Dressing shortly, I pulled a crimson gown from my closet. Embroidered flowers spiral up the gown. Selecting it as a result of it contacts superbly with my curly brown hair. Free curls flowing halfway down my again, I am going to my walk-in closet. A few weeks in the past, I discovered one thing buried deep inside, forgotten by time. Then I discovered the exact field that I used to be searching for. Opening it, I look down on the white masks with gold trim. Leaves, flowers, and butterflies jutting out.

Wrapped in golden silk in a painted picket field, my finger traces the shell of the masks.

“Do you prefer it?” requested the low voice. “Please inform me you prefer it.”

I whirl round to search out Apollo. Smiling broadly at his reward, I reply, “I adore it Apollo. It captures my essence. Does this imply you’re permitting me to go to the pageant?”

Cocking his head to the aspect, Apollo raised his eyebrow as he asks, “Since when do you want my permission.”

Truthful sufficient. I suppose that if I didn’t have his permission, I might nonetheless go. be sneakier about it.

“Oh sure, I forgot we talked about this within the backyard. I believed you meant that we’d hold this up till the Spring Equinox passes.” My time in my rooms have turn out to be a lot extra bearable. With the top date in sight, I am relieved.

“Love, perhaps it is best to sit down. The equinox isn’t for a number of months,” he replies. “Maybe it is the stress of the marriage weighing closely on you.”

“Marriage ceremony! What marriage ceremony?” I ask. Widening my eyes, I take a step again from him.

He steps nearer, closing in on my newly acquired area. “Our marriage ceremony. Bear in mind, your mom promised you to me.”

Promised me to who?

“Name for Chiron,” Apollo barks an order on the guard within the hallway. “My woman has fallen unwell.” Turning on his heel, his robes flourish within the makeshift wind. My imaginative and prescient swirls again into focus.

Apollo is gone.

The field I am holding has light significantly from time. Persephone was the final to stay in these rooms. Did the reminiscence belong to Persephone?

Maybe she’s leaving me clues.

A path to search out her.

Slipping on the masks I contact up my lipstick earlier than throwing on my cloak that I swiped the sconce by the servant stairwell and provides it a fast tug. Surveying myself within the mirror, I knew that the guards would nonetheless have a tough time discovering me with my face obscured and my ears not uncovered.

Slipping out down the steps, I bumped into nobody. Doubtless everybody who’s obtainable took the night time off for the pageant. Down the passageways, by means of the creepy abandoned cavern and up the ultimate staircases.

Standing on the gate, I hear with an ear pressed to the door, no senseless chatter of gods. Clicking open the aspect door, I look across the road. Nobody is watching. Urgent the door shut, I wander the again alley that exits to a predominant road. Tall partitions forged darkish shadows within the aspect road.

Slipping out onto the principle road, I see divine flooding within the space. Compact rows of townhomes, companies, and gardens sprawl across the manor like a labyrinth. Partitions bedecked in ribbons and lanterns in shades of crimson, pink, and cream. The most important courtyard holds what looks like most of Apollo’s court docket. All of that are full of pure glee. Dancing merrily, flirting with hopeful romances, and enjoyable from the each day stressors of life.

“Have you ever heard Lord Apollo has opened his wine reserves?” A black-haired god with brown eyes states gleefully to a person on his arm.

The good-looking man returns with a mischievous smile, “Ooo. No, I’ve not–”

Pushing previous the couple, I continued by means of the pageant.

What’s so unhealthy about this pageant that I have to lock myself away? Internally, I roll my eyes. Everybody appears to be having an excellent time. attempting to let the ache of daily life lavatory them down.

Slipping into city, I headed towards the most important gaggle of individuals. Following the magic which is rising in depth as I get nearer and nearer. My face flush, the sensations are virtually orgasmic as I hit the height.

Even by means of the chilled air, I can really feel the lust claw its method underneath my pores and skin. Sure, everybody surrounding me appeared merry sufficient however there was one thing primal about this vacation. The dimmed lights, packed crowds within the streets, even how the crowds rolled towards one another. Strangers, flirting with full and utter strangers in ways in which made me solely blush.

Others dance on the street; I hold my head down. Spring Equinox with the gods is really in contrast to how Spring Equinox is well known at dwelling. The gods, goddesses, nymphs, satyrs and different creatures all really feel so animalistic. By no means had I ever been seen grinding towards anybody like that… Even on a fertility vacation.

Again dwelling they’d have been the discuss of the city in all of the unhealthy methods. Right here, it feels prefer it’s accepted.

The bonfire flutters within the night mild. Shadows of dancers forged evil trying shadows round. Silver hair bouncing within the low mild catches my eye.

Artemis.

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