Page 18 of Heroines of Olympus

The thought of an exit plan calms her nerves as her heartbeat returns to normal. As the panic recedes, she assesses the situation with a slightly clearer head.

If nothing else, Alec is her family. She would never betray her family even if she decides their cause is not for her. Her instincts are telling her though, that would not be the case. Saying yes and agreeing seems easy and logical despite the weight of the monumental step.

The commitment can’t be ignored, however. Was her life great before they found her? No, but it was hers. She turned it into something of her own. Does she really want to do this? Be this far down the path of rebellion? She has no loyalty to the Pantheon, but this would change everything.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, I am a god of many things, the soul being one. I administer these oaths, and I will be with you for every part. I don’t pretend to know the path you wish for yourself, but I know this journey is being urged on by the Fates. I can feel it.”

Medusa looks at Alec and then back at Psyche. “I don’t want to go back to an island. To isolation. I want to fight back, resist. I will take your oath.”

Alec smiles wide and stands to lift the food tray off the bed while saying, “I’m going to run this back to the galley. I’ll see you on the other side, Lyra.” With a wink, he is again out the door in a flash.

Sitting on the bed facing each other, Psyche takes Medusa’s hands in her own and they lock eyes. Medusa hopes Psyche can’t feel her pulse quicken. She knows it would repulse the beautiful god to learn that she makes Medusa’s heart flutter.

In a blink, Medusa’s stomach drops. Everything goes black for a split second and when her vision returns, she and Psyche are no longer at sea. She quickly spins around, scanning in all directions. The surroundings are a flat desert at night, no hills or mountains as far as the eye can see. The sky is filled with more stars than Medusa has ever seen, illuminating the sandy terrain around her in a dusky twilight haze. She continues to spin around, coming to an abrupt halt when Psyche is suddenly right in front of her.

“Where are we?” Medusa asks, brows furled in concern. Psyche merely smiles in response.

10

MEDUSA

“Relax,” Psyche says. “We are still on the ship. We are just in the Oasis.” She gestures around and continues, “I needed someplace I could administer the oaths. Somewhere my magic could come and examine their soul. I created this Oasis as a place to meet in the person’s mind I’m oathing.”

“My mind?” Medusa asks. Now that it has been brought to her attention, she notices there is a light breeze blowing sand around, but she her skin feels nothing. She tries to breathe in deeply, but there is no scent of any kind. “I understand. This place is absolutely lovely.” Turning back to Psyche, she asks, “will this hurt?”

“Not at all. As long as you feel deep within your soul, this is a secret you can keep. This oath will never harm you.”

“What happens to those that break the oath? Under what conditions is it bound?” Medusa asks tentatively.

Psyche’s response comes with a smirk, “The punishment is tied into the name of our group - one that I cannot tell you until you have sworn the oath for yourself. All I can say is that if the oath is broken, you won’t just be damned in this life and will be consigned to eternal suffering.”

Medusa’s eyes widen at that, taking in the true weight of what she will promise. Her chest tightens again, but she is not going back.

Trying to change to focus to something lighter for a moment, Medusa asks, “Do you only come here for oaths, or is this somewhere you can access anytime you’d like for an escape?”

Psyche tilts her head at the question, as if the answer is not one she had ever considered. “I only come here for oaths, but I imagine I could go within myself and come here on my own. The oath only takes a few minutes, so it always looks the way you see it now. However, if I’m in someone’s mind for longer periods of time, I believe the Oasis will modify, changing the scenery to become a merging of what it believes our two subconsciousness will find pleasing. I’ve never tested the stability of this, though, and surprisingly, you’re the first person ever to suggest such a thing.”

Medusa shies away from the look of surprise on Psyche’s face, keeping her external expression as neutral as possible. Of course, why would she expect a monster to be intelligent? Psyche is probably grateful that Medusa can still speak with other people.

Psyche takes Medusa’s hands, and the wind blows around them, whipping the fabric of their clothing against their skin and causing Psyche’s hair to billow all around her. The wind’s effect can be seen, but Medusa notices she still feels nothing.

What she can feel, however, are the slumbering minds of her serpents. She does not know what they are thinking or dreaming, but she canfeeltheir presence so much more vividly than she ever could in the real world.

“It’s time,” Psyche states and takes Medusa’s hands, causing her to feel an electric hum suddenly coursing through her. Psyche looks surprised by this but then is quickly back to business. “Repeat this oath after me.”

“Wait!” Medusa interjects, “how will I know if it worked?”

In annoying, vague fashion, Psyche merely answers, “You will know. Repeat after me, Lyra.” She nods in agreement and they begin.

“I pledge upon my soul,

to hold these secrets told.

I bind myself to this truth

and hereby swear to never

betray or expose

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