LYSSANDRA

I was back to the temple as I finally got out of the veil and kept touching my neck. The rest had gone to their rooms but Adamantious moved next to me. His eyes looked down on my neck and he just started with a look filled with shame. His hand tried to reach slowly on my skin but I walked away.

‘’You know that you were in the wrong, correct?’’He asked.

I stopped walking.

‘’Gods might not exist, but you cannot think that you have the power to change the course of power.’’ His tone was steady and clear like giving a lecture again.

‘’Deceiving is fine’’A step closer to me.’’Gaining profit from it, people admiring you is also good but…’’ A deep shaky breath.’’You cannot change that the rest will always have the power.’’

I stayed silent as he kept talking and talking.

‘’This is why we need the king’s favor. He will help us gain more profit but we cannot do it if you keep making arrogant decisions.’’

I could just slap him. That would be the final blow. But for a moment he was right. We needed money. And if I had Perseus’ favor that would help the situation. And yet…

I smiled at him and touched his hand slowly.’’I know.’’I lied between my teeth as I bit my lower lip harshly.’’I am sorry.’’

‘’’The fire kept burning bright even with the rain. The screams were now gone. None left to scream after all. I was on my knees looking at the flickering light playing in the temple, the colors of the statues getting destroyed by the bandits inside. Only one remained, the one I was holding. A small statue made by an old oak tree that had almost curly hair and a lyre crafted on it.

‘’Why didn’t he stop it?’’I asked the bandit who was standing behind me.

‘’We are unimportant to them’’He replied.’’You are unimportant to him.’’

‘’You are lying’’ I wept down on my knees.

The bandit remained silent as he released his knife.

I turned back and saw his covered face. Not fully cover thou as the fabric was ready to get loose to see the eyes of shame.

‘’Your priests, your family sacrificed enough for our god’’He got on his knees, offering his hand.

‘’Come with me,’’

Opening my eyes I could see the sun ready to fall. Threads of sunlight were letting my face stay warm in the summer. I lifted my hand up and I imagined as if I could play with them. Make the light move in my command.

But I could not. The only thing I could cast were shadows and lies.

It took me a while to remember where I had fallen asleep. Right above me there it was. His sculpted curly hair was pale as the white clay and its eyes seemed blank. No thoughts, completely empty with the lyre in his hand. And yet that empty statue made me feel for a moment he was looking at me.

Then there were footsteps approaching my side. Fast steps. I stood up and fixed my posture and veil as I turned on the one who was coming to me.

It was a young girl, not older than seven with messy brown hair and a dirty dress. Her fingers were dark as if she dug deep into coal. Eyes empty lips dry.

‘’What is it, my child?’’I said calmly, looking down at her.

She immediately fell on her knees, shaking.

‘’Where is your father or brother?’’I asked, trying to search for anyone around. But the girl was alone.

‘’Heal’’She whispered.’’Please will my mother get healed?’’

What? My eyes darted. Seemed that the girl had no father or brothers for her to come here.

‘’What symptoms does she have?’’

Her eyes looked up to me.

I blinked and started stuttering.’’I mean, my god will need information so the healing will work’’I clapped my hands with a smile still untouched on my face.

The girl sniffled.’’Dry cough, dizzy eyes..’’

So a pretty normal cold. But it was summer.

‘’Then after the cough she bleeds’’She kept crying.

My eyes grew wide.

‘’I see’’I nodded over and over again.

‘’Please make Apollo listen to me.’’She cried.’’I do not have money but…’’

Of course, you don’t.

‘’But I already went to Zeus’ temple and the priest doesn’t even try to listen to me and’’

I went on my knees as I cupped her crying face.

‘’For you my girl my god won’t ask for money’’I whispered.’’ My god will save your mother. All you need is to remember me in a favor’’

The girl nodded with a smile on her face and I hushed her to stay there for a while, revealing a small piece of bread from my dress.

Returning to my room I could see every herb and plant I had been collecting over the years.

Dry cough, eyes, blood after the cough…

I moved to each of my vases and wooden boxes. Chamomile leaves for tea…hemlock and…

‘’Alas’’I gasped when I returned to the girl with a yarrow in my hands.’’He showed me a sign of this flower’’I explained once more as I showed it to her.

‘’He said that you have to give it to your mother twice a day. Either Eat it or make it into a tea. Her round eyes looked up at me with now light shimmering to her.

