Much love

Lakesc:
Wow! Thanks OP...

I am sorry, I only come here to post most times.
Thanks for you comment

DebbieSylvex:
this writer doesn't reply pples comments,is he/she a robot...lol

Thanks for the follow up

Adeola25:
Welldone OP and thanks for the update.

To get the complete story as a pdf contact me through WhatsApp and also Follow more stories on WhatsApp (Multi Tv 08118433330

Chapter 18
I do exactly what Zeus had said.
I find a rock with a sharp edge and cut my forearm. When
ivory ichor begins seeping out from the wound, I open
Endymion’s mouth and allow a few droplets.
I wait, but nothing happens. I stay right by his head,
wanting my face to be the first thing he sees when he
opens his eyes, but that does not happen. Endymion
doesn’t move or make a sound.
Time goes by. The sun has fully risen, yet the mortal is still
dead.
I missed Eos ceremonial dance.
One of many that I will never see again.
Standing up, I look around with the sun shining high and
bright, and the blood staining the grass is even more
visible. I look back on Endymion—to be more specific, at
his hand—and don’t see the Erinyes’ talon. He might have
dropped it when Pan attacked him.
I look around the area but can’t find it.
Hurriedly I walk back into Mount Latmus and almost all the
candles have stopped burning.
There is no sign of Arianna—I hadn’t noticed when she
left.
Did she find the talon and disappear?
Or maybe Pan had taken it?
How dare she try to ruin this place for me?
Mount Latmus had held such pleasant memories, but here
is also where Pan caught Endymion and I. It’s also where
Arianna found out about her king and his secret. Endymion
and I both had secrets.
I exist Mount Latmus to see that Endymion still hasn’t
awakened and walking up to his unconscious body I lay
beside him. I place my head on his chest and I stay in that
position for a while. I listen silently, hoping to hear his heart
beating. I pray that he will inhale any moment now, but
nothing happens.
I stay beside my mortal until the sun begins to set and I
feel the call stirring me to sit up. It tugs on something deep
within me and I’m relieved knowing that one thing hasn’t
changed. But something will be different and I just don’t
know what as yet, and that terrifies me.
I feel a surge of comforting heat beckoning me to start, to
dance to the song that only my heart knows. However,
where do I go to complete my ceremonial dance? I’ve only
danced on the golden landing in Mount Olympus.
I close my eyes and think of home, and a small part of me
prays that Zeus was wrong. I’m disheartened when I can
still smell the ocean and feel the cool breeze blowing up
against my body. I swallow past the swollen lump in my
throat and in my minds’ eye; I see Eos and Helios. They
are smiling at me, and I feel the tears falling through my
lashes. I open my eyes to greet the dark sky and despite the
heaviness that had settled within me; I wipe away my
tears. Walking further into the field, I give myself space
from Endymion’s body and I start my ceremonial dance. I
allow the silent call to sway me and it does, only silver dust
doesn’t fall from the heavens. Ignoring the one mishap, I
know I have to push through the motions, and the silver
orbs are not appearing.
My breathing begins to quicken and I force myself to keep
going but I fall, tripping over my own two feet. This is
ridiculous.
“Why is this happening?” I ask out loud and force myself to
stand back up.
The silent song is still present, therefore I need to do this,
but how can I?
It’s not the same, and I sway my body regardless. I try to
allow the rhythmic movements to take control. I try to
ignore the fact that my silver orbs are not present because
they play a vital role.
The orbs are the prayers from the mortals.
Mine, Eos and Helios’ ceremonial dance full fill their
desires and if they are not appearing what does that
mean?
I try to complete my ceremonial dance but all I can think
about is how I ruined everything. How can I still be the
moon goddess when my important ritual is unraveling right
before my eyes?
The dance no longer feels natural and smooth like the ‘call’
is taking control. Don’t get me wrong, I still feel its draw but my body is feeling more burdened than liberated. My mind
can’t let go, to get lost in the tranquility of the silent song,
like on Mount Olympus.
I don’t feel at peace.
What if Zeus lied to me?
Stopping dead in my tracks, I collapse to the ground upset.
I hug my knees to my chest, knowing that I want to stop
but my responsibility, won’t allow such actions. It’s a silent
force not be reckoned with, and I sigh standing up.
Completing my ceremonial dance has never seemed like a
difficult task.
On an exhale, I close my eyes and push myself to continue
despite what was missing. I keep going until the song
within my soul is silent and I’m left feeling empty. Like
something was taken from me, and I look back on
Endymion to see his lifeless body.
Turning away from him, I look up into the night sky and see
all the twinkling stars glistening brightly. The moon is hard
to notice because tonight it’s the smallest sliver possible
and I know its mourning.
We both suffered a great loss.
Zeus did warn me that if I chose the mortal then changes
were going to be on the horizon. I guess I didn’t expect
that it would hit this close to home.
Dropping my gaze back down on the mortal, I hear in the
distance, the galloping of horses. Soon, I see four riders
coming closer to the area. The one in front doesn’t stop
until he reaches Mount Latmus and he pulls the reins to slow down the animal. The other three men behind him
came to a halt as well.
Quickly I make my way over to Endymion, as the four men
climb off their animals. There is one particular mortal who
takes the lead, walking in front of the other three men and
he seemed like he was in charge.
The leader stops short of me, “Who is behind you?”
“None of your concern,” I said readying myself to attack if
these mortal tries to harm myself or Endymion. I used the
water from the ocean with Pan, I can do it again.
The mortal stops just short of me, and I look up at him.
Brown eyes glower on me and I can see in his eyes that he
wants to make a move, when out of nowhere I hear
Endymion inhale loudly.
Instantly, I turn around and fall to my knees when I see him
stirring. I don’t touch him at first or say anything as he sits
up breathing heavily with wide eyes.
The mortal, the one who wanted to know who was behind
me, is the first to speak. “Endymion are you alright?” his
question is laced with worry.
Looking around, Endymion’s eyes first settle on me with
his mouth open taking in as much air as possible and then
his gaze finds the mortal hovering over us.
Endymion swallows hard as if he was drinking the air and
nods his head.
Unable to hold in my happiness, I throw myself against him
and wrap my arms around Endymion. I squeeze tightly,
unable to embrace him any other way and I feel an arm, just one, wrap loosely around me. I feel his body shudder
against my own, I feel his heart beating hard and
determined to stay amongst the living.
The mortal standing over us demands that one of his men
fetch water for their king and I hear someone scurry off to
comply with the demands. Within seconds, Endymion is
handed a metal canteen and I withdraw back to allow him
space to guzzle the water.
When he’s finished, his voice is hoarse. “Damon,”
“Yes, it’s me. Are you okay?” Responds Damon, the one
hovering over Endymion and me.
I look up at Damon when Endymion doesn’t answer him
right away. Damon’s gaze shifts to my own and but he
doesn’t stare very long before he inhales embittered, then
focuses his attention back on his king.
“Endymion…” he tries again and my mortal still doesn’t
answer. Instead, he looks down on his stomach, as his
fingers touch the area where I knew Pan had wounded
him. There’s still so much blood that now has dried and
thickened on the fabric. It cracks as he moves it examining
his body.
The wounds are no longer there.
Damon asks, “Where are you wounded?”
Ignoring his friend, Endymion looks at me and I see over a
thousand questions populating his gaze and I tell him the
only thing that comes to my mind. “I did what I had to do,”
“What did you do?” Endymion asked bothered and there
was a slightly confused undertone.
“He’s been dealt with,” I answer cautiously. “I couldn’t lose
you,” I tell him trying to control my erratic emotions. The
last time we talked, before Arianna had Endymion under
his control, he was begging me to stay. He wanted me to
make a choice and to fight for us. He begged me to trust
him and believe in what we had and I made the ultimate
sacrifice.
He can never question me and my loyalty.
Heeding my words, Endymion doesn’t respond right away
but I know he heard what I said.
Damon speaks out, “Endymion, I need to speak with you.”
Drawing in his attention, Endymion gives Damon is
undivided attention and extends out a hand. Damon takes
it and pulls him from off the ground but he’s unstable for
the first bit. When he’s settled, Damon leans toward him
and whispers into his ear.
Not able to hear what is said, I stand up as well but give
the men space to converse. Within moments, Damon pulls
away and Endymion says right away.
“She said that?”
Damon nods his head and looks at me for no more than a
few seconds. “She said the goddess had taken your life.”
“She’s lying,” I am quick to retort.
Ignoring me, Damon informs Endymion that he sent
