LYSSANDRA

‘’We need to evacuate’’ One of the priests of Apollo whispered while I was trying to sleep in the nearest room.

‘’Do not be ridiculous’’ The archpriest scoffed and I finally awoke completely.

‘’They have destroyed so many temples, they will come here and..’’

I stood up from my bed, trying to not wake up the others, and tried to take a sneak from outside. The torches were all set, the shadows had been lifted up in the dark night and the two of them were right in front of the statue of Apollo.

‘’If they will come, we will protect this temple,’’

‘’The God is not just a temple, it is their people’’The priest stated.

‘’And who will remember the people if there are only words that Apollo existed and not actual proof? You know what is happening, Apollo will die and so will the light and everyone.’’

I held my brother by covering my mouth. But the archpriest seemed to notice it. I rushed back to the bed before he even tried to get inside.

He took a deep breath.’’We will protect the temple until the end. But the children must be taken away.’’

‘’And the girl?’’The priest asked.’’If she goes away from here, people still hate the people of Troy after what happened….she won’t.’’

‘’Protect her.’’The archpriest started coughing. ‘’Whatever it happens, protect Lyssandra.’’

No, I could not leave.

The voices stopped and a few minutes passed before I got out of the room fast.

In front of me, there was it. The statue was great and tall, looking down on me. Near it there were a few gladiolus growing fast and lucked out.

‘’Please, listen to me’’My hands found his feet. ‘’Please, God Apollo, protect us''

I gave him the flowers.

‘’I will be good, I promise, I won’t cause any more trouble, I will not be mean to the boys, I will not disobey the archpriest just please..Do not make me leave’’I wept like a child. ‘’Do not let people destroy the temple.’’I sniffed.’’’I will do whatever you want.’’

My eyes opened and felt my entire body breaking into a million attacks with my head being even heavier. I was lying on my mattress and yet I could feel far worse.

Then the sun had not fallen yet and I started looking around until I found Paris reading my tablets.

‘’Stories about Python, ‘’He turned to another after he was mumbling. ‘’Effects of poison…’’

He looked at me shocked and turned back to the hundreds of tablets and millions of herbs.

‘’What are you…’’

I stood up and tried to clear my mind as I took two leaves of Daphne and swallowed them up.

‘’No, time, you want your assignments right?’’I panted.

‘’Oracle you are sick, haven’t you even rested?’’

‘’Do not…’’I mumbled and changed the subject. ‘’Ten? fifteen? No, you seem an expert so I will give you thir-.’’

His lips found my forehead, pressuring them slowly. I felt every chill my body could attack my spine. I could feel even hotter.

‘’You are boiling.’’He gasped. ‘’You have over-exhausted yourself, Oracle you need to-’’

I shook my head. ‘’I am fine,’’

‘’No, you are not.’’

The king will find the truth about you. You are in no condition.

‘’Stop pitying me’’ I rasped, feeling my body shake and pushed him away.

I finally did it. Luck or not there is a chance of me actually succeeding. I cannot fail that now. I cannot stop because I am sick.

‘’I cannot, I muttered and felt my body ready to pass out but Paris caught me.

‘’Oracle, tell me what you need me to do’’He whispered softly. ‘’I will do it but tonight you shall rest.’’

‘’Why are you here?’’ I mumbled.

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‘’ I told you already.’’

‘’The truth.’’

His lips parted but instead of talking, he made me stand up, his fingers tracing my hair. I had no energy to slap his face even if I wanted so much.

But with the sun slowly falling, I could see something different coming from him. His face was not confident or charming. But it was just…furious.

‘’You must rest.’’

‘’But’’I spoke but everything made me fall.

How many hours did it pass when I opened my eyes again? It was a sure night, I knew it as everything had become dark. But I was not alone. Paris was there. But I had no strength to look at him.

Was he sitting on my pillar? I could hear something muttering.

‘’I found Adamantious today…’’

No, you shouldn’t read that.

‘’Where’’I gasped feeling my cheeks turn red.’’Where did you find…’’

But Paris kept reading it out loud. ‘’He was the most beautiful boy I have ever seen. Stupid but pretty, he could kill a boar with his own hands’’He let out a scoff.

‘’You shouldn’t..’’ My lips parted.

‘’You wrote them yourself?’’He asked me, cutting the words.

I shook my head. ‘’Please, don’t read it it’s personal.’’

But instead, I heard his hands, to start searching for more tablets.’’Have you written anything about me?’’

‘’I stopped writing them when I was sixteen’’I explained. Sixteen and stupid in love.

‘’It’s been …’’My words did not work with my mind. ‘’Eight years since I have written…’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’I had nothing important to write. I tell everything on their faces instead of keeping them in my mind’’

He did not reply for a while.

‘’Then, what would you have written about me?’’

‘’That you are a masochist pervert who doesn’t let me do my job properly. And he probably wants me dead.’’

Why did I say that?

But Paris laughed as I heard his footsteps moving near me. And yet I could not even try to see him.’’Then, you know my reward of winning correct?’’

My eyes darted as I tried to hold my scream. I started searching for every strength of my body but I could not find it. It. Well, that was it.

‘’I want you…to tell me your name.’’

What?

I tried to turn my head at him but a wave of force made me look on the opposite side.

‘’You know my name…’’

‘’Do I?’’

Was this a trick? Right, everyone called me either a prophet or an oracle. Did he want to know my name to show how less formal I am with him? How close?

Was this a trick after all?

‘’I will tell you my name…’’My lips curved with a grin. That was all I could do.’’When you will tell me yours.’’

Silence again. And then laugh. A loud, genuine laugh. Not the mocking, not the one he was trying to make himself look charming. A genuine bright laugh.

‘’Alright then, when I will tell you my name, you will tell me yours…But my reward is still open so…’’

‘’If you want to sleep with me do it already, I do not have the strength to stop you.’’

Why was I saying all those things? Stupid brain, stupid sickness.

‘’Get rest.’’He commanded.’’I am still a healer so I know that you need it,..’’

‘’Is that your reward?’’

He answered with a smug. ‘’You will see tomorrow.’’ And he was gone.

That did not make me fall asleep easier. But in the end, I passed once again.

I woke up by the sun slapping my face and my head now in pain.

Moving my upper body up, I found right at my lap a gladiolus, two aconites, and a peony.

What was…

It hit me fast. I stood up, rushing away from my bed. I could feel everything becoming darker, even the walls.

‘’Adamantious’’I shouted with all of my strength.

He appeared in front of me with a dizzy look as his hair was a mess.

‘’The sun hasn’t risen yet’’He drooled.

I stopped running and looked outside. There was the sun getting out of the hiding spot slowly.

What? But I saw light.

Sweat dripped from my head, dripping to my chin.

‘’Lyssandra are you alr..’’He moved closer to me.

‘’Hide everything.’’I explained.’’Alexious work, the profits, the things I told you to take’’

You will find out tomorrow. The king will find the truth soon.

Aconites, peonies.

‘’Lyssandra what are you.’’

‘’The king will come soon and…’’

You will find out tomorrow.

Thais and Myrto got out shocked and Alexious followed.

‘’Hide everything’’I rasped,d feeling every strength giving up. ‘’Please hide everything.’’

We managed to grab everything that we made, we created and lied into four sacks that were tied around Adamantious horse. He got up fast and rode until he was far away.

I could feel my heart racing as I started biting the nail of my thumb.

The sun finally was awake and Paris was nowhere to be found.