Chapter Six
1786 Words
Alyona woke up the next morning to the second alarm clock she had set for herself. This one across the room. As she stumbled her way to it in the darkness of her room, she made a mental note to ask Circe exactly what was in the oil. She never slept like this! She turned off the beeping and walked into the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and the rest of her usual morning routine and then dressed to hit the fields.
She was out there earlier than the rest of the pack, she needed some time alone. Pulling out one of the dummies she let herself imagine if she hadn't been drugged. That she had been able to fight back, she was doing her best to pull their faces into her mind, she wanted to be beating them. Causing them the hurt they gave her. Why her? She punched the dummy in the face watching the cloth head snap back and then return. These training tools were made to act like a real body when struck, so unless its head was ripped off its shoulders it would snap back. She worked her way down the body, beating and punching it, silent except for the occasional grunt of frustration she emitted.
Bella and Bardik were walking in, when they got no answer on Ally's door again this morning, they figured she was sleeping hard. They stopped as they watched her pummeling the dummy, using her fists then switching to kicks. They could hear her, asking herself quietly, "Why me? What did I do?" Each hit garnering a question.
Bardik looked at Isabella, he was confused, "What is she talking about? Do you know?" He was clearly concerned for his sister but had no idea what was causing her this much pain.
Bella could only nod her head, her sister's questions ringing in her ears much like they did when she was hurt. She put a hand on Bardik's shoulder and said, "You wouldn't understand, but I do. And until she feels ready, there is nothing we can do but be here for her," she said sadly. She turned to her sister then, "Ally, we're here," she called, seeing the force of her sister's hits she didn't want to be on the receiving end of one. They looked pretty potent.
Ally jumped at her sister's voice, "Bella, hey," she said, hoping they didn't hear her as she was questioning the dummy. She put her hands on the shoulders of the faceless body in front of her and rested, her breaths coming in short even pants.
"How long have you been here?" Bardik asked, taking in Ally's sweat-soaked face, her hair was dripping slightly as well.
"Uh, I'm not sure, " she said, only slightly breathlessly. "What time is it?"
Bella glanced at her watch, "It's a little after six," she said.
"Then I've been here for about an hour maybe an hour and a half," Ally said like it was nothing.
"You've been beating on this dummy for an hour and a half?" Bardik asked. Shocked and a little impressed by her stamina.
Ally looked at him like he was an i***t, "No, I ran for five miles with Svet," she said as if it were nothing.
Bardik and Bella exchanged looks of surprise, Chusi came running up just then, "There you are Ally!" she said happily.
Bardik turned to Chusi, "Do you know that she has been out here for over an hour and a half already?!" he was still shocked.
Chusi gave Ally a small, almost imperceptible nod, "Mmmhmm, I was flying overhead, so she wasn't by herself," she let the half-lie out easily. She knew that Bardik didn't like the women out here by themselves in case of a rogue attack. She did fly overhead, but only just twenty minutes ago.
Ally's eyes got a little wider as she acknowledged her sister-in-law. Chusi came over to her, "I know you have things to do today. I had just landed and dressed to let you know what time it was when I saw these two," she explained quickly.
"Things to do?" Bardik asked.
"Yeah, I am heading to Dreamers to speak with Circe about the sword, to see what we are missing here," Ally said.
"Are you going too, Chusi?" Bardik asked he was surprised by this bit of news.
Chusi shook her head, she knew there was more to it than that, but she was also leaving it out. Ally needed to figure herself out for now, and if that meant going to town on her own, then she would do it.
"No, she and I discussed this last night, and it's not like she's going to my family's island. Although," she said turning to her mate, "A visit to my mother and father doesn't sound like a bad idea," she said with a grin. She missed her parents and would love to see her brother, she hasn't seen him a bit. She knew they were still working to develop the other side of the island into a resort. There were just a lot of small details they were trying to work out. Plus a not so small one, the mermaids.