Arianna back to her room and it is being guarded. I divert
my eyes away from the men conversing and I have to stop
myself from closing my eyes and disappearing to
Endymion’s castle.
I want to confront Arianna.
I should have left her in that damn water bubble and Pan
as well.
My eyes drop down to my hand when I feel Endymion take
my hand within his grasp and intertwine our fingers. I was
surprised with his actions but I knew it was him because
Damon wouldn’t do such a thing. He was busy glaring
down on me and trying to intimidate me with his stare. It
felt like was trying to read me, trying to pull some kind of
answers out of me without actually using his words.
Endymion closed in the space between us because I had
purposely given the men room to talk. He couldn’t reach
my hand without coming closer and he doesn’t say
anything with his words, but his eyes, they are animated
and gleaming. Endymion adds just the right amount of
pressure, comforting me and I want to throw myself
against him but I restrain myself.
Diverting his gaze, Endymion looks back at Damon.
“Arianna had a charmed necklace to control me and she
tried to murder Selene.”
Murder wasn’t the right word. She wanted to put the
Erinyes’ talon into my heart which would thrust me into the
underworld and I would suffer for all eternity.
He continues, “That’s high treason, and she will be
punished.”
Damon looks on his king surprised. “Endymion, to claim
treason with the princess, her father will not take lightly.
Let’s say what you are saying is true, it will look like this woman seduced you and you are giving up your union for
your mistress.”
By this woman, I will assume he was talking about me.
“You are doubting me?” Endymion wonders not offended
but his voice is stern and curious.
Damon shakes his head and looks his king from top to
bottom. With one hand he gestures at Endymion, “You
were on the ground unconscious just seconds ago and you
are covered in blood.”
“You are doubting me,”
“I am not. I am looking out for your best interest, it is what I
have always done.”
“Then what are you saying, Damon?”
“What you are claiming, we cannot prove and if you claim
that happened, then I will have your back but Endymion,
her father will take the side of his daughter. He will not let
this go,”
“I’ll deal with him,”
“Endym-”
“I said I’ll deal with him,” and Damon tries to argue but
Endymion is quick to shut him down.
My mortal commands that we get back to the castle
because he wants to talk with Arianna. Damon at first
looked frustrated but complies with the demands.
When we reach back to the castle, Endymion once again
entangles our fingers together, and he is instantly informed that Arianna had left. Furious, my mortal instructs over a
dozen men to find her and bring her back. Damon tries to
give guidance to Endymion. He tells him that arresting the
princess and bringing her back against her will might not
help the situation but Endymion doesn’t care to listen.
Soon, I begin to feel eyes on me and looking around I find
confirmation that the mortals are staring and they are
whispering and pointing. I knew I was the source of their
gossip because Arianna came back here spreading lies
that I was the one who murdered their king. Not to
mention, a few days ago I was here when the Erinyes’
attacked and then I came back when Zeus gave me
permission to be with his son.
Why would I not be the topic of conversation when Arianna
and Endymion were to be married in a few days and all of
a sudden here I am?
I tug on Endymion’s hand when I begin to feel
uncomfortable, and he asks. “Are you alright?”
“They are all staring,” I tell him and he looks around to
verify my words and with all the mortals huddled together,
there was no denying anything. Some quickly resume their
responsibilities, some turn away the moment their king
looks their way and some still stare at us. Without saying
anything more, he pulls me through the courtyard to
escape the glaring.
Damon walks not far behind, talking and warning us about
our actions. He’s persistent and seems to think that our
relationship will be bad for Elis. He doesn’t care to inform
that the whispers won’t stop and that they have to get
Arianna under control. If they can convince Arianna to marry Endymion despite everything, then I can be
Endymion’s mistress.
Damon gives over a hundred different options to avoid
what he calls a war.
Up a flight of stairs and down a hallway Endymion finally
stops. I bump into his back and quickly he turns around
and without warning, he grabs my face, dips his head and
presses his lips against my own.
A flush of shivers sweeps down my spine and coils down
to my center. I sink into him, almost immediately as his
tongue swipes at my bottom lip. It’s his way of asking for
the rite of passage. It’s what he has always done and I
eagerly open for him but Endymion withdraws back almost
immediately, leaving me with my mouth open.
I hear Damon behind me, “Fine. You made your point,”
I close my mouth while Endymion kisses me on the
forehead. “Good, now you will not say anything more on
this topic, unless I say otherwise. Do I make myself clear?”
Damon’s voice is tight, “Perfectly clear, my king.” And I
hear the footsteps of Damon leaving us alone in the
hallway. Endymion releases his hold on either side of my
face, and I shift my eyes to see more mortals staring.
Endymion whispers against my cheek, “If they are going to
talk, I’ll give them a reason to gossip.” The mortals scurry
off when their king narrows his glare on them. “Come,” is
all Endymion says stepping back and walking down the
hall. I am quick to follow him and he stops briefly to open a
door to his chambers.
Once inside, I hear the door close behind me and I turn
toward Endymion. We’ve escaped the stares and whispers
from the mortals, and we’re alone.
Actually all alone.
No guards, no servants and defiantly no Damon.
I watch him unsure of what to say and suddenly I’m feeling
more aware of us, of me and how nervous I have become
in a matter of seconds. For a moment, I think that this can’t
be real. That we are here, standing in silence and staring
at each other with no more limitations, no barriers. We are
free to do what we wish but for some reason, I can’t bring
myself to make a move, or to speak to the one man I
fought so very hard for.
Endymion takes a step toward me and I quickly shout out.
“Wait,”
Confused, he asks. “For?”
“I did something,”
“Bad or good?”
“I hope good because you’re here after all.”
More silence as we watch each other, and I want to talk
and tell him everything but I feel like my voice is stripped. I
don’t know what to say, or where to begin. If I should say
anything. Would I upset him with everything that
happened? What if he doesn’t want me anymore? Do I
need to tell him about Pan? The ring and my world. He
needs to understand where I come from and what I did to
bring him back.
I swallow to moisten my dry throat and Endymion takes
another small step toward me. I equal his step back,
remembering the last few days that have gone by in a blur.
A lot had happened, and I honestly had no idea that we
would be here, with nothing else, god or mortal, holding us
back.
I’m afraid if I acknowledge the here and now, it will go up in
flames. I don’t want it to disappear.
I just want to be happy.
“Selene,” he begins continuing to walk toward me and I
don’t stop walking backward. “Why are you trying to avoid
me?”
I shake my head, and I lie. “I’m not,” We can finally be
together, mortal and goddess but for how long?
Endymion doesn’t stop, he weaves through the furniture
closing in on me. “One of the last things that I remember,
after the Erinyes’ had attacked, was that it felt like you
were trying to end things with me.”
I remember that morning clearly. I was terrified that the
Erinyes’ was going to end up hurting one of the mortals
and Endymion. I didn’t want them to suffer because of me.
I wanted Endymion to understand that if he lets the
Erinyes’ take me back to Mount Olympus, then everything
would have been okay.
I purposely didn’t tell him that he would never see me
again. I couldn’t bare the goodbye. It was hard to do then.
It’s heartbreaking to think that if everything I went through
to just be with my mortal, gets ripped away at this very
moment, I don’t know how I would survive.
At the end of the day, I lied and so did he.
I felt the back of my heel connect with the stone wall and
Endymion wasn’t that far behind. It took him a few strides,
and he stopped right in front of me, and he murmurs.
“Was I imagining that?”
I shake my head while looking up at him glaring down on
me. “I only wanted to protect you,” I tell him.
He takes a small step forward and I feel his shoes against
the side of my bare feet.
“Selene—”
“I have to tell you something,” I interrupt quickly and feeling
the familiar twist and knots coiling inside of my stomach. I
need to tell him about Pan, about everything. There is a lot
that we need to discuss.
What if he doesn’t want you?
“Selene—”
“It’s important,” Endymion needs to know.
He needs to listen.
“I don’t care,” and with that, he closes in the remaining
space between us. I hate it because I’m afraid of it all
disappearing. I’m tired of being distraught and upset.
My voice is barely a whisper, “You should care.” I inhale
his aroma, and my eyes flutter on their own accord. “You
need to hear what I have to say because I’ve done things
that might change your mind about me.” My heart picks up
the pace.

