The tunnel was cold and dark like most of the other tunnels she had walked through in Tartarus, except for a distinct scent. It was something oddly sweet scented, but Penelope couldn’t place it. She looked over her shoulder, afraid that Chaos might have made it through the fire and was following her, but he wasn’t. Again, Penelope had the same vision regarding Adonis’ soul. That had to have meant that she was getting closer to the Fates. Penelope moved her tongue around her dry mouth and then quickened her pace down the dark cold tunnel and ended up in a cave. She looked around but found no one. Surely they had to have known that she was on her way to see them? “Penelope, daughter of the thief of the flame, we welcome you”. Penelope walked further into the cave, behind a large boulder and saw the three Fates, dressed in their usual plain off white dresses, long dirty tresses hanging down over their arms. They mostly spoke in unison. Penelope recognised the shorter one as Clotho, which means the spinner. She spun the thread of life which her sister Lachesis would then measure. Finally, Atropos, the youngest but tallest of the three would cut the thread of life with her shears. Lachesis stepped forward.
“Thank you. I am here to find out more about the pendent which holds Adonis’ soul”. “The soul of the beloved of Beauty has been confined to the pendent by the Goddess of Souls herself, and only his beloved will be able to free his soul. The one he loves most”. Penelope ignored the questions buzzing in her mind as to why Psyche would have imprisoned Adonis’ soul and focused on the latter part of Lachesis’ speech. “Beloved of Adonis?” Penelope asked and her mind wondered. Did they mean Aphrodite? Adonis was definitely the beloved of Beauty, but was she the one he loved most? She had to be. There was no one else that she could think of. And she was more than a hundred percent that it wasn’t her. So it had to be Aphrodite. Where would Penelope even begin to find her? But whatever she needed to do and wherever she need to travel to, she would do it gladly.
“Yes, only the beloved of Adonis will be able to release his trapped soul” Another one of the Fates stepped forward and spoke. “Take this pendent in both your hands”. “Me? I do not think that will work…”. “Take it” The three Fates insisted and Penelope held out her hands. They placed the pendent in her palms and Penelope rubbed her thumb over the oval trinket. Penelope examined the pendent. There was no clasp holding it closed. Penelope took in a long deep breath and held the pendent in both her hands, close to her chest. Instantly, the pendent opened with a force and a white shadowy figure escaped its entrapment within the blink of an eye. Penelope watched in shock as Adonis’ soul whooshed out of the cave and into the tunnel. She starred down at the empty oval necklace in her hands. She was the beloved of Adonis? She was the one whom he loved most? How was this possible? She needed to speak with him. She needed clarity. Penelope looked at the three Fates. “Be vary of the future king of the Underworld’s intentions”. “Excuse me?”. “It seems to us that you are not known to his capabilities”. “You mean his strengths? His power? I know that once he asks you what your desires are, you can’t help but tell him. It’s sort of a compulsion, isn’t it?”. “He was also gifted the ability to make you desire whatever he wanted”. Penelope looked at the three Fates. Was that really what he was able to do? Is that what he did to her? Is that why she longs for him so? Would he use her like that? Was he manipulating her all this time? Utilising his power to make her desire him? If that was the case, how long until he tired of her? Penelope’s eyes started to tear up. This was becoming all too overwhelming for her. Thinking that someone else was controlling her emotions and feelings was invasive. Penelope started feeling hot and cold all over. If she didn’t leave this cave now, she might explode and either drown the Fates with her water, or fry them with her fire.
“I need to go, thank you for this” She said and lifted the pendent up in her hand. “Wear it always. You hold his heart now”. Penelope thought of her father, and then she thought of the vision she had seen when she was in the Elysian Fields. She looked up at the three fates. “Thank you for giving me the same gift of forethought as my father. I know that he was gifted by you three”. “Your father has done this world a great deal. Even after the creation of man and then fire, he was always seen as the enemy. Your fate is what will change his title”. “We cannot tell you anything about the coming war, but we can advise you to be wary and know who your allies are”.
Adonis stood with his back resting against a wall, his fingers fidgeting anxiously. He was so close to feeling complete again, he could feel it. Once his soul was returned to his body, the first thing he needed to do was be crowned as King by the Muse Calliope. Adonis was not greedy for the crown, but having that title would earn him his respect from the rest of the world. More importantly, Zeus and Poseidon would be dethroned within an instant of his crowning.
YOU ARE READING
Her Quest
Historical Fiction18+ Completed, being Edited. Highest Ranking: #4 Adonis (11/07/2020) She wasn't looking for a knight, she was looking for a sword - Atticus Prometheus - thief of the flame - gripped onto the cold metal bars of his cell as a vision produced behind h...