‘’Thank you’’She laughed, hugging me tight.’’Oh thank you so much’’

Huh?

My eyes flinched with her still hugging me tight.

I gave her the yarrow tight and told her to go but in a reminder, she owed me a favor.

With her walking away, I found Thais getting out of the shadows.

‘’Giving prophecies for free now?’’Her brow arched.

‘’It was just a little girl.’’ I said with a smile.’’Besides, prophets must do the ‘greater good.’’’ There was a mocking tone in my voice that made her laugh.

‘’Sure’’ She scoffed as if she was defying me.’’And we now must take down an animal for the greater good.’’ She kept following me on my side slowly.

‘’My brother said that he talked to you?’’She made her statement a question at the end.

I replied with a nod.

‘’You know, he might be stronger and older than us but he is an idiot.’’

I looked at her confused.

‘’What do you mean?’’

She stopped walking and turned on my side with a grin‘’Power shifts.’’

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Walking back to the room, I found on my table the hemlock I had taken earlier. I took a seat on my pillar, stretched my arms, and with one vase of water and a candlelight I began my plan. But my mind returned to that snake I found. It was such a beautiful creature, the coils so peculiar shining with the sun like gold.

Wonder how the poison would taste. Or was it not deadly? What if I had taken it and skinned it?

I put my plan into a flask and I started my exit by dressing myself up and putting a dark cloak on top of me.

Walking out of the room I saw Adamantious waiting for me as he was dressed for the same occasion.

Thais and Myrto followed while Alexious pointed at Leon’s room.

Adamntious walked on my side and let a hidden smile escape his face.

‘’Just one cattle right?’’

I smiled back.

The house of the farmer was close enough with the sight of trees to hide us in the dark. Myrto walked fast and quietly first, moving around the dark to see what the farmer was doing.

A few minutes passed before her eyes kept being down. She nodded that the coast was clear.

Adamantious walked heavily ahead and Thais followed but I turned on Myrto.

‘’You do not have to do this you know’’I said.’’You can go back to the temple.

She shook her head.’’He shouldn’t live’’

That I knew. But we needed to be quiet.

For the past years, I made prophecies from the information Myrto gave me from the customers. When they were leaving I would make a plan for the prophecies to be right. If I told someone that they would become richer than their rival, I would steal from their rival. If I said to someone their crop will grow ten times, I would make the right herbs for the crop to grow.

And if I saw sickness.

As dark as the night it was now, we were right in the farm with the house fire being gone.

The cattle were all around a wooden statue of Zeus right on the field with a marble altar right in front of it. Sleeping ll so peacefully. The white pure cattle looked already prepared to be sacrificed.

Now outside of the fence, I looked at the rest with Admantious tapping his fingers nervously.

I showed them two hemlock branches and started making signs with my hands.

Thais shook her head and made a gesture that I did not understand without any sunlight. Then I made another gesture. She still made one more.

I slammed my hand and I showed the hemlock and then one of the cows. Then, I reached out of my cloak and showed my dagger.

None of them replied. But I took it as a yes.

We all jumped quietly through the fence and moved to one of the youngest-looking cows.

Hemlock was poisonous enough to be given as punishment for prisoners so they could be weaker and weaker.

As the cattle was sleeping all so peacefully I caressed its head for his dark eyes to open vividly. The wide mouth opened slightly, enough for the hemlock to get inside it. I moved the hemlock inside and the cow started chewing automatically. One, two, three, four …ten.

The cow passed to the ground.

After that, I looked back to the nearest well that seemed to be for the cattle. If I could just pour the poison into the water, the cows would start getting sick and sick.

‘’Not so fast, ‘prophet’’’

The voice.

I looked back and saw the farmer holding a torch in one hand and a knife in the other, aiming for my own throat.

‘’Lyssa-’’Adamantious barked and took one step before I halted him. Yet, the dagger was now even closer to my throat.

He let out a laugh.’’The priest of Zeus’ temple was right.’’He hissed.’’Someone would try to take them away from me. But I never thought you’’

Dion’s eyes returned to my head as if it was a reminder.

You will die.

Panic.

‘’Let her go’’Myrto cried.

‘’Oh, but I will’’He move his blade, pinching my skin, making me follow like a cattle to the altar of his ‘god’

‘’A fake prophet of the god of light’’He gasped.’’Playing pretend, cursing everyone.’’