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Chapter 17
Streaks of crimson light glow in the darkness. They gently
touch my skin, rubbing softly with warm, dainty strokes. I
bask in the touch, the jaunty caress, but I can’t move. My
limbs are… I’m not too sure. All I know is that I can’t feel or
move them, and the funny thing is that I don’t care.
Where am I?
My skin feels cool and wet. I feel water flowing against my
flesh, which makes me think that I must be floating in a
river. It’s still dark, and the crimson light glowing around
me are Eos’ and Helios’ ceremonial orbs.
Why would they be performing in the dark? Or together, for
that matter.
“Calista…”
That’s Pan’s voice.
“Go away,” I say to him—at least I think I said those words,
although my lips don’t move. But I hear the words in my
mind and all around me, echoing into the thick, lush forest
of Arkadia.
No longer floating in a river, I am now standing and I see
foliage everywhere.
“Calista, it’s time to wake up.” His voice is an echo.
I want to stay here forever. “Leave me alone.”
“Wake up!” Pan roars, and my eyes pop open.
Immediately I inhale deeply. Feeling the burning at the
back of my throat, I start coughing. I can feel something
restraining my limbs when I sit up.
I’m wet—why am I wet?
When my eyes are able to focus, I first see candles. Many
little flames encircle the entire area, and it hits me that I am
in Mount Latmus. The bottom of my chiton is wet from the
small amount of water on the ground. Which also makes
sense why I was coughing—I awoke with the side of my
face in the water. It isn’t that high; it doesn’t even reach my
kneecaps.
If I can get my hands free I can use the water to my
advantage.
Arianna’s voice rings throughout the temple walls, “The
goddess has awoken.”
“Why are we here?” I ask, turning to her voice. “Just let me
go, and you will never see me again.”
That is a lie. After Endymion had proven to me that the real
him, was still in there, I can never leave Arianna alone with
him, ever.
I catch sight of Endymion standing behind her, and
something is in his grasp.
Arianna takes a step toward me, her feet sloshing in the
low water. “Yes, because everything in life is that easy.”
“It can be,” I say, then feel horrible because if only I had
thought that everything was that easy with Endymion.
Cautiously I wiggle my wrists, trying to get a feel of what is
keeping me confined. The coarse, itchy texture lets me know that it’s rope. “Well unfortunately for you, I don’t like
the easy path.” Behind my back, I wiggle my fingers to get
a feel of my limitations, for my ability to manipulate water. I
won’t be able to attack Arianna or Endymion like this.
The female continues. “It’s a shame that it had to come
down to this, a goddess versus a mortal. But when you
suddenly showed up and stole Endymion’s attention away
from me, I couldn’t have that.”
“You knew about us?” Like Pan had.
I was worried about the gods on Mount Olympus seeing
what I was up to, but I didn’t realize that the ones who
would do us most harm are those on earth.
“Of course. There is not a move my future husband makes
that I am not aware of.”
Glancing at Endymion, I wonder why he’s silent.
Arianna catches my sight. “Don’t bother—I told him not to
pay you any mind.”
Told him.
“He said that it was a marriage of convenience.” I needed
to keep her distracted long enough to figure something out.
She frowns. “Yes, but we could have had it all—power,
riches and love would come. We would have been a
mighty nation with our combined kingdoms, ruling together
as equals, but then he started to sneak out at nights. At
first, I thought it was a night stroll, but it started happening
more frequently. To find out about you, a moonlight
goddess manipulating my fiancé—imagine how shocked
and upset I was. “Do you love him?”
“Love?” Arianna asks like it’s a word she didn’t know. “You
need more than love to control a nation.”
“I fell in love with Endymion from the first time I laid eyes
on him. I am sure he fell in love with me at that same
moment as well.”
She studies me with a glower. “Well, your love won’t be
able to save you. In fact, I would have assumed you were
more powerful. I guess everyone has a weakness and
yours is this beautiful charm,”
“Charm?” I ask.
“Oh yes, I was told that you would try to escape.” Arianna
dips between her cleavage and pulls out a necklace. “This
beautiful jewelry is the reason why you couldn’t escape. It
stops you from… I don’t know… however you appear and
disappear.”
“That’s how you’re controlling Endymion,” I say putting
everything together.
She nods her head, “This little pendant is quite powerful.
However, I would not say control—I like to think of it as
opening his eyes. Endymion needed a little guidance for
him to understand that you were using him.”
I was not using him! “Who gave that to you?”
“I do not know but he had these dreadful horns, he was
quite intimidating. Endymion…” She calls to him and on
command, he steps forward. I see him clutching something
and the tight grip of the rope loosens around my wrist.
Just a little bit more.
Arianna smiles mischievously. “You know what, Selene? In
all honesty, this is all happening because of you.”
Yeah, I think I already established that.
“What do you mean?” I ask instead.
“When you brought that demon into our kingdom and that
savage fight broke out, one of its claw had broken off.
Show her, Endymion.”
He complies, opening his hand.
My sight falls on a huge black talon. It’s almost the size of
his palm, and that’s pretty huge considering Endymion’s
hands aren’t small.
“The god was kind enough to inform me that if this
penetrates your heart, you will suffer an eternity in the
underworld. Lost amongst the many souls, never to be
found. Supposedly once it gets in there, something
happens and it can never come out. No more moonlight
goddess, no more deception.”
Closing his hand, Endymion now grips the talon in a
threatening grasp and Arianna commands that he put that
thing into my heart.
Fighting with the lingering rope, I finally get it free. Not
wasting a second, I fling out my hand and aim the water
into a point. A sharp blade-like tide forms from the water
and strikes the necklace around Arianna’s neck, shattering
the pendant.
Endymion drops the talon and staggers back, holding his
head.
Arianna screams, “What have you done!” Quickly, she runs
past him and drops to her knees, searching for the talon in
the water.
I yell for Endymion, who stumbles into the cave wall,
disoriented. When he doesn’t respond, I stand up from the
wet ground and with a flick of my wrist, I lift all the water
from the ridged ground. It hits Arianna in her face before
reaching the ceiling.
While she’s struggling to wipe her face dry, I see the black
talon and leap to grab it. At that same moment, Arianna
snags her hand over my own and we wrestle for the talon.
Somehow, it manages to slip from both of our grasp and
lands by Endymion’s feet.
I hold back a thrashing Arianna, while Endymion picks up
the talon. I yell at him, “Take it and leave!”
At first, I am unsure if he heard me correctly because he
doesn’t budge. Maybe he’s still under her control. But
when he asks me if I can handle Arianna, I answer with a
haste nod. Focusing back on the female, I do not know
what to do because she won’t stop attacking me. She’s like
a wild being possessed.
I don’t see the blatant attack, but I feel it and stumble to
the ground, feeling dizzy. Struggling to get back up,
Arianna kicks me over, sending me tumbling to the side. I
see a bloody rock in her hand. The room spins, and the
water that I had been holding up in the ceiling comes
crashing down, soaking both of us.
Two Arianna’s are cursing and wiping their faces with the
water. Two rocks, two ceilings, and double the amount of
candles. I groan, attempting to sit up when I see Arianna
about to strike me again. Taking a chance, I lift my hand
and direct the water toward her. It engulfs her body and
almost immediately, she begins choking.
Narrowing my strained vision, I see her struggling and I
watch her unavailing fight. With a groan I force myself to
stand up and before leaving, I swipe my hand. The water
and Arianna drop to the ground. She’s coughing, so I know
she will survive.
Walking back through the tunnel, I use the wall for support
as the dizziness wanes. Upon seeing the entrance I stir
with emotions and my feet seem like they’re dragging, and
my heart is humming.
Approaching the entrance, a cool breeze whips out against
my body. Upon stepping out in the open, there’s a smile on
my face and I see the moon lowering into a background of
purples and blues. The stars aren’t as bright and the shift
in the air is evident.
The sun will be rising soon and Eos will be waking the sun.
I lower my gaze and my smile disappears. My stomach
sinks into a frenzy of raw dread as I narrow my sight on
Pan. Or more importantly, the blood on his fists. The god is
seething with rage, with his massive shoulders rising and
falling.
Pan hovers over Endymion, who’s also covered in blood.
Crimson paints the grass and Endymion’s face with red.
All I am seeing is red, everywhere.
Red.
Red.
Red!
Endymion is unmoving.
A shrilling scream rips out of my throat as I run toward
them, but I fall down, feeling dazed from when Arianna had
hit me over the head.
Please, Endymion cannot be dead.
That cannot be possible, not after everything we went
through to be together. He wouldn’t have stood a chance
against Pan who is almost twice his.
Pan has the nerve to speak, “Calista…”
“What have you done?” I’m crying, knowing exactly the
answer.
“I’m taking back what is mine.”
My glare is blurry when I stand. “I was never yours—you
manipulated me!”
“Calista, you are mine!” Pan’s voice is loud and
domineering as he reinforces his control. “To lose you to a
mortal, I couldn’t fathom the thought.”
“Yours to manipulate, because isn’t that the purpose of
your flute? It arouses desires.”
Silence befalls us as I wait for him to speak. To fight my
argument but Pan allows an extended time to go by.
Finally, he says, “We all have our talents, Calista.
Talents!?
Enraged, I stride toward him. “You told the female about
the talon and she tried to banish me to the underworld.”
“I would have stopped her,”
I stare at Pan, teary-eyed and confused on how he’s so
calm when I can barely control my distraught emotions.
Pan smirks and just like that, the pieces of the puzzle are
coming together.
“That was your plan, wasn’t it? Turn Endymion against me
and use his mortal woman as a threat. Then you would
come to the rescue? Like you did when the Horai was
going to whip me?”
Pan steps over Endymion’s body. “You were the only one,
Calista.”
“You were willing to put my life at risk and for what?”
“You took a chance on me.”
A chance? “What?”
“You were the only one on Mount Olympus to actually see
me,”
I wipe the tears away, “I will never forgive you.”
“In time you will see that the earth was not good for you,”
“You were never good for me!” I scream at Pan and I don’t
realize that both my arms are spread at my sides until it’s
too late. I see the water from the ocean rising high behind
Pan, above the trees in the distance.
A bitter laugh escapes my lips. “You used the only goddess
who actually cared about you. You murdered the only man
that I will ever love.”
“Calista—”
“Leave.”
Pan takes a cautious step toward me. “You will see that I
did you a favor,”
“Leave me alone!” I yell at the god but he keeps moving
closer.
I can’t hold it back.
The water crashes down around Pan in a giant water
bubble and then floats in the air. I step back, watching him
struggle for air, how Arianna fought for her own life.
Then I cry.
My legs collapse and I scream out in absolute rage.
All this for nothing!
Crawling toward Endymion’s lifeless body, I fall into him
and rest my head on his clothed chest. No heartbeat.
I cry out even harder.
No. This is not fair.
“I was coming back for you, for us.” I tell Endymion’s
lifeless body, when abruptly, the skies rumble and Zeus’
bright light splits the dark sky. With a blink of an eye, the
god of all gods is on earth and is standing above me. I look
up at his piercing blue eyes, hiccupping in turmoil.
Zeus says with utmost importance, “You do not want to do
that.”
“I’ll keep him there forever!” Gods cannot die, therefore he
will suffer until the end of time.
“Selene, let me deal with him,”
“The underworld would be too sweet of an escape,”
“Selene…”
On a broken breathe, I look down on Endymion. “He killed
him,”
Zeus kneels down beside me, reaches out and touches my
face gently. “Trust me, Pan will be punished for his this and
when I am through with him, he won’t dare look at you
again.” His gaze is intense and without another word I
release Pan.
The heavy body of water plummets to the earth with a loud
splash. The sound of Pan’s body hitting the earth is an
ample sound that I take pride in.
Pan’s coughs ring out.
With a hoarse voice, I beg, “Leave me alone.”
I bury my head against Endymion and whisper how sorry I
was for everything. He died without knowing how much he
meant to me. I could have fought more while I had him
close. I could have shown him more actions of love.
Instead, I gave him excuses.
In a soft voice, Zeus says to me, “Everything will be okay.”
And he stands up and to Pan, his voice is a roar, “Did you
not think I wouldn’t have known you were the reason for my son’s death?” Zeus is angry as he strides mighty and
dauntless toward the god struggling to stand. The skies
above us booms loudly, the loudness echoing through
growing gray clouds, crackling.
Wait, what? Son?
Pan, wobbling on his hindquarters, smiles faintly. “We do
what we must for love.”
Love? My mind echoes.
What part of this was love?
How he manipulated my body against myself and killed
End—
“Love?” Zeus repeats, enraged. “What do you know about
love?” He takes a step toward Pan.
Zeus and Pan stare at each other fiercely and after a
moment too long Pan says to me. “I will see you soon,
Calista,” before backing away into the woods to disappear.
Upset I yell at Zeus, “You let him go.”
“Trust that I will stay true to my word,”
Not liking what happened, I let it go and focus on what
happened or what was said. “Endymion is your son? Why
didn’t you say something?” That was why he stopped the
Erinye’s, to protect his son.
Zeus informs, “It was not of importance.”
I swallow down the immense heartache. “That was why
you allowed me the freedom to come to earth because I
told you that I loved Endymion, your son.

