Page 324 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

She’s still a distance away, but I keep my shields up in case she decides to unleash her energy toward me. Her once beautiful face is mottled with anger, her cheeks red, her eyes almost bulging out of her face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her like this before, and a sliver of fear envelops me. What could have happened to cause her to react like this? I was only gone a day. Not much would have changed in that time, no? But perhaps she’s heard about Cerenios’ true intentions toward me;that he isn’t interested in a potential marriage, but rather he’s investigating me at Commander Azerius’ orders.

“What do you mean what happened? Soldiers should be here any moment to arrest you,” she continues in the same shrilly voice.

“Arrest me?” I ask, dumbfounded.

“How could you do this, Minerva? How could you lay with a human?”

“W-what?” I stammer. “I didn’t?—”

“There’s no point in denying it. Theron has not only publicly repudiated you, but he’s also shared evidence of your behavior. By the Source, how can you be my child? How could you do something like this…” she continues. “The entirety of Aperion knows what you’ve done. How you’ve shamed all of us. But with a human, Minerva.” She shakes her head. “I never had much hope for you, but I never believed you would do something like this.”

I stare at her. Theron repudiated me? For lying with a human? But… How would he know?

“What evidence did he show?” I ask slowly.

“He used a divining mirror to show everyone how you lay like a whore with that scar-riddled human.”

“Don’t call him that,” I snap.

Her nostrils flare at me, the corner of her lips tugging down in disdain.

“You know what the punishment is for this. Death. And neither your father nor I will do anything to help you. In fact.” She pauses. In the distance, I register thudding footsteps. She hears them, too. “I disown you. You are no daughter of mine.”

Perhaps that type of statement deserves a comeback, but it seems she was not joking when she mentioned soldiers are coming to arrest me. They’re in the palace, on their way toward me. I give her one last look of disappointment before I flashmyself in the library. After gathering as many books on the House of Psyche as possible, I teleport out of the palace just as the library doors burst open to reveal the incoming soldiers.

To make them lose my trail, I teleport all over Aperion, leaving small prints of energy behind before shielding myself altogether. Then I go to the only place I know no one will think to look for —the cabin in Polemos. They will eventually come here, too. But it should buy me some time to study the books and figure out a plan of action.

But as I arrive at the cabin, I realize I didn’t count on the memories of Mine hitting me with such a fierce force. I see him in the middle of the living room, poring over books. I see him smiling at me and kissing my forehead. I see him hugging me from behind as we go to sleep.

The tears fall unbidden as I stand in the middle of the room, staring into empty space. The books fall from my grasp, thudding against the hardwood floor.

“How did I mess everything so badly?” I whisper to myself.

I was careless, so damn careless. I should have seen the signs of Mine’s deteriorating health just as I should have been more careful about my presence in Anthropa. From the moment I got there, I used my powers liberally with no thought to shield my energy signature. Theron could have easily followed me around. And given the way I humiliated him, he would have wanted revenge.

He got it. Oh, he got it in spades.

Not only is he free of me now, but my biggest fear has finally materialized. I am officially a fugitive sentenced to death. Ironically, it’s not even for the worst of my offenses—messing with the threads of fate. A dry laugh escapes me. I suppose they haven’t found out about that. Yet.

Well, considering my next little heist, the offenses will keep on piling up. It’s not like they can kill me three times. Not that it’s of any consolation.

Taking a deep breath, I get to reading.

Although the House of Psyche is closed to anyone born outside its boundaries, there is one way of getting inside. Every hundred of years, a deity is allowed to lodge a complaint with the House of Psyche if they feel that a soul has not been judged properly. The complaint can be either in favor of the soul, arguing that the punishment has been too harsh, or to the disadvantage of the soul, arguing that it should be sent to a lower level and thus delay its reincarnation.

If I seek entrance to lodge a complaint… Won’t they know who I am and that there is a pending arrest warrant for me?

With no other choice, I suppose I will have to try my luck.

To ensure I will be at my optimal strength, I quickly eat something and ransack the cabin for any leftover items that might hold some spiritual energy. At the moment, my energy is nearly full, but there is no telling what I might encounter in the future, so I will need some backup. When I get to the study, I find a pen that my grandmother used in the past and note it’s overflowing with energy. I place it in my pocket.

Careful to shield my energy signature, I teleport to the entrance of the House of Psyche. Similar to the House of Moirai, there are two guards in front of a portal. I introduce myself and tell them I am here to lodge an official complaint about an errant soul. After I’m done speaking, I wait with bated breath to see if they recognize my name.

“You may proceed,” one of the guards says.

The portal blinks twice and I go inside. At the other end, a deity garbed in a blue gown awaits me. “I am Fina and I will be your guide today.”

“Thank you,” I murmur.

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