Page 64 of Crown of Serpents

Silence descended, broken only by his ragged breath. He gazed over his shoulder, exchanging a wary glance with Medusa, who lingered in the shadows as if they might shield her from the goddess’s all-seeing eyes. Suