Hunter: Cursed

Chapter Thirty-Six

Avoiding people that seem to have an internal GPS and can flash themselves anywhere, anytime to anyone, is ridiculous hard. Having a deep and meaningful with the guy you love, loved; who is actually someone else entirely and lied about it for a good couple of years, while acting as like, a double agent, is even harder. So I was going with the easier option and avoiding Apologan. Of all people, I ended up using one of Aphrodite's spare rooms to sleep the day away after my party. Despite our rough start, she actually wasn't so bad and since she didn't get on with Artemis, it also gave me a free pass from dealing with her for a few hours.

"If you don't leave soon, they will come here." She warned standing in the doorway.

"Just tell them I'm hungover."

"Since I don't know what hungover is, I'm positive we don't get that so they won't believe it." Groaning I pulled the blankets up over my head, and as she sat beside me, the blankets were pulled away. "For someone so, you, you're rather, unimpressive."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?"

"No. I just expected something, more, from you." She shrugged. "I've looked into your realm, once or twice with Hermes. Will it help you if I brought you chocolate and desserts?"

"Huh?" I sat up then.

"It's what your kind does isn't it, when you feel like this? Console your, feelings, with sugary treats?"

"Yeah, I guess we do. But I'm fine. I just needed a break from, them." 

Aphrodite smirked. "From him?"

"Especially him." I agreed. "Got any advice. You're like, the goddess of love right?"

"Well, I have been called that from time to time." She boasted, flicking her hair back over her shoulder. "Besides, what ever I tell you, you'll either know or not want to hear. I don't meddle in others affairs much these days."

"Not even just this once?"

The look on her face told me that I was in luck, yet as she opened her mouth to speak, Portia appeared. Aphrodite looked murderous. "I have doors. I have a bell. I don't know what happens in the place you come from, but here we knock and ask permission for entry!"

"Elise, it's time. He wants to do it now." Portia ignored the Power beside me, and I felt her fear.

"Portia, did you want this?"

"Of course." She answered quickly as Aphrodite snorted. She left us alone and I got up to take the Oracles hands in mine. "I'm just, nervous. It will be fine."

"Cain will make sure we're okay." I promised her.

"No. He'll make sure you are okay." It came out harsher than I think she intended. "Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's fine." I gave her a hug. "Thank you for doing this, and for being there for me when I needed you. Even if it was just part of a bigger plan, I have memories of you looking after me, for caring. When that flu went through the Academy, you'd always check on me after lights out. If I felt lonely or homesick, you always managed to make me feeling better. Sorry I was a crap student, but I did enjoy our time together."

Portia wiped her eyes, trying to hide the tears and pulled me in for another hug. "I'm so sorry Elise. For everything. It was real; I promise you I did care."

"It won't be the same at the Academy without you there."

"No, it probably won't be and that's okay. It's time for all of us to move on." She smiled sadly. "It won't be goodbye Elise. Our paths will cross again."