For the Love of Triton

10. The Confession

Triton paced back and forth in the living room of his underwater chateau. His steps grew heavier against the azure agate and white marble floors. Beads of perspiration laced his forehead and he couldn't for the life of him remember the last time he was this anxious. 

Wait, nevermind.

Right before he was notified by his father during the council meeting that Thanatos was no longer a part of the Assembly. To make matters worst, when he rushed to his fiancé's cave she was gone. Ceto and Thanatos had eloped without a trace. Triton was furious and he thought he could get back at him by trapping his granddaughter in hades for eternity. 

Until he realized Eros had her chant the Prayer of Fates - trapping his pearl in Sophia.

Karma came for him, hard. 

Triton caught a glimpse of Hermes' winged sandals before he materialized in front of him. "You know, if you keep at it you're going to make a hole in the ground."

Triton could have sworn Eros inherited his mother's hearing as he walked through the pristine columns to his living room. "You've been cooped up in your palace for a week," He clicked his tongue with a disapproved shake of his head. "If you're curious about how she's doing, Asclepius says she's stable." 

Ah, yes. Asclepius, the God of Medicine. 

If he shows up at the infirmary now, Asclepius would find a way to kill him after Triton stole medicine to save Ceto from a poisonous python when they were still together. Triton buried his face in the palm of his hands in defeat. 

"She can't die, she's already dead - remember?" Hermes tried to console his best friend. "Thanatos is pissed as all hell and feels horrible about matching Sophia with him. He's to testify against Morphius himself. I heard he'll be getting a life sentence in hades."

Since the Morphius incident a week ago, Sophia collapsed and was rushed into Mount Olympus' infirmary by Triton. Only the head of the hospital had enough experience to tend to Sophia because she was a mortal turned Goddess with Triton's pearl keeping her alive. 

Thank heavens Ceto was good friends with Asclepius' wife. The second Asclepius saw Triton burst through the reception double doors with Sophia in his arms, he publicly chastised him before rushing Sophia through the emergency room.

Triton could have sworn he saw a slight smirk form when Asclepius witnessed how frazzled he was. "I'll do my best," were the last words Triton heard before seeing Sophia being wheeled away on the white stretcher by the faerie staff.

"She consumes my thoughts. She's everywhere, when I wake up, throughout the day, before I get in bed. How does long your arrow last?" Triton cursed at Eros. 

Before Eros can answer, the three of them knew what this conversation needed. They shifted to Aphrodite's palace without missing a beat. The scenery quickly changed from Triton's underwater chateau to a dim and slow jazz-filled the room lined with bottles of human concoctions on the shelves. The speakeasy smell of old cigarettes and whiskey pervaded the dimly lit room. 

Eros quickly reached for a bottle on the top shelf and started pouring it in a crystal glass. Triton and Hermes sat down on the worn leather-wrapped bar stools awaiting their drinks. 

"You know it'll wear off soon. You out of all people know the arrow doesn't last long on deities as it does on humans," Eros slid the glass of tan liquid with a maraschino cherry and an orange rind to Triton. "Or, maybe, you have feelings for her." 

HAH. Triton having feelings for an ex-mortal turned Goddess of Death? 

Fat chance.

His brows dipped as lines crinkled on his forehead. This whole week, he couldn't get Sophia off his mind. She appeared when he was at work, controlling the weather and looking for lost sailors and while he was out with Dionysus. He did the unthinkable when a water nymph came up to Triton and asked if he can bed her.