The Sixth Life of Medusa

24. A Monster's Attention

"Why are you cutting her neck?" Medusa asked.

"Hush, child." Phorcydes wiggled bloody fingers. "Pass the vial."

Medusa's body moved without thought, eagerly acting on her aunt's bidding.

Wait. Aunt? What was she doing in the bogs with Phorcydes? Medusa frowned or attempted to. Her face would not obey. It remained relaxed as she 'happily' passed a vial holding clear liquid to Phorcydes.

Medusa looked at her hands; they were small. The sun was low in the sky and pleasantly warm against her skin. So, it was evening. She tested her sense of smell. Cut grass and river willow flowers. But her body didn't obey when she attempted to pinch herself.

This can't be real. I just took a nap. I was at Tartarus mere moments ago.

'What's going on?'

A different question passed through her lips. "Does it hurt?"

The girl receiving the nape incision was seated on the grass, legs folded and pin-straight white hair framing her face as she bowed forward. She had the dark grey complexion of the Opsianos people, but Medusa couldn't properly see her face.

"It does."

"Quiet," Phorcydes chided. "And brace yourself. This will hurt." She scarcely gave the girl a moment before she poured the liquid into the cut.

Her scream spooked a nearby flock of birds, the cacophony of their beating wings matching her harsh cries.

"Lela," her duplicate extended a comforting hand towards the sobbing girl, "don't cry."

An irritating desire to pray to Athena to ease Lela's suffering buzzed in her head, and the child obeyed the urge, already clasping her hands in readiness to mutter memorised prayers.

The soft-hearted pathetic weakling. Rage was rising and Medusa could only watch her duplicate tearfully say useless prayers.

What am I doing here?

Clotho!

There was no answer.

A terrible possibility teased Medusa's mind but she rejected the thought. This was merely a dream—a nightmare. There was no way her consciousness entered her duplicate.

Hey, Clotho. If this is a joke, I'm not amused.

Even more silence.

"You're distressing my niece with your weeping." Phorcydes lifted the duplicate and hugged her. "Don't cry for Lela. Look, she's happy. Those are happy tears."

"Happy tears?" The duplicate looked at Lela.

True to Phorcydes' words, Lela was no longer writhing in pain. Now she massaged the back of her scarred neck with a look of awe on her face. "I... I truly cannot feel the link. I can't believe it."

"Of course, the link is gone," Phorcydes said with an exasperated huff. "You're now free to be my representative at the—"

Phorcydes stiffened at the same moment Medusa sensed a sharpness in the air.

A plain-faced woman holding a smiling blond boy of about ten emerged from the border of trees ahead. Lela whimpered before scurrying behind Phorcydes.

And to Medusa's horror, she recognised the woman.

Athena. But the boy she held—

No, It can't be. Medusa willed her duplicate to wiggle free and flee, but her urging was useless. Instead, the child stared with open interest as both deities drew nearer.