Chapter 1
“Faster !” Encouraged Zenais.
She willed her legs to be more forceful on the ground, her strides longer. She still kept an eye on her breath. They couldn’t stop. Not to catch their breath or for any injury that isn’t at least as bad as a broken leg or an arrow through a lung. Which almost happened, but she got lucky and tripped a second before the arrow sunk in her flesh. It hit her in the arm instead. But they couldn’t stop. Before anything else, they had to escape the villagers and find a place to hide. Then, they could take a breath, tend to injuries and think.
It all went wrong so fast, from the night before to now, there had been seconds of wrong decisions, then hours of spinning, painful chaos. Thankfully, her lungs hurt too much to think about the eyes of her mother when she saw her. She focused on Zenais’ hair, unbound and flowing wildly behind her. Wavy, thick and rich, different shades of brown, and soft, silky. Her own... had been blonde like wheat in the sun, straight as the stems swaying in the wind. Her heart stuttered. She looked like a nightmare now. Hidious reptiles forever bound to the flesh of her head, making her shudder at every movement. She focused again on beautiful Zenais.
Their hands held tight to each other's palms and wrists. The grip would have been painful if it wasn’t the only thread left keeping her tied to sanity. She embraced the pain. It kept her grouded and safe. Zenais was right there with her, and she didn’t show any sign of letting go.
They soon reached the forest, which was supposedly hunted by shadow creatures. Everyone slowed and stopped chasing them, even the thoughest men, murmuring behind the two mad, cursed women as they weaved between the trees. The villagers watched them dissapear in the darkness, never once looking back. They knew they would never see them again.
Zenais tugged on the bandage to check the knot. The removal of the arrow was an experience Medusa was looking forward to forget. Letting a shaky breath go, she looked up at Zenais to thank her, but she caught her friend in deep thought as she cleaned up her hands. She reached to her temple slowly, tracing a light path on her skin, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with the motion, ending the touch at the nape of her neck. Zenais slowed her motions and sighed, frowning at the ground.
“It troubles me that Athena would punish you so harshly for something that was not your fault”
The injustice struck her as sharply as a dozen arrows in the guts and chest, but what can be done against the whims of gods?
She shrugs for Zenais’ benefit, not daring to look at her when she answers. Zenais was very... perceptive.
“It is not my place to question a goddess.”
She winces. She accidentally sounded very irreverent just then. She couldn't help it it seemed.
Zenais’ lips tighten and she simply gets up, extending her hand.