There’s a ghost of a sad smile when Zeus looks down at
me. “Another one of our little secrets.” His eyes are
focused on Endymion.
How many secrets does Zeus have?
Nevertheless, to Pan, Zeus had mentioned Endymion
being his son like it wasn’t a secret.
Did Pan know?
I ask unsure, a shot in the dark. “Can you do something?”
He shakes his head. “I cannot.”
I don’t believe him. Correction, I don’t want to believe him.
“Cannot or won’t?”
“I cannot. Mortals die and they are born; it’s the way of
their life,” he says simply. And although his words are
passive and he is not in tears like myself, his heart is sore.
You can see the pain in his eyes.
My hands ball against Endymion’s chest, clinging to the
fabric. “But he is not just a mortal: he is your son, and if
there is anyway…”
Silence.
I wait for his response.
Please tell me that there is a way.
More silence as Zeus shifts his attention from Endymion to
me. I look up at him and without words, my gaze begs for
an answer.
Zeus sees the silent plea, hears the sorrowful cry of my
heart. “There is a way, but only because he is a demi god
that this will work.” Zeus takes a moment, “To steal his soul
from Hades, my brother, he will not be pleased but I will
deal with him. And secondly, to go down this path—”
Knowing what Zeus will say, I cut him off. “There will be
unforeseen consequences.”
“Selene, listen to me carefully because once it is done, you
will not be able to return to Olympus, which is why I cannot
do it.”
Never? That’s extreme, but Pan killing Endymion was
extreme.
Arianna using a necklace to control Endymion was
extreme.
A moon goddess falling for a mortal is extreme.
This whole situation is extreme.
I ask, “Will I still be the moon goddess?”
“That is something that can never be taken away from you.
But how you help with the balance, may alter just slightly.”
“How?”
“I do not know, but if you chose to go down this path, you
will need to figure that out. You are changing something
small but vital within the cosmo’s and there will be rippling
effects,”
“Okay, then please tell me what I have to do.
“Give Endymion the ichor that flows through your veins.
Your divine liquid will revive him, and he will awaken.”
Looking down on my forearm, I know it sounds simple
enough. “That’s it?”
Zeus nods his head. “Selene, I have to ask you again, are
you confident that this is the path you want? Is Endymion
the life you want?”
“I can’t imagine a life without him,”
Heeding my words, Zeus says. “Never forget who you are,”
and with those final words, Zeus disappears into a burst of
luster.

