A Pawn For Time (Daughter of the Olympians #1)

(30) Who Will it Be?

"Katherine? Can you hear me?" A voice said to me. I groaned.

I heard other people speaking clearly but I didn't understand what they were saying. It was like my brain didn't process the words correctly so all I got back from it was mush.

I was for sure conscious, I just couldn't see anything. Black and yellow dots danced across my vision.

"Yea..." I said. My voice was hoarse and shaky.

"Stop- ah- Katherine, do you have hemophilia?" Apollo's voice rung in my ear.

"Maybe a little."

"And you didn't tell us?"

"Didn't ask." I lifted my hand to my head to try to shield the light so my eyes could adjust. I set it down on my forehead and I felt another hand.

"Kai?" I heard my voice echo. "Kai?"

"Shh, I'm here. I'm right here," he said reassuringly. I felt something squeeze my hand.

I let out a sigh of relief. I felt him brush the hair off my forehead.

I felt a sharp stab in my neck. I cried out and tried to move away, but someone held me down.

"That should fix the bleeding," Apollo said, "but it doesn't explain your abnormal breathing pattern." I could tell he had a focused look on his face.

"She has asthma," Kai said smugly, "and an anxiety disorder." I felt him caress my hair.

"Katherine!" I heard Hera say disappointingly. My vision started to go back to normal.

"What? It didn't seem important at the time," I said as my vision returned to focus. I blinked a couple of times to process what I was seeing.

I was looking at the ceiling of the room. I saw Apollo looking over me like a doctor. Kai was looking over me as well, but with concern.

I could feel that my back wasn't straight on the floor. That's when I realized my head was on Kai's lap. He was still caressing my hair. I could tell everyone else disapproved.

"Your breathing is back to normal and the bleeding has stopped. You should be alright, now. I injected you with a vaccine that will ease up your body from bleeding, for a while."

"Is it permanent?" I asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not. I don't have the treatment handy for hemophilia, but just know that it can go away in the next few years."

"Yea, true, but it could also last a lifetime. Do you have any idea what it's like to bleed uncontrollably because of any little cut or scrape, internally or externally? I hate this," I said defeated.

"I know it's a hard condition to handle. For now all we can do is wait it out." Apollo said with sincerity.

"But why does it do this? Why does it attack me all of a sudden? It makes me feel and think that I'm dying," I took in a breath.

"Your body has a problem clotting blood, so it always has excess blood drifting around, trying to find a way out. When it does, it doesn't hesitate to escape. I'm afraid there's no way of knowing when it will, though."

I sighed and reached up to touch Kai. He stopped caressing my hair and grabbed my hand.

I smiled and he smiled back. He bent down and kissed my forehead. My parents cleared their throats. Kai rolled his eyes and shook his head.

I sat up as Kai stood. He pulled me up with him and I leaned against him to keep my balance. I was still slightly woozy from the blood lost.

"So... back to what we were saying," Kai awkwardly said. I shifted my weight as my parents averted their gazes to each other.

"Who do you want to side with, Katherine," Demeter asked softly. I met her eyes and I had a feeling she knew my answer.

"Well, I feel that both sides could protect me and rule the world greatly. Also, everyone would get along and I could find peace within myself and no one really has to get hurt and I could look after-"

"Katherine," Demeter said.

"-The children and our people. We could change things and improve-" I ranted swiftly.

"Katherine," Demeter drug out my name. I took a breath and looked at her with discomfort.

"Who do you want to side with," She said again emphasizing you. I bit my lip and looked down, so that no one could meet my gaze.

"I think you know," I said quietly. I looked up and only saw one emotion in everyone's eyes: loss. When I looked into their eyes, I felt a feeling of regret building in my gut, but I ignored it.

"Alright then, I guess you should take your things and leave," Zeus replied softly with hurt. I was somewhat shocked. No one, not even Zeus tried to change my mind. I glanced at Kai and he nodded.

"Go. I'll be here waiting," he whispered to me. I leaned off of him and slowly made my way to the door. My parents parted to let me through. I avoided eye contact.

I walked down to my room. I hesitantly opened my door and walked in before closing the door behind me. I grabbed an outfit from my closet and laid it on my bed.

I looked around my room to see if there was anything sentimental I wanted to take with me. I wasn't going to bring clothes or anything, they could be replaced.

I skimmed my desk and dresser for things to take. I saw the note I wrote to Zeus to not be mad at Hades that he never received. It feels like years since I wrote it.

I came across the necklace I was wearing when I first got here. It had a Louisiana-shaped pendant. I smiled as I remembered the day I got it. I had stolen it from a little shop in the French Quarter. The necklace reminded me that no matter where I went, I always had a home in New Orleans. I considered it my lucky charm because of it. I held it in my hand and studied it before setting it back on my dresser.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw something I knew I couldn't leave without. It was a picture of me and my parents.

I knew that it probably shouldn't come with me, considering the circumstances, but I just couldn't leave it behind. It captured the moment I was genuinely happy.

I walked back to my bed and set the picture down. I changed my clothes and placed the old ones in a pile on the floor.

I folded the picture in half and stuffed it in my pocket. I took a deep breath and one last look around. I didn't stay here long, but it felt like home.

I walked out my room and closed the door behind me slowly. I made my way back to the room. I stood next to Kai.

The tension in the room was thick, meaning they probably had a brief argument while I was out. My parents had mixed expressions written on their faces.

"Ready?" Kai asked. I looked up at him and nodded. He turned away and flung his arm. The black orb reappeared. I can't believe I didn't realize it vanished.

Kai sent me a reassuring look before stepping inside the portal. I looked back at my parents briefly. They looked at me with defeat. I turned back to the portal.

I inhaled deeply and exhaled, then I stepped through the portal, without looking back.