Chapter 30 – The Shortcut[]
When I woke up I was sitting on comfy chair made of wood and silky cushions. The table I was on was placed in the far back from the door, beside the wall that was made of glass. The glass wall was so transparent that I can see anyone and anything in the outer world.
The place was beautiful, more of a dream than reality. The sun was so bright it cast down dazzling rays of sun light down on the streets, the trees were so tall, the leaves so green and the people were just simply smiling that I had to smile, too.
That’s when I saw him: a man wearing a simple brown jacket, black shirt and jeans, walking across the street with Cuinn and Nico at his heels, and he jet black hair, chocolate brown eyes and wearing square eye glasses. I blinked my eyes twice, rubbed them with my fingers. But the person I was seeing now was different; he had long chocolate brown hair with long bangs that fell in front of his eyes and temples. He walked with such grace he was almost flying.
“Handsome, isn’t he?” A voice said to me. I snapped my head and looked at the beautiful woman sitting across from me, she was so beautiful that I had to control myself not to stare too much, so beautiful that I had a thought: could she be Aphrodite?
The woman smiled at me. She had long golden locks that fell on her shoulders, she had perfect features. Pale skin and skinny bodice, her long lashes made shadows on her high cheekbones, but what caught my attention the most were the color of her eyes, the color of liquid wisteria.
“Luna!” Cuinn gasped at the first moment when he stepped inside the café. He ran towards me, Nico behind him.
“Cuinn! Nico!” I said happily, knowing now that they were alright. I smiled a relieved smile when they say next to me.
“Where you waiting for me?” the man I saw from before asked the woman across from me as he laid his hand on his shoulder.
The woman smiled at him and answered softly, “Very much, yes. Though Luna was enough company for me.”
Her word shocked me; I was enough company for her? But from what I remembered I was knocked off in a Cyclops Den and woke up inside of what seemed to be an expensive café. And more than that, I hadn’t noticed her presence at all, which surprised me very much. Either I was so consumed by the outer world or she was very good in hiding her presence from me.
The man sat beside the woman and he held her hand in his. Now, having a closer look at him, his features were as perfect as the woman. He was definitely handsome – anyone can see that, especially the waitresses in the café – Long lashes, perfect features, dimples and a toned body. But it was his eyes that had attracted my attention, because they no permanent color. Every time I blink, the colors had changed, it was most surreal.
A tall blonde woman with too much make up came up to us and said, “May I take your orders?”, though her eyes were only on the strange-eyed man that was sitting across from Cuinn.
“I’ll have a mocha espresso and some garlic bread,” the man answered then gestured towards the woman, “And so will my wife.”
The waitress’ face was almost funny to look at, her eyes were too wide and her mouth looked like it was going to fall off.
“Wife?” the she stammered.
The man smiled then eyed her name plate, “Ah, your name is Selia. Yes Selia, this is my wife and these are our…” he seemed to think about for a moment then added in an amused tone, “cousins.”
Selia couldn’t speak. She looked like she was in shock.
“Is there anything wrong?” the woman questioned.
“No…” Selia gasped, taking in the woman’s beauty, “None at all.” She gulped then asked for the rest of our orders.
“Do you have a chocolate smoothie?” Cuinn asked, Selia nodded without looking, “Then I’ll have one chocolate smoothie.”
“One dark coffee with a bit of cream no sugar and one bagel.” Nico said in a sleepy voice.
I stared at the menu and muttered, “One cookies’n’cream frappé and one chocolate cake.”
“Okay, please wait for your orders.” Selia said and hurriedly went towards the counter.
The man and woman laughed and held hands, “Well,” the woman sighed, “that was interesting, wasn’t it, Eros?”
Eros?
“Haven’t experienced that for quite some time, haven’t we, Psyche?” the man, Eros, agreed.
“Eros?” Cuinn muttered in a perplexed voice, “Psyche?”
“Like Eros son of Aphrodite and Psyche his wife?” Cuinn questioned, Nico and I shared a stunned look.
“Yes…” they answered, oblivious to the fact that their presence inside a café with us was a shock to us and simply unbelievable.
“What are you guys doing here?” Nico asked.
“More like, what were you three doing inside that Cyclops Den?” Psyche chided.
“Excuse me?” I mumbled.
“You heard me.” Psyche said, “A Cyclops Den is a dangerous place for you! You three could have been killed!”
Eros put a restraining hand on Psyche, “Dearest, they are not Hedone. And they have parents of their own.”
Psyche nodded and calmly sat on her seat as Selia returned and gave us our orders.
“What were you guys doing inside a Cyclops Den and looking like sleuth detectives?” Nico asked them between munches of his bagel.
“We were asked by Lord Zeus to watch those Cyclops and end them if necessary, which we did.”
“I see.” Nico murmured.
***
“Luna, can I speak with you privately?” Eros asked me. Cuinn and Nico were talking to Psyche as Eros lead me towards the bar counter. When we sat, Eros ordered two espressos for us.
“What is it?” I asked him.
“Who did you see when you first saw me?” he said flatly.
I stared at my espresso thinking of what he meant. Then the image of a dark haired man came to my mind. “I—I saw my --- I saw my father.” I faltered and my throat began to feel dry.
“You saw your father only?”
I nodded.
He drank he espresso and didn’t speak. After u finished mine, he still didn’t speak. He merely stared at the glasses that were displayed in pyramids.
I started to leave when he suddenly spoke, “We’re in Keene right now. And Mt. Skylight is just a few hours walk from here.”
I turned to face him and asked, “Why?”
“What do you mean, ‘why’?”
I shook my head, unsure of what to say.
“Artemis and Psyche are friends. And my wife have been grieving about Artemis, heck, all of Olympus are.”
“Then why aren’t you helping her?” I asked.
Eros stared at me with his always changing eyes, “Because there are rules. And one of those rules is that an immortal cannot help in these situations unless the immortal in danger asks for the assistance.”
“But you’re helping…” I started to argue, “Right now, with us.”
“Nope.” He said flatly, “My wife and I merely saw the three of you and decided on helping you out since this place was the way out anyway. Call it coincidence, Luna Silver. But do not call it help.”
I nodded, “But still, thank you.”
He regarded my thanks then I started to go and walk towards Cuinn and Nico, when my excellent hearing ears heard Eros’ whispers: Make sure, Luna Silver that you save Artemis and stop my wife from grieving for her friend’s situation.
I kept on walking and whispered, Don’t worry Eros, I will.
ℓʋиα ƨιℓvɛя iƨ α wιɛяdgιяl [ bαdɛ iƨ bɛck+jαdɛ ♥] 10:30, June 1, 2011 (UTC)