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Chapter 16
I can feel it, the shift in the air as the moon has only a few
hours left to bask in the night. Outside, the mortals have
calmed with their festival when it began to rain heavily. The
music had quieted and the blaring voices of laughter and
excitement were coming to an end.
Through my wait, I wonder if he acted that harshly toward
me because of Arianna. Endymion had said it was a
marriage of convenience. Maybe something happened
after Zeus had taken me back to Olympus. Maybe
Endymion couldn’t get himself out of the wedding. After all,
it was happening in less than a week.
I drive myself crazy, sitting here and waiting for Endymion.
I begin tracing my thumbs and fidgeting with my fingers.
My head snaps up, upon hearing voices in the hallway.
The footsteps and voices near the room and my heart
begins pounding. I’m holding my breath by the time the
sounds have disappeared down the hall, away from the
bedroom door. Inhaling, I all but choke on the air when the
door suddenly opens and in walks Endymion.
My heart pauses as his gaze settles on me, and he closes
the door behind him. The hair on my forearm rises; I
swallow the sudden pool of saliva, unsure of his response.
I feel feverish as he saunters toward me, never once
releasing me from his cutting gaze. I want to say
something but I’m afraid of his words, afraid I won’t be able
to handle the final verdict.
I pray that his words and actions were all a ruse.
My heart is thundering, pelting itself against my rib cage.
Once upon a time, I thought it wanted to hand itself over to
Endymion. Now it seems it wants to flee the darkness
that’s glistening inside of his vibrant emerald eyes.
No, this is not the mortal I fell in love with.
Endymion devours me with a stare, “I see you’re taking me
up on my offer.”
“What has happened to you?”
“The truth.”
I shake my head. “I told you the truth.”
“No, my greedy little goddess. You played me like a
puppet.” Endymion raises his hand into the air and splays
out his fingers as if he’s controlling a string puppet. “And
like the mortal fool that I am, I fell in love with the delicate
beauty of the moon goddess. Her exquisite radiance
engulfed me within her lies and deception of what she
would call love.”
“I was not intentionally deceiving you, and you had never
told me about Arianna.”
He takes a quick stride toward me; frightened, I step back,
almost tripping over my own two feet. Endymion grabs
onto my arm and jerks me forward. My hands regretfully
brace against his chest. It feels nice underneath the soft
fabric, and a shaky breath escapes my lungs. My body
shudders to be so close to him, smelling him, and I’m
conflicted because I know I shouldn’t be aroused. I should
be cautious, anything other than feeling my nipples perk
and my sex throb.
It clenches not once, not twice, but more than three times,
demanding to be filled. Another betrayal from my physical
body.
His hold tightens on my arm, and I withhold a groan with
his restraint. Endymion leans down toward my face but I
turn away from him. “Let me go,” I plead softly, knowing
that I don’t stand a chance. There is no Pan and no flute.
No deception and manipulation.
It’s raw desire in its truest, ugliest form.
“Selene.” His voice is a whisper against my ear. “Despite
everything that I’ve said, one thing that I know is true: you
want my cock inside of your tight little cunt. I dare you to
say otherwise.”
Still gazing across the room, I answer, “Not like this.”
He chuckles—that damn sound always has me weak in the
knees. “Not like what?” he asks. His hot tongue licks my
earlobe and I swallow back a moan—any sound at all
would give him the upper hand.
I need to leave.
I push against him with my free hand. He groans and
within seconds he releases my hand, dips down, and
throws me over his shoulder.
I scream at him as he moves across the room, “Endymion!
Put me down!”
“As the goddess wishes.” And then he tosses me down.
I bounce on something soft—a bed. I let out a relieved
breath, but before I can gather my thoughts Endymion grabs my ankle and he pulls me toward him. He positions
himself between my thighs and gropes my legs with such
roughness that sets my blood on fire.
He takes in a breath. “So smooth.”
“I don’t want to do this,” I lie, but I can’t escape because
my body doesn’t want to leave.
Grabbing onto my inner thighs, he takes in another sharp
breath. “Liar.”
I shake my head, trying to will myself to fight. “You aren’t
you,” is my small attempt. All I get from him is another
wicked chuckle before his hand slips under my gown and
finds my sex. His fingers push past my wet folds, and I
sucked in a sharp breath of my own.
“Ah, there’s your greedy little sex,” he murmurs.
I freeze.
“How much do you want me?”
More than you will ever know.
I don’t answer him, I can’t. My body is betraying me and so
will my words.
He goads, “Tell me how much you want to feel my cock
inside of you.”
I want your cock inside of me.
“Selene.” His raucous voice is like a drug to my ears. “I
had the flavor of your pussy on my tongue, and I didn’t
even get a thank you.
“I was g—” I stop, with my mouth stuck open when a little
piece of euphoria cripples my sex.
Endymion rubs my clit with two of his fingers. “I’m sorry,”
he taunts. “I believe you were telling me how greedy your
divine cunt is. Isn’t that why you were withholding yourself,
you thought that I didn’t deserve to be buried inside of
you?”
Shaking my head, I’m unable to answer as his fingers
continue to rub my sensitive nub more fiercely. My eyes
close and I know I should fight, but I can’t. I bite back a
moan.
When my hips buck against his sexual wrath, Endymion
stops and my eyes spring open.
“Say the words,” he urges. “Your greedy cunt wants me.”
Withdrawing his fingers, he brings them up to his lips and
sucks on my wetness. I swallow the ravenous hunger
raging inside of my stomach.
I can’t say those words.
When I don’t answer, he lowers his hand back to my sex
and begins his sexual onslaught. I don’t know if this is a
punishment or reward, but if feels horribly amazing.
Endymion keeps wringing me tighter and tighter, winding
me up with the bittersweet bliss on the horizon and when
I’m there, right on the crest, he withdraws.
“You know what I want to hear.”
Barely able to open my eyes and on a strained breath, I
murmur, “Endymion…” I can’t get out the rest of the
sentence. “I’m sorry He looks at me, amused.
Why do I keep screwing everything up?
Maybe this world was never meant for me.
Endymion’s gaze pierces my soul. “Always lying.”
His words cut my heart. “Do what you want to me.”
I deserve that after all, don’t I?
I expect him to resume but he pauses for a moment too
long. When I narrow my disheartened sight on the mortal, I
find him staring. He’s not moving, and his gaze is empty.
Hesitantly I ask, “Are you all right?”
He doesn’t respond.
Sitting up on my elbows, I ask him again, but no response.
On a next breath—as if he snapped out of whatever trance
he was in—he looks down on me.
“Selene!” His voice is familiar; there’s affection on his tone.
Love.
“Endymion…”
Suddenly his eyes widen. “Don’t believe my words.”
Drawing my thighs together, I sit up. “What is going on?”
“You need to leave,” he says urgently, grabbing my arm
and hauling me from the bed.
“Wait, you should come with me.”
“I cannot disappear—I am King of Elis.
Without thinking, I throw myself against his body and
standing on the tip of my toes, I kiss him deeply.
Endymion breaks away from the kiss. “Selene, you need to
leave.”
“Not without you.”
“Ari—”
The door opens behind us and I swivel on my heels to find
Arianna sauntering into the room. She closes the door
behind her.
Arianna says simply, “Endymion, confine the goddess.”
Instantly, I feel Endymion’s hand grab my arm from behind.
I fight against his hold. “Endymion, what has she done to
you?”
Arianna laughs. “You are quite the stubborn goddess.”
“Why are you abiding by her commands?” I ask Endymion.
“I opened his eyes.”
“You manipulated him against me.”
“He sees the truth.”
“You do not know anything of the truth.”
“I know that you two can never be and you know that.
Deities and mortals cannot be happy together. You strung
him along like a lost puppy and turned him against me.
Selene, you almost got him murdered with that demon that
came after you.”
I argue, “I never strung him along.”
Endymion twists my hand behind my back and I cry out.
“Are you still lying?”
“I’m not lying!”
Arianna says, “You are selfish, and we need to get rid of
you. Endymion, we can’t have her awake.”
I think of my home. I try to return to the heavens, but I’m
still here.
Why can I not leave?
His tight grip turns me around, and Endymion says, “See
you when you awake.” His hands cover my mouth and
nose, stopping me from breathing. I thrash against him as
best as I can, but with the lack of air I pass out.

