it too. But before I even had time to try and assess if that's where I was, Griffin was pushing open a door that walked us right into an apartment quite similar to the sanctuary he had taken me to earlier.
The walls were dark like both the hallway and the sanctuary, one of them even cut from stone from what I could see. There were no windows but a fireplace at the far end, which churned out all the light I needed to see. It was different from how the apartment had looked when I first came to see him after Atlas brought him to Olympus. There was more furniture now, but it didn't feel any cosier.
"Make yourself at home." Griffin smiled at me, letting go of my hand as he made his way into the kitchen. Part of me wanted to follow him for security but another part of me wanted to look around. I got the distinct impression this wasn't the same apartment that was supposedly located next to mine.
"Is this the Underworld?" I asked as innocently as I could manage, moving further into the room to find bookshelves laden with heavy tomes like the ones I had been reading. Their spines bore no indication of their subject, they were simply embossed with the same strange symbols I had seen in Atlas’ study.
Griffin laughed from the kitchen, the sound different and deeper from the voice I had listened to all night. This one turned my blood cold. "You were always so perceptive, if not a little naive my dear."
My breath grew shallow as I focused on the books on the shelves, counting them to keep myself calm while my mind started running. How long had Hades been in control of Griffin? All night? Since the kiss? What was he doing, or more importantly: what did he plan to do?
"Are you going to try and rape me like you did Savannah?" My voice quivered on the word rape, my muscles tensing as they went into flight mode. The words were hard to say and the idea was even harder to swallow. I’d known, deep down, this was what Griffin had alluded to but I’d never said it out loud. And I’d barely even thought about it.
I had no doubt though, if Griffin was there, conscious inside of his own body while this God took control, that he would be heartbroken if something like that happened again. Most especially to me.
"Hardly." He said, suddenly far closer than I noticed. I spun around, throwing my body back against the bookshelf as I shrunk away from him. "I don't need to do that with you."
"Why's that?" Staying calm in this situation was a lot harder than I could've imagined it would be. My voice was shaking almost as bad as my knees but some part of me wanted to stay strong, to not let him have any power over me.
"You still don't know." He clucked his tongue chastely and held out another wine glass to me: "drink?"
"You've had enough for the both of us." I said drily, making him laugh.
"Oh, that's Griffin's influence. He thinks if he drinks enough of it he'll silence me. He still refuses to accept we're one in the same."
"I could start a list of differences if you'd like." He chuckled again, sipping the wine before turning and walking away from me. I relaxed immensely, taking a deep breath before peeling myself from the shelving unit.
"What are you going to do?"
"Help you figure out your Goddess of course."
I frowned, "why would you do that?"
"It's of a dire importance to me."
"Do I get a hint?"
"It's not as fun that way." He grinned cruelly again before sipping the wine and setting the goblet down. He leaned against the arm of the couch and folded his hands together as he stared at me with interest. I felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny, like he was sizing up my capacity for dealing with whatever he was about to throw at me. I still didn't want him to have any control over me.
"So do I have to stay here until I figure it out?"
"For a while," he said ominously before straightening himself out, "let's see... What do we know about your Goddess from your own life that might help you understand a little better?"
He tapped his chin but I didn't understand how he was going to know anything about my past when I still hadn't divulged it to Griffin. "You have a lot of siblings." He said simply, "and you were exceptionally close to your mother." He eyed me to see my reaction. Initially my eyes widened in surprise before I composed myself, trying to remain placid. I didn’t want to give anything away, who knew what other cards he had in his hands.
"You find yourself to be somewhat invisible amongst your large family, except for one family member. He noticed you, where others didn't." My skin turned cold, my insides twisted and he just smiled at me. How did he know all this? I turned my head away; unable to bear looking at him anymore for fear that looking in my eyes would tell him even my darkest secrets.
"Well, it seems so far I'm right." He was guessing? I instinctively looked up again before catching myself and diverting my gaze.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I stuck my chin out and moved away from him to look at something else for a distraction. He laughed again, like my entire existence was a joke.
>
"Oh, this is so much fun. We should keep playing... Okay, was he a family friend?" He paused waiting for my reaction, "no. Okay... Milkman? Postman? Neighbour?" Nothing. I wasn't giving him anything. I picked up one of the tomes and flipped it open. The pages were blank. I frowned at them. "Okay, Grandparent? Brother? Cousin?" He chuckled suddenly but I wasn't paying attention to him anymore. The pages in front of me had begun to transform and words started to list themselves in a black curlicue script. Only it wasn't words, it was names listed next to dates. Names that I recognised. They belonged to my siblings but the dates next to their names wasn't their birthdays. These were dates of the future, times that hadn't passed yet. I looked up in horror as I realised what this was.
"Uncle." He grinned at me as we both stared at each other. I was still shocked over the contents of the tome but something in the back of my mind pointed out that this had been a game, he had known all along the answer. "Yes, it was an uncle."
"These are death dates." I said point blank, deliberately trying to ignore him.
"Yes."
"How can you have them before these people have died?"
"I am the King of the Underworld, I must know when to expect high volumes of traffic."
"I don't believe you." I closed the book, unable to bear looking at them anymore.
"Doesn't really matter what you believe does it? It is within my realm that I know these kinds of things; it's not for you to know... Unless..." He grinned more; he was referring to my Goddess again.
"It's killing you keeping it a secret, why don't you just tell me?" I crossed my arms defensively and gave him an indignant look. I was being brave but inside I was worried. Was my name in that book? No, it would've shown itself to me. Instead it showed family. He was just messing with me, trying to get into my head.
"It's not as fun that way." He stood up and moved toward me again. This time I moved quicker to get away from him and he stopped short, all bemusement in his features gone. "You'll find everything you need here for you, you're welcome to whatever your little mind can conjure as a necessity. It's a prison, but not a rudimentary one. I'd like for you to be comfortable."
Gods Save the Princess (Grace of Gods Book 2) Page 12
