“How can she prove herself to me?” Athena asked. “She is no longer my priestess.”
“Nor is she chaste,” Ares laughed.
“She may no longer be able to serve as a priestess, but she can still yet show her devotion to you and Olympus,” Aphrodite assured her.
“And if she does, you would free her from her curse?” Athena asked.
“She cannot know,” Zeus stroked his beard, contemplating. “If she knew she might be released, she would say anything to find Athena’s favor again.”
“If she proves herself without any hope of forgiveness I would have her returned to her husband and safe from further meddling.” Hera’s huge brown eyes shot daggers at Poseidon. “I would have the word of all Olympians.”
Poseidon nodded. “You have it.”All eyes shifted to him, so he smiled unabashedly.
“Do you agree, Athena?” Zeus asked.
A lingering silence fell, but Poseidon knew what would happen.
“I do,” Athena consented. “But I will have a part in this scheme, Hera. Medusa was my priestess – my favorite at that.”
Aphrodite clapped her hands, laughing. “This promises a happy ending.”
“We shall see.” Zeus pulled his wife into his arms.
###
Warm hands clasped her. The roughened pads of his fingers trailed exquisite heat over her bare flesh. His mouth traveled across her lips, kissing her cheek, her jaw and her ear. His breath
seemed to echo his caress, fanning across her brow as he moved.
“Don’t wake up, my love,” he soothed. “Let me keep you warm and safe.”
She sighed, leaning against him. No, no she would not wake up…
“I’ve no interest in greeting the day when you are here, with me now.” His words, ever more bittersweet, haunted her.
“Medusa.” It was the faintest sound.
No. Not yet. Let me stay…
She burrowed into his side, though he felt much softer now. His warmth was fading too.
“Medusa.” The voice was louder this time.
“Ariston?” she murmured, pleading for him to stay.
She heard a sigh, followed by Euryale’s whispered, “She dreams of nothing else. It grieves me to wake her.”
She was loath to open her eyes, but her sisters’ hushed conversation effectively chased away her dreams.
“Because her sadness is so pitiful, sister, that even a heart as jaded as yours aches for her. I would take her curse if I could, to free her,” Stheno said. “But, as I cannot, we must help her avoid any more unpleasantness on our journey.”
“Medusa,” Euryale tried again, sounding more than a little annoyed.
“I hear you,” Medusa answered, though she lay still.
In the first moments of waking, her head did not ache. It was the only respite from her pain. She opened her eyes slowly, finding her sisters situated comfortably in the small hut where they’d spent the night.
“We have bread and cheese.” Stheno held a plate before her.