merciless

FREYEDI

26

She's not like the angels trapped in stained-glass churches. She's nothing like the gleaming figures in your sacred texts or the cherub figurines watching over your house. She is masochistic and sadistic all at once, self-consuming and bright-eyed.

She feeds off the taste of her own blood, making her the most dangerous sweet thing to ever kiss Petra and live; and as soon as those rosy, bruised lips have touched the dirt of the earth, it is eternally damned.

+++

Petra is fascinated with the different colors of the sky in the morning.

They cascade over Sofia's sleeping face on Petra's lap, on Lydia's golden hair as she rests against the wall, Eve next to her. Soft greens and pale blues tinted with the same pink as Andrea's cheeks whenever Petra winks at her. So much has changed in the last hour, and Petra just wants to melt into the sunbeams and wrap herself up in Andy's floral sheets and sleep knowing her sisters are safe.

She keeps replaying that moment-their lips touching-in her mind. The exact moment in which self control fell through her hands and she melted like mercury.

With a deep breath she stands, quietly stepping out of the bedroom. She feels so sad, her heart clenching in her chest; and she doesn't know why.

"Are you okay?"

Sofia's light voice startles Petra and she wipes her face.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"She's really nice...and super pretty," Sofia says, a hint of understanding in her voice. "Eve and Lydia won't like it at first, but they just want you to be happy."

Oh. Petra blushes, scratching her collarbone.

"W-what are you talking about?"

The small girl sits on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest and smiling in that dreamy way no other Goddess can.

"The human girl. You're in love with her. Come on, sister, it's painfully obvious-even to me. You're always finding reasons to touch her and talk to her. If that isn't love, I don't know what is!"

Petra blushes, speechless. Is she really so translucent? She thought she could cover herself up with marble and blood but Zeus, was she wrong.

"P, what're you doing up so early? It's five in the morning. Come back to bed, please?" Andrea leans against the doorframe, her dark hair a curly mess and her tank top slipping over her collarbone. Petra swallows, trying to look anywhere but at the sleepy beauty's olive skin.

"Yeah, just a second."

Petra turns back to Sofia, her heart pounding. Sofia smirks a knowing smirk, crossing her arms.

"She's not my type. That's what you're thinking, right?"

Sofia giggles, wrapping her arms around Petra's waist.

"I'm proud of you, sister."

"For what?"

She winks, pushing Petra towards the bedroom.

"Your princess is waiting for you."

Before Petra can sputter out some monologue about how Andrea is most definitely not her princess, she's alone with the sleeping girl.

Taking a deep breath, she gently pulls back the blanket and climbs onto the bed, exhaustion overcoming her. Andrea sleepily wraps her arms around her waist, nuzzling into her neck.

Petra likes how princess sounds, but not for Andrea.

Andrea is more like the dragon-slayer, a light in an endless tunnel of darkness and despair; two things that run deep and ever-present in Petra's bones.

Still, she can't simply be changed by a little human with big guns. This isn't that kind of love story.

If it even is a love story, that is.

+++

This place is so big, it makes me forget my own sense of self.

Ava touches the earth at dawn, her entire body shadowed as if even the sunlight is afraid to touch her. She is surrounded by tall, strange golden poles that sway with the wind.

She stands pale and shaky, but she stands with a purpose so special it inebriates her. Immediately she feels the connection that she feared had been lost forever-the connection between soulmates that can be felt when they walk the same worlds and speak the same languages.

It's harmonious and delicious and Ava takes a deep breath, smiling a terrifying smile as she begins to make her way down the fields of gold she's landed in. Unblinking.

I will find you, my love.

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