Counting Stars

Chapter 21

Part three, yay!

➳  ➳  ➳

Part III

➹ Chapter 21➹

Clarence

            I gaze at the stars in front of me, sparkling in all their glory. They're my responsibility now, and also the huntresses, and protecting the hunt. I have to thank my mother, who fell into Tartarus, for leaving me to be a temporary goddess in replacement for her. Apparently, I'm immortal now and all the stress and pressure of Artemis' duties is passed on to me.

            Ah, the wonders of being the only daughter of Artemis.

            I transform my bow and quiver of arrows back into a bracelet. I stare at my wrist proudly. The first few weeks of being a goddess certainly was a total wreck, even handling the hunters. But with Sami and Corin's help, and occasional tips from Athena and Apollo, I managed to cope and adapt. Now, handling this job is like a daily routine.

            I stand on the rocky surface and stare down at the earth. I don't really particularly miss my demigod life – which was full of misfortunes, by the way – but the goddess life is a little stressful. I'm starting to understand my mother now, doing this for how many years.

            I don't wear a chiton or any Greek clothing in being a goddess. I can't even imagine how the gods move in that. Today, I'm wearing a fit silver shirt, a white jacket (for the chilly weather) and jeans along with my usual sneakers. My hair's pulled up in a tight ponytail.

            "Hey goddess," someone greets from behind me.

            I groan without turning around. I already know who it is. "I told you to stop calling me that."

            Corin chuckles and slings an arm around my shoulder, "You're a goddess, aren't you? So, what are you doing here?"

            "Just catching a break," I reply, sitting down on the rocky white ground. "Do you mind?"

            He takes a seat beside me, "No, not at all."

            "Where are the hunters now?" Corin asks. I continue to stare down at Earth. I came here on the moon not more than five minutes ago to have a short break and maybe a little chat with my friend.

            "Last I left them, they were at Los Angeles. They're tracking something down, I guess."

            He cocks an eyebrow, "And you just left them like that?"

            I roll my eyes, "Artemis would go months before she goes back to the hunters." Then I sigh deeply, "I just want to get away for some time, you know? I want to take a break – a long break. Artemis did everything so much better."

            "Clarence," he starts, "what are you doing right now?"

            "I'm handling my mother's jobs," I sulkily answer.

            "And why does she have those jobs?"

            I knit my eyebrows together, looking for the right answer. "Because...because she actually wants to. Mom founded the hunters of Artemis, she protects the hunt because that's what she likes to do."

            I look at Corin, "Why are you asking me these?"

            He smiles at me, "The gods have their responsibilities not because they're forced to have so or because they feel obligated to do so. They do their responsibilities because that's what they're made for. From the minute she was born, Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and that's what's made for her."