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Chapter 15
I return to Mount Latmus and the radiant moonlight engulfs
me. I bask under it for a short while, before I quickly turn
and run into the cave. Halfway inside, I stop when I don’t
see any candles lit. I turn back around, wondering where
Endymion could be.
He thought that you abandoned him, warns a small voice.
I shake my head. No, how could he ever?
Soon, I will see him riding on his horse.
I wait.
Still no sign of him.
I wait some more.
No Endymion, no horse.
I still wait and half the night goes by, but I do not see my
mortal.
Frustrated, I think of his castle and I’m there. I’m at the
same spot outside when the mortals were gawking at me.
Currently, the area is empty—no staring humans—but loud
music plays far in the distance.
I follow the commotion, crossing over a bridge. I walk
through an opening in a huge stone wall that looks like it
would have circled the entire castle property. The farther I
walk, the louder the sounds becomes, and I soon see
mortals laughing and talking. Some are wearing masks and others not, but generally, everyone looks like they are
having fun.
Tonight is the night of the festival.
Noticing that there is a man handing out masks, I stop in
front of him and ask the mortal for one. He hands me a
mask, which I place over my face. It covers my eyes and
the half of my nose, leaving the bottom half of my face
uncovered.
I continue on my journey, searching for my king and taking
in every part of this wild evening event. Finally, I notice a
large crowd. Standing on a tall podium is Endymion; he’s
talking to his people and thanking them for coming. The
guards below the podium then throw silver trinkets out into
the crowd. Everyone is lively and jubilant.
Endymion continues talking about tonight’s event and
when he brings up his bride-to-be, my ears perk up.
Suddenly, I’m standing on the tip of my toes, trying to see
over the person in front of me.
That same woman who came into his room. The one with
the blond hair, struts onto the podium—Endymion had
called her Arianna. When he extends out his hand she
places hers within his. Endymion closes his hand around
hers and pulls the woman toward him.
My heart clenches and whispers, No.
Arianna’s giggles are poison in my veins. Everyone around
me starts chanting that Endymion should kiss her. Kiss his
bride-to-be.
“Kiss her!”
“Kiss her!”
“Kiss her!”
I feel like shrinking into the earth. I can do nothing else but
stand on the tip of my toes and stare as he does just that.
Endymion dips Arianna and all I can think about is the last
time his arms were wrapped around me.
Endymion kisses her and I swear my heart cracked right
down the middle.
No.
I fall back on my heels as the crowd woos Endymion and
his bride on. After they are done, I hear the mortal tell
everyone to enjoy themselves. Walking around the crowd,
I reach to the side where Endymion and his bride-to-be
had exited the platform. He’s now talking to the guards,
their backs to me.
Arianna turns and her brown eyes catch mine. “What are
you doing here?” Her harsh voice sends a wicked chill
down the ridge of my back.
Endymion pivots as well to see who Arianna was speaking
to and finds me. There is no expression on his beautiful
face. “You should leave,” are his well-tempered words.
I take off my mask.
His thick, black eyebrows do not draw together. His body
doesn’t tense with my presence, and his green eyes don’t
flare with rage. Hadn’t he thought that I abandoned him?
Everything about him is too calm.
I say the only words that are able to come to mind. “I didn’t
abandon you.”
“It does not matter: you made your choice and I made
mine.”
I shake my head, not agreeing with his words. “Endymion,
my choice has always been you. I may have been afraid to
say it at times, but it’s the truth.” Stepping toward him, I
take his hand within my own.
He warns, “I will not ask you twice.” He pulls his hand
away as if I were something horrid, never to be touched.
“Endymion…” My thoughts are swirling and I can’t think
straight.
Arianna replies, “You’ve strung the king along for far too
long. Can’t you see that he has made up his mind?”
No, I can’t believe it. “We can give this a real chance now.”
His laugh is bitter—the first emotion I had gotten out of
him. “Now we can give this a real chance?”
Taking another step, I can feel my toes touching the tip of
his boots. “Yes, I’m sorry I took so long to tell you,”
Endymion isn’t Pan and he doesn’t have a flute to
manipulate my thoughts and feelings. This is real, the pain
is real.
The love is real.
Arianna says from behind me, “Oh this is absurd. You are
making a fool of yourself.”
Endymion leans toward me and I catch wind of his scent.
My knees falter, as I can now feel his breath on my right cheek.
“Selene, you were right all along: we do not belong. We
have two different worlds and I’m only pleased that I saw it
now before it was too late.” With those words he
withdraws, leaving my skin to feel cold and barren.
My eyes tear up. “You can’t believe that!”
“I do,”
“Something is wrong—this is not you, Endymion.” It can’t
be him. Without hesitation, I close in the remaining space
between us and crane my neck to kiss him. To feel and
taste the real him. To prove to him that I am willing to be
the woman he needs me to be.
When our lips touch, at first it feels like everything will be
okay. Our kisses always makes the world seem better. I
get the tease of the butterflies starting to flutter—it’s a
whisper of beseeching expectations. But within moments,
unkind hands grab me at the back of my neck.
Endymion jerks me away. “If you are looking for someone
to fill the void between your thighs, I’m your king. It’s been
long overdue—don’t you think you owe me the pleasure of
savoring that sweet little cunt of yours?”
Pan’s words are a vicious attack. He’s what you want, but
does he know what you need? Does the mortal know how
you love to be kissed and where? Does he know how to
touch you just right?
Endymion is what I want and need, both physically and
emotionally.

Tears fall down my cheeks, and I can’t swallow past the
lump lodged in my throat. This is not him, although it looks
like the man I had fallen in love with. Endymion would
never be this cruel to me—he would adore me.
Just earlier today I could see his admiration for me with
those green eyes, felt it emanating from his gaze. But
tonight there is no life, no love.
Arianna advises him, “Have the guards bring her back to
your chambers—you can have fun with your goddess.”
He pauses, as if thinking, and within a heartbeat Endymion
releases me. “I suggest you never show your face in Elis
again.”
With those final words, Endymion and his bride-to-be walk
away. Arianna looks back on me with a wicked gleam in
her brown eyes and a victorious smirk.
The guards follow shortly after and I’m left in the streets of
Elis. I watch the mortal I love walk away with another
woman. I’m left with the bitter memories of his words and
how he treated me. Yet despite everything, I still can’t
make myself believe it all.
The memories seem false, but they just happened.
His words seem foreign, but they came out of his mouth.
How could this be the same man, who proclaimed his love
for me this morning and was willing to risk his life to protect
me? Earlier, I was what he wanted and by night his mind
has completely changed?
What is going on?

Did Zeus have something to do with Endymion and his
sudden change of perspective? Was this a trick—did Zeus
grant my access to earth only to persuade the man I love
against me?
If so, why?
If not Zeus, Pan had to have influenced my mortal. Or
maybe Arianna talked nonsense into his ear?
Anything could have happened, and I would never know.
Endymion expressed that he doesn’t love me anymore, but
that was a lie. It has to be. I can’t bring myself to believe it.
Go home.
He loves me.
Go home.
If you don’t go home, he’ll do far worse than what Pan has
already done.
Go home!
Closing my eyes, I feel the tears streaming down my
cheeks and chin.
Before I know it, I’m inside of Endymion’s chambers. I look
around me and settle down on a chair, knowing that I am
not going anywhere until he tells me what is going on.


To be continueeeeee...

