Serpent and Stone

Chapter 26

I only stopped running when I reached the orange groves on the eastern bluffs of the island. Something drew me to the spot, and I followed my instinct. I was not ready to use rational thought quite yet.

I collapsed against the trunk of one of the trees, breathing hard from my long trek across the island. It was still night, the moon reflected upon the waves far down below me. I stared up at it in wonder. Had it only been earlier tonight that I had thought to take Perseus to listen to the dryads' song? I let out a hollow laugh. I was such a fool, such a naïve fool. If I hadn't done such a thing, I wouldn't have this storm raging through me now, threatening to tear me apart.

Almost against my will, I lifted my hand to touch my lips. Even now, it was as if I could still feel the pressure of Perseus' lips on mine, could still hear the low cadence of his passionate declarations in my ear. My heart surged with warmth, with yearning, at the memories. Quickly, I clenched my hands into fists and berated myself harshly for it.

Whatever Perseus thought he felt for me, whatever he thought he knew about me- it was all fake. He was in love with an illusion, a pretty girl who kept him company and cared for him. As soon as he learned the truth about me, that illusion would shatter. All of his warm feelings toward me would be replaced with revulsion and bloodlust in a single moment. I had to remind myself of that, lest I naively allow myself to be hypnotized by his honeyed words and honest eyes.

For the rest of the night I simply sat there, my back against the tree trunk, my eyes gazing wistfully at the sea. I did not think about Perseus or curses and hopeless dreams. I merely watched the gentle ebb and flow of the waves in the distance, tracing their path with my eyes and allowing their simple, beautiful patterns to occupy my mind.

At some point, I must have fallen asleep there because I awoke to a blazing sun in the sky. Morning had arrived without warning, and I blinked against the sun's harsh light, averting my gaze. Morning had arrived, and with it came cold reality.

Despairing of what to do next, my gaze idly scanned the sea- then froze upon a sight that made my stomach clench in fear. There, clear as day and sailing straight for the beaches of my island, was a war ship. The air was knocked out of my lungs, shocked and terrified by how close to shore it already was. I could see the oars and sails of the ship in detail from this distance, could even make out the small silhouettes of men running about on deck.

I had anticipated this moment since the instant Perseus had told me his men would return. I had known, and yet it had still felt so incredibly distant, so implausible, until now when it appeared right in front of me.

More than two months had passed. Of course Perseus' men had finally arrived. They had finally come to bring Perseus home...

I took a deep, shaky breath, attempting to calm the warring emotions filling up inside me. This was a good thing, I told myself vehemently. Perseus would return to his men. Once they reunited with him and failed to find any signs of me on the island, they would leave and everything would be as it once was before Perseus had interrupted my way of life here on Sarpedon. Perseus and I could both get what we wanted. He'd be safe and happy, back with his own people and on his way home. And I'd return to my old way of life, safe and alone on my island. This was the inevitable ending to our unlikely meeting.

I ignored the way my heart clenched painfully at the thought. I was meant to be alone, to be away from people- I had to accept my fate.

I turned away from the coast and started to run back toward the temple cavern. I pumped my arms, pushing my legs to move faster and faster until I was gasping for breath, but still I didn't slow down. I was far from the temple- perhaps two hours away if I continued to run all the way there- and the ship was almost at the beach already.