Free Arcadian Nights by Marie Medina Page A

I? I’m
fine.”
    “ And you’re
happy?”
    That struck Eris as an odd question.
Lachesis had no reason to care if anyone was happy, so long as
things were “as they should be.” That was all the Fates cared
about.
    “ I believe so. I’m not
unhappy about anything.”
    “ Are you certain of that?
You seem nervous because I’m here.”
    “ I’m not.”
    “ You are, but you
shouldn’t be. I’m going to tell you something you want to
hear.”
    Eris waited for her to go on. This
visit had to be about her and Hermes. Lachesis was going to tell
her whether they were meant to be together or not. Did this mean
they weren’t? Did Lachesis want her to be prepared to lose
him?
    “ You need to stop fighting
us. You are ruining all our plans.”
    Eris felt her face flush. “Excuse me?
When have I ever done anything but carry out your plans? There is
no one more trusting or loyal, no one more obedient. What have I
done?”
    “ You’re fighting your love
for Hermes.”
    She took a deep breath. “There’s no
love to fight. I like him and want to keep fucking him. That’s
all.”
    “ That’s a lie.”
    “ Then shall we summon
Aphrodite to find out?” Eris regretted the words when she saw the
smug look on Lachesis’ face.
    “ You know you have no
desire to see Aphrodite. I didn’t say you were in love this very
moment.” She smiled for a moment. “Would you like to know if he
loves you?”
    Her heart thudded to a stop for a
moment then began beating rapidly. “What have I done to deserve
this? You’re toying with me the way Aphrodite or Zeus
would.”
    Lachesis stopped smiling. “Is that
what you think? I’m sorry. I don’t understand why you aren’t
happy.”
    She stared for a moment, exasperated.
“You’re confusing me. What’re you here for? Are you going to tell
me my destiny or not?”
    “ I have.”
    Eris thought about this, but then
shook her head. “No. You’ve asked me if I’m happy and teased me
about Hermes.”
    “ Your destiny is to be
happy, Eris. You’re heading down the path already. I just wanted to
talk to you.”
    “ I’m not fighting my
feelings. I love fucking Hermes, that’s it.”
    “ Then why do you run from
him?”
    “ He can see me whenever he
likes. We’ve been together once, and I certainly didn’t turn him
away.”
    “ Emotionally, you push him
as far away as you can every time he touches you.”
    “ Have you been spying on
me?” She tried to keep her voice even, but she felt ready to
explode.
    “ Eris, you know we don’t
do that, but we can see the thread of your destiny. Yours has
become entwined with his, but you try to pull away and unravel what
you two could have.”
    Eris wanted to leave. She didn’t want
to sit and listen to her friend saying the same things Hermes had
said. She wanted everyone to leave her alone. She’d been happier
then.
    “ You can’t make me follow
your plans. That’s why you need me. You can’t make things happen
just because you plan them.”
    “ But you and Hermes have a
faith in us others have lost. Why wouldn’t we want you above all
others to be happy?”
    “ Love doesn’t make you
happy.”
    “ How do you know that? How
can you say it doesn’t bring great happiness to everyone it
touches?”
    “ Does it always last? Does
it always work out? It hurts more than it helps.”
    “ That’s not
true.”
    Eris glared at her. “You won’t tell me
what to believe any more than you’ll tell me what to
do.”
    Lachesis stood up. “I see this was
futile. You’ll do what you want, no matter what. Just know this.
I’m the assigner of fate. I see farther than anyone. I know what
will come of a life or a destiny before Clotho spins the thread,
and I know what will happen before the moment Atropos cuts it. It’s
different with the gods, yes, as you don’t have the beginnings and
ends of mortals, but you still have a destiny, many in fact. I see
happiness. If you don’t want it, I’ll never bother trying
again.”
    Eris