Chapter 14
Endymion.
His name whispers through my mind as the sun beams
down on me.
I look up ahead and see a huge stone castle. I’m in the
same spot where the Erinyes had dropped me. I hear
people whispering around me and looking around, they are
staring at me like I’m out of place.
I ask one of the male mortals, “Endymion, where is he?”
The man informs me that after the light had disappeared,
taking the demon with it, Endymion had gone into the
stables, saddled up his horse, and rode off. I will assume
by “demon” he meant the Erinyes.
I ask the mortal if he has any idea where Endymion was
going but he doesn’t. I ask the others watching me with
curious gazes; none of them have a clue.
He’s going to Mount Latmus.
It makes sense, because where else would he go?
I had disappeared into a blinding white light and he had
made it clear that he wants me in his life. Endymion had
made it clear that he was going to fight for me, for us, and
so he would not give up when I disappeared.
Endymion is going to the only place we have always met in
secret. Thanking the mortals, I allow my thoughts to drift to Mount
Latmus. Within seconds, I’m gone from the castle. A cool
breeze caressed my face, and the ocean aroma settles in
my lungs. The towering mountain stands behind me.
I walk toward it and inside, it’s dark. I can’t help it as my
feet pick up the pace. Soon I’m running while my heart is
drumming excitedly, to lay eyes on Endymion. To smell
him, to gaze into his captivating green eyes, and to have
him hold me. I’ve been kept from his embrace for far too
long, though it’s only been from this morning, it feels like
forever.
I slow my pace when I don’t see any lit candles in the
distance.
It’s dark and cold.
“Endymion,” I call out and when I don’t hear anything I
completely still.
He’s not here.
Where else would he go?
I turn back on my heel and know that if Endymion is
looking for me, he will return here if he hasn’t already. He
has to know that I would never abandon him, at least not
willingly. He has to know that.
***
I watch the bright sky turn an assortment of colors as the
sun lowers. Inside of me, I feel the unavoidable pull. I need
to assist with awakening the moon.

Disappearing back home, Eos and Helios greet me upon
my arrival.
I smile hoping that my siblings would return the gesture
and Helios is the only one. Eos doesn’t look too happy with
me and I know it’s because of Pan. He worried her when
he purposely told my sister that he couldn’t find me,
knowing that I was with Endymion. When Eos tried to look
for me and I wasn’t anywhere to be found, she brought her
worries to Zeus.
Pan had tried to make it seem like he was being nice,
taking my punishment but I saw through that. What did he
honestly think that he was going to accomplish?
Was Zeus right, Pan’s flute can evoke desires?
Why would he lie to me?
Think about it, Selene. Every time you are with Pan, he
plays his flute.
Worry about Pan later, right now you have more important
things to be worrying about.
Helios gives me a hug and shortly after Eos. I don’t give
my siblings a chance to ask me any questions. I hurry to
the golden landing and I climb the steps, and the moment I
reach the apex my body is overtaken with unyielding,
rhythmic movements. My first stance and silver dust fall
from the cosmos. My mind, body, and soul can’t help the
silent call. Another graceful motion, and soon the orbs
appear out of nowhere. Like Eos’ ceremonial dance, the
orbs drift toward me in a dreamlike flow the more I move to
silent music.
I’m lost within myself, and a sense of calmness settles
over me. A flurry of butterflies tickle my insides and I’m at
peace. Embraced and safe. Like Endymion is holding me.
When I open my eyes, I know that my ceremonial duties
have been completed. Stepping down the steps, I catch
Helios’ gaze. He wants to talk, I can’t.
Not at the moment.
I leave my home and return to the mortal realm. I’m
overtaken with remorse but I can’t deal with that right now.
Just like I can’t think about Pan. I need to see Endymion, I
need to know that everything is okay.

Chapter 13
We’re falling.
The familiar fluttering sensations overtake my insides. My
screams vibrate through my ears and my chest thunders
hard and fast. I hear Endymion yelling at me to hold on,
but I do not know what he means.
What am I to hold on to, when he is holding me and the
Erinyes is clutching him?
The wind is whipping around us and everything is
happening in a fast blur. All of a sudden my body jerks up,
and I notice the huge shadow of the Erinyes’ wings
opening.
Endymion loses his grip on me and I slip from his grasp—
he catches my hand at the last second. A gust of wind
blows downward as the Erinyes begins flapping its wings.
Endymion yells, “HOLD ON!”
I do, with both hands clinging to his one hand.
The Erinyes flies toward the ground outside; I hear mortals
yelling and see a few pointing. It flies further into a field
and with my feet a few inches away from the grass,
Endymion releases me. I fall to the earth and roll.
With a groan, my body is riddled with agony. My arms are
sore from when the Erinyes had tried to take me away the
first time. Its claws had dug into my flesh, and now more
scratches and bruises from the drop. I roll onto my back, breathing in and out with difficulty. I sit up just in time to
see the Erinyes drop Endymion to the ground.
It flies off into the sky as if it were disappearing but then it
turns back around. It swoops down toward me and I brace
myself. I hear Endymion yelling my name and then there’s
a bright light that suddenly appears. I’m blinded by sheer
whiteness and then I hear a sharp, loud crackling sound—
the scream of the Erinyes is not like the ones from earlier.
This scream sounded scared and then, no other sounds.
Only silence.
A wave of warmth engulfs me, as the air buzzes fiercely.
The hair on my arms rises and I can feel the hair on my
head lifting.
This feels familiar.
From the brightness, I see a figure walking toward me.
Thinking it’s Endymion, I call out to him but he doesn’t
respond. Forcing myself to stand despite the ache, I try to
balance my wobbly legs. When the figure approaches he’s
much taller and massive than Endymion, and I still where I
am.
I know who that is.
Zeus steps through the blinding light and extends a hand
to me. I take it, knowing that I have been caught.
I wonder if Zeus will whip me himself?
I blink, and we are no longer on earth but back on
Olympus. A heavy sadness settles over my head. My heart
throbs and it folds in on itself.

NO!
Endymion…
I pivot on my heel and upon facing Zeus, I glare up at his
height.
Capturing his vibrant blue gaze, I purse my lips and
demand, “Why did you bring me back?” It’s better to be
back on Mount Olympus, so Endymion and his mortals
don’t have to deal with the Erinyes. They’re safe,
Endymion’s safe, and I didn’t have to go through the Horai
but that doesn’t mean that I will go unpunished.
I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye.
Zeus does not look happy, “Selene, you are quite a
goddess,” and that is not meant as a compliment. I open
my mouth to speak and he cuts me off. “I thought I made
myself clear?”
“You did,”
“But,”
I wanted to see a mortal. I don’t say that.
Instead, I ask. “Why did you do that?” Zeus had stopped
the Erinyes from taking me back here, which doesn’t make
sense.
“It wasn’t to save you,” He says sharply.
“Then who?”
“The mortal was going to strike it down and that would
have been a senseless punishment because of you.”