******************
Today was the day of the interviews, and Abigor was not looking forward to this. He put on the suit he found in his closet, pulling at the tie. He always hated these things, they were suffocating. Even his turn out gear from the fire station wasn't this uncomfortable.
When he had tried to protest these interviews, he was met with every counter-argument available. People will recognize him? Apollo already made sure to disguise his scent and for the most part him. His hair was no longer the white blonde of his mother's but a sandy blonde, his skin tone was now a rich tan color. That in his opinion, made him look like some beachcomber. His eyes were still the icy blue, but with the changes in his skin and hair, he looked most certainly different. He looked different for sure he thought as he took a look at himself in the mirror.
There's no place to hold the interviews, which was Abigor's second argument. Apollo laughed at him, "Your father owns two buildings in Avec, we're using one of them. I have people setting it up as we speak."
"You really are thinking of everything, aren't you?" Abigor said shaking his head.
"Well, what about someone who will be helping me keep this all organized?" was his final, weak argument.
Apollo struck that one down easily as well, "You mean like a secretary?" he asked. As in walked a strikingly beautiful woman with silvery hair and kind eyes. Abigor was digging into the recesses of his mind, this woman looks awfully familiar.
"How do I know you?" he asked squinting his eyes at her, trying to place where he knows her from.
Apollo and the woman couldn't help but laugh, "This lady, is none other than Selene," he said.
Abigor's mouth gaped at the mention of Selene, he had heard of her and could always see her beautiful work when he was on Avec. Here on the Isle, though it was much more difficult to see even the moon. The only way to see it was in the small, locked garden his father had made for Aislinn all those years ago.
****flashback*****
He remembered the day he found that spot, vividly. His father was sitting on a bench looking at a picture, there was almost a wistful appearance to Egan as he looked at the crinkled piece of paper.
He was only five or six years old and had just learned that his mother was still alive, but in something called the elder council. He approached his father with caution, whenever he was in one of these moods, he didn't know how he would act.
"Father," he said quietly. As he looked around, he found the gate purely by accident, and discovering it unlocked he entered.
"Abigor, what are you doing in here?" he asked gruffly. Ever since Aislinn had gone this was where he would go to think. And the news of her being alive and back with the elder council hurt him dearly.
"I was looking for you, " he said.
"Well, you've found me," he said, "What did you need?"
"Father, why did she leave me?" he asked. His little mind could only imagine what she looked like, his father didn't speak of her much anymore. He just wanted to understand.
Egan looked at his son, "I don't know," was all he said as he crumpled the picture again and shoved it into his pocket as he stood up. He took Abigor by the hand and led him out of the small garden he had made for Aislinn.
"Can I come back in here, father?" the young Abigor asked as he peered into the opening above him, seeing the stars and moon for the first time in all their beautiful glory. He wanted to see this again. He could swear he could see a lady looking down at them on the moon.
"No, son," his father said as they exited the gate and he locked the door. The click sounding so final in Abigor's ears.
******
Abigor shook the memory from his head, now was not the time to wallow in pitiful memories. He had to deal with these interviews.
"By the way," Abigor said to the two in front of him, "Thank you, for having the minions begin their work again. You were right, it is easier to keep peace in a tidy space," he said.
"It does look much nicer in here, that little female minion does do a great job," Apollo said, looking around, she even dusted all the books.
"One more question," Abigor said, as he stood.
"How do suppose I get back to Avec? I can't just hop on the ferry from here," he said. "And the portals from Brigid are gone," he said. At the mention of Brigid, Abigor couldn't help the anger that rose in his heart over her betrayal. Her actions were why it was better to work alone.
Selene and Apollo grinned, "We have that all figured out as well," they said.
Abigor looked at the two gods in front of him, he had a feeling this was going to be very interesting.
"Brigid isn't the only one that can make portals," Selene said with a wink. With a simple circular motion of her arm, a large portal appeared in front of them.
"We're going to be late," she said and stepped through, not waiting on the men.
- Writer
