𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒✔️

TWELVE|TRISTITIA

"First off call that asshole and get him to stop, He's killing her." The pain dulled slightly, though only for a second before it was back and screaming louder than ever. "Secondly." Astoria continued, shooting me a worried look. "Bring him to me so I can personally beat the shit out of him for being so damned selfish."

Ozymandias nodded sternly. He knew what he had to do. "If I'm not back in fifteen minutes... Lock it down."

The witch nodded in agreement, her lips pressed into a thin line as they held each other's gaze for a moment longer. "Good luck." She mouthed.

With that he was gone.

His absence only made my pain grow stronger, Ozymandias had a calming effect and without him I was left shivering. A creeping cold infecting my every muscle.

My voice came hoarse and rough, but that didn't stop the edge of fear that slipped along with it."What's wrong with me?"

She looked pained. "Do you want to know the bitter truth?" She folded the corner of a leaf into a vile. "Or would you like a sweet lie?"

"Truth."

No matter how hard, I would always like the truth. I had spent my life living a lie, I didn't need more to add to my collection.

She sighed, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "I know that you don't understand the bond between you and Theos. No one does."

"There is no bond." I interjected. "I feel nothing for him."

Another lie to add to the pile.

"You can't lie to an oracle Artemis." She rolled her eyes. "There may have been some sort of a bond before we restored your sight which would've destroyed it. However, the goddess is merciful, she left something there... however small."

I didn't like to think I had an attachment to anyone, let alone him. Especially as another wave hit my body and I was back under. Drowning in the pain.

"Besides.." she mumbled, more to herself than me. "It's not just a coincidence that you look just like her. It's fate."

Astoria continued talking as I writhed in pain beneath her cold hands. "The female are coming into heat Artemis. They become more desirable... unmated males can't resist a female in heat, it's in their nature."

"The pain you're feeling...it's..." she hesitated, numb eyes wondering over my flushed face, she pressed a cold flannel to my sweat drenched forehead. "It's the pain of infidelity."

That was the last and final blow.
Straight through the heart, like a bullet, smacking the belly out of the air as it ripped through my life.

I cried out, but somehow this time it wasn't from pain, it was grief.
Such a strange feeling it was to loose something that was never yours to begin with.
The goddess was cruel making me feel this was for a beast like him. I would rather not feel at all.

What bugged me most was how would we go on from this? What was left when the dust of his destruction settled?

Silence.

That was what remained.

The pain had long gone by the time Astoria's worried eyes closed. She fell asleep in the old arm chair, watching me. I almost missed the pain, it gave me a reason to scream, to shout. Now I had nothing.

It was the very same nothing mess that filled my head, the grey static echoing throughout the cavern of my married heart.

The sun had given into the moon. I cursed the vile blue orb, wishing for its destruction at the hands of something far greater, far more powerful than itself. I wanted it to feel as helpless and powerless as it had made me feel.

Helpless to stop the pain that came at the expense of another's mistakes.

Hours passed, I remained curled on the table, staring at the moon through the half lipped curtains.

Staring.
Wondering.
Hating.
Fearing.
Worrying.

It was all too much in such a short time.

"The pain of infidelity."

It was a horrid feeling as the weight settled on my shoulders. I knew what she meant, I knew every damned word.

I wished I didn't, I prayed for ignorance.

***
Please let me know if there are any glaring errors in this chapter or anything I could improve on :)
Any thoughts? Theories?
Anyways...
Don't forget to vote and comment!
-🍟