Zeus stopped the Erinyes because the mortal was going to
strike it down. That still doesn’t make sense. “Why do you
care?”
“Selene, I do not care. However, in the span of a day, you
have evoked the Horai and the Erinyes.”
“I did not mean to,”
“Then explain, because I thought I made myself clear.”
I fell in love with a mortal. I don’t say anything but I look
away from Zeus, gazing at a clear sky. I choke on a sob
and force myself not to cry.
Staring ahead, I bite down on my bottom lip. “Let’s get this
over with.”
“Get what over with?” Zeus asks.
“The punishment.”
“Selene, this entire situation is by far a lot worse than just a
punishment.”
“Well then, let me go.”
“No, you need to explain things to me because I did you
favor. You are acting like dealing with the Horai and the
Erinyes was a small matter.”
Glaring, I snap. “I did not ask for a favor.”
“Well then, by all means, I’ll summon the Horai so you can
be at their mercy.” Zeus raises a hand—once he snaps
those large blunt fingers, they would appear.
Quickly, I speak out. “I-I don’t know what happened.” “You need to give me more of an answer.”
My brain goes over every event that has occurred. From
the most recent to all the way back when Gaea had first
shown my siblings and me the mortal realm.
I can feel the emotions rising, thinking how everything got
so messed up. I do not understand how I got to this forlorn
point. I mean, I do in one sense but in another, I’m lost.
Tears brimmed my bottom eyelids.
Do not cry in front of Zeus. He’ll figure out how messed up
you are.
Not even the gods on Mount Olympus can cry—no gods
cry!
Zeus speaks more softly, but the hardness underlying his
tone hasn’t gone away. “Selene, I need to understand what
is going on with you.”
“I want to be with a mortal,” I tell him, not regretting my
words.
“I am willing to fight for you and me.” That was what
Endymion had said.
My lip trembles as I think about how I left earth.
Was Endymion looking for me after Zeus and I
disappeared?
Did he really think that I was coming back?
I hadn’t promised Endymion that I would, but why would he
think otherwise? After all, I hadn’t explained to him about the ring and that it was gone, therefore… I can’t swallow
past the lump in my throat.
Endymion would think that I abandoned him if after a few
days I don’t return. I never wanted to do that. I at least
wanted to say a proper farewell, not disappear into a
blinding white light never to be seen again.
Zeus narrows his gaze on me. “Selene, what did you do?”
The tears fall through my lashes, “I would sneak to Earth to
see a human.”
Did I not fight for us every time I left home to see
Endymion?
He thought that I wasn’t fighting for him.
I never wanted to fight for us, but not in a bad way. I only
thought that I could never fight and win. I assumed that like
everything else in my life there is a way to life, a balance,
and it couldn’t work. But then tonight, Endymion had fought
for me, despite telling him to let me go. Despite everything,
he risked his life against the Erinyes to protect me.
He fought for me and for our love.
I’m a horrible goddess!
I don’t do anything with the tears or wipe them away. I let
Zeus see me in my saddest state because he caused this
when he and Gaea came up with the decree to keep me
away.
My heart is throbbing so terribly, it’s actually hard to
breathe. Every part of my body is aching and not just from
the physical trauma I had suffered. My chest is crying, mourning its loss. A broken song that only I can hear and
feel.
“I hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him that I wanted to stay
on earth,” are my heavy broken words riddled with grief.
“He never understood that it was a difficult decision to
make.” Maybe we are better off, or maybe he just wanted
to see you fight for him.
On a frustrated breath, I turn away from Zeus and walk out
to the side. I keep walking until the grass is tickling my
bare feet, and I stop a few inches away from a cliff. I look
out on Olympus, in all of its magnificent glory.
It’s almost as wondrous as earth in the sense that
everything here is flawless. Earth is without a doubt inferior
to Olympus in every way, but it has its allure. It’s ugly and
beautiful all at the same time.
“Selene,” I hear Zeus behind me. “The mortal world has
corrupted you.”
Yes, thank you for being observant.
“I know,” I snap. “It made me weak, I get it. Are you going
to berate me for my mistakes?” More tears fall
uncontrollably, but that is the least of my problems. Earth
made me weak and confused with constant conflicting
sensations. I do not know how mortals manage to live a life
that way.
“Selene, I would never berate one for expressing their
emotions. Secondly, to feel doesn’t make you weak—in
fact, that only strengthens you as a goddess.”
His kind words draw in my attention, so I turn on my heel
to face him. At first, I don’t say anything. I only stare at Zeus like I hadn’t understood every word he said. When
my brain had enough time to confirm that what he said
actually came out of his mouth, I reply.
“How can you say that when you and Gaea have gone
through harsh lengths to keep me here?”
“Can I tell you a secret—and it has to stay between you
and me.” I nod, afraid of his response. “I was only acting
on Gaea’s requests,”
“Then why did you pass the decree?”
“I may be the king of all gods, but Gaea is the mother of all
life. However, despite everything, you still managed to do
what you wanted. Tell me, were you with Pan?”
I shake my head, “He was lying.” Although if he asked me
who got me the ring, what would I say? Despite everything
that happened between us, would I tell Zeus that Pan was
the one who got me the ring? Hoping that wasn’t the next
question, I say quickly. “I did not mean to be disrespectful,”
Zeus watches me, “No, you simply wanted to do what you
wanted to do.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I tell him, unable to look him in the
eyes. My bottom lip trembles. “Do you not share the same
fears as Gaea?”
Zeus shakes his head. “I have never told you that I share
her fears. But what I am about to tell you is because you
have crossed an irreversible line.” He says the word
‘irreversible’ like I’m on a damnable path. “Selene, I am not
standing here to only reaffirm what you already know.
You’ve indulged, dipped your toes into the sacred pool of
forbidden pleasures. Even you cannot change your path.

Pain and suffering will always be present from now on, but
happiness is there intertwined. You have to be willing to
find and embrace it. Your mind’s eye has opened and you
are now susceptible to knowledge like never before.
Emotions will wage wars inside of you and you will need to
learn to control the tides.”
Heeding his words, I murmur. “What if I don’t want to deal
with it?”
“You should have never gone to earth.”
“It can’t be reversed? What if I never return to back earth?”
“Selene, you chose your path. Now you have to deal with
consequences. You stripped away all of your innocence
and you may decide to never return to earth, but you will
forever remember the mortal world and all that happened.
It will feel like a wound that has never healed, forever
gnawing right here.” Zeus places a hand on his chest and
for the first time ever, I start looking at the god of all gods
in a whole other light.
Zeus sounds like he knows what he’s talking about. He
sounds like he may understand what I’ve been going
through.
“I messed up,” I said to Zeus.
He shakes his head, “Selene, you didn’t mess up. Your
eyes have been opened,”
“That sounds like I messed up. I’m crying, gods don’t cry.”
“The tears of gods are sacred.”
“Scared, or did you mean confusing or weak? Or—” “That is not what I mean.”
“Then please enlighten me, because these overwhelming
sensations do not feel good. Simply thinking about Endy
—”
I stopped my thoughts, my words.
“Selene, I do not mean that literally. If we share any traits
with the mortals, it’s that there is a sacredness in tears, for
it does not show one’s weakness but in fact the opposite. It
shows power and speaks a thousand times more than the
tongue. They are the herald of devastating sorrow, of deep
contrition and of indefinable love.” Studying me carefully,
he adds, “Like the love you shed for the mortal Endymion.”
“How do you know that name?”
Ignoring me Zeus asks, “Are you honestly smitten with the
mortal?”
“What does it matter what he means to me? I can no
longer see him again and I just want to forget. Since you
brought me back here, all I am feeling is sick and all I want
to do is cry. You say shedding tears makes one powerful,
but it feels the opposite.”
“You still haven’t answered my question.”
“Yes, I’m more than smitten with the mortal. I feel like he is
where I belong, but apparently, I got that wrong.”
Zeus takes me in. “Don’t worry about the Horai and the
Erinyes.”
Why would he say that? I have no need to worry about them because I cannot go
back—wait. What?
I watch him carefully, thinking that my ears are deceiving
me. “What are you saying to me?”
“It’s another one of our little secrets.”
“Why would you withdraw your decree?”
“The mortal would be your distraction. We cannot afford
the balance to be disrupted because you miss the human.
The dull ache will never cease, and it will upset you to the
point of Gaea’s fears.”
“Won’t Gaea be upset?”
“Yes, at first. However, even Gaea won’t be able to deny
the truth.” Zeus studies me for a moment and after a
heartbeat, he says. “Selene, if this is the path you want,
know that it will not be easy and I should warn you of Pan’s
flute,”
I ask, “What about it.”
“Remember when I told how it came to be?” I nod my head
and he continues, “Pan can use it to control one’s desire. I
told you that Pan wants what he cannot have and he wants
you. Always remember that,”
Control desires are the only words swarming around in my
mind. I hear the whisper of his flute, the harmonious
melody as if Pan was here. But he wasn’t.
Mine, are Pan’s words.
I close my eyes, I am not.
Zeus is still talking, “He cannot be trusted. So you be
careful,” he stares at me one last time, while I don’t say
anything to mention Pan’s flute or awareness of his
melody. But I am very aware of it. I love to hate it. Like
whenever I’m with Pan, I am both scared and excited.
No, I shake my head. It can’t be true.
This is all too much to be dealing with now.
“Selene you can leave. But remember, no matter what
decision you chose there will always be consequences,
good or bad. Never forget who you are; never forget it is
not just you.” And with those words, Zeus lifts a hand and I
am no longer on Olympus.
I blink, realizing that I am back on earth.