He pushed me to the altar, laying me down. I tried to move once more but his knife was now near my heart.

I could feel it racing. I could see his eyes with rage and desire. Hatred, anger. I could see from above, a man made of wood, poorly carved, that was holding a lightning bolt.

‘’Zeus would be pleased with my sacrifice, and he will forgive me.’’

There was then a big breaking of a storm coming near us. How could it be possible? A few hours ago it had a clear warm sky.

The farmer laughed. ‘’He is on my side tonight.’’ He said, licking his lips. ‘’Now, looking at you’’He moved his face closer to me.’’You are something else, aren’t you? No. ‘’He corrected himself as I could smell the wine from his breath. Heavy deep red wine.’’You are common. Peasant.’’ A chuckle.’’You might look like an animal yourself. He won’t see any difference’’

He then backed and shrugged as he began to chatter a prayer for Zeus to listen.

Dying like an animal. Dying like a peasant. Another example, written for a story of the gods.

I narrowed and turned to the rest who had such a horrific expression.

What will happen to them? They could not move as the man had trapped me. Afraid of what will happen to me.

‘’Run’’I commanded them.

Myrto shook her head. Thais stayed silent but only he looked at me with certainty. His eyes were with sorrow before taking one more step away.

My hands reached down my cloak.

‘’Now’’The farmer laughed, aiming for my heart.

No, I will not die like this. I opened my flask with the hemlock and poured it slowly into his face. He moved away, letting the dagger far from me.

Panic grew on me now forcing the flask deep into his mouth.

‘’Drink up’’I whispered close to him, watching how foolish he was swallowing.

I took his torch and saw that the rest had stayed, watching still in horror.

Then, someone came out.

‘’Father?’’ Another familiar voice whispered.

The girl. The girl from before. The girl whose mother was sick. The girl had now bruises on her face.

I looked at her and then at her choking father.

I grabbed the torch from him and gave it to Myrto.

‘’Take her far’’I said.

She nodded and took the girl’s hand. As she was running from my side, the girl’s eyes still had the same light as when she was thanking me.

The farmer kept coughing as dogs all around started barking.

‘’We need to go.’’Adamantious grabbed my shoulder.

Go? Go where? And why should we go?

I have no power?

Nonsense.

Power shifts.

No one can save you. Not you god or mine. Only you can swift the fates.

I caressed my neck, feeling slowly how easily I could lose my voice. I could lose power. And how easily I could make someone lose it.

‘’Hold him down’’I mouthed to Thais, jerking my head to the altar.

‘’Lyssandra what are you.’’ Adamantious tried to stop me as the storm was coming closer and closer with lightning breaking the sky.

‘’I said’’I spoke once more to him. Thais was the only one to respond as she made the man get on the altar so easily.

‘’Lyssandra-’’Adamantius said again.

‘’What’’The man barked. ‘’What will you do?’’

‘’Sacrificing me to your god?’’I asked him with pity.’’Because you wanted forgiveness for your crimes? Pathetic’’I moved closer, found the knife from the ground, and now moved it to his side.

‘’No,’’He said, imagining he was looking up at the wooden .’’Please save me’’

‘’I AM HOLDING YOUR LIFE’’I shouted at him.’’Beg me, cry to me’’

His eyes looked back on my side. but he did not even try to beg.

I let out a laugh.

One cattle. One animal to sacrifice to the gods.

‘’Alright then have it your way.’’I lifted my hand up letting the dagger shimmer in the moonlight.

The farmer coughed and started whimpering.

‘’Behold the judgment of my god.’’I announced.’’The sacrifice from his follower, his prophet for him. ‘’I closed my eyes.

‘’I sacrifice this animal to the God of sun and light, music and healing.’’

And the man begged once more, spitting harshly.‘’ no, please, Dias spare me.’’

The blood was cold now all over my dress and skin.

I let out a heavy breath my hands shaking still with thunder breaking now so close to us. So close that fell on the man’s house.

Fire erupted but no rain came after the lightning. I could see the flames dancing, the people screaming inside, trying to get out. But then, the voice grew more. Became even louder as if it was a cheering choir. But it was not coming from the house.

I snapped out fast as Adamantnious grabbed my hand and me and Thais followed his running.

‘’We need to go’’He said with panic but I could do nothing. I could still feel the blood against my fingers as I had the knife untouched in my fingers. But I could now listen to the echoes.

Hail king of Argos.