Page 125 of Bonds of Hercules
Wait, what does this have to do with getting your memory back?
Lavender eyes sharpened. “The words of predestination.”
A sense of foreboding slithered down my spine.
“I’ve seen this umlaut before,” Ceres said in a rush. “I remember—it was crucial, a rare moment of clarity. The pieces all fit together, and it made sense. It was clear. It’sneverclear. And I realized that I’m on the right track. I have to be. Because …Guesswhich ancient Olympian House book I found this symbol in? Guess. Please guess. Guess. You must guess.”
She blinked up at me expectantly.
“Um.”
Ceres made me realize that I was a verylow-energy person.
Wait, am I anemic?
“Guess a House,” she demanded. “Guess. You gotta guess. Just do it. Do it quickly.” She practically vibrated with excitement.
“The House of … Zeus?”
“You got it!” She slammed the page down and picked up a heavy tome, flipping through it. “I’m right, I know I am. The House of Zeus had something to do withyourdisappearance and my memory loss.”
She beamed at me.
“But it’ssosatisfying because my memories arefinallycoming back. It’s Plato’s cave—I’m in the dark, then I’m turned to the light and suddenly I can see. Duh, right?”
“Sure?”
I felt stupid.
“This girl needs so much help,” Nyx hissed.
“Want to sit here while I read?” Ceres offered slowly,suddenly looking self-conscious. “It’s nice to have someone around.”
I nodded.
She nudged my shoulder as I sat down next to her on the floor. Her smile made me feel warm inside.
I’d never had a girlfriend. Now I had herandHelen.
A few hours later, there was a ringing in my bad ear and a cramp in my lower back. Ceres was reading a book in silence.
With a groan, I stood up to leave.
“Alexis—” Ceres grabbed my arm to stop me and I startled. Her lavender eyes were shockingly bright. “Have you seen this symbol before? It matters tonight.” She ripped a page out of her book and held it up to me.
The cream-colored page had a single drawing on it.
The symbol was extremely crude. It was a straight line with a circle at the top, and a squiggle over the line, with two puffy clouds floating on either side of it.
I squinted. It looked familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
“Maybe … I’m not sure,” I said, confused what was going on. “What’s tonight?”
She tilted her head and stared like she was studying me, uncharacteristically silent.
“Ceres … Wh-why?” I repeated, feeling increasingly awkward.
In a flash of movement, she crinkled up the piece of paperand threw it aside. She turned back to her book and resumed reading like nothing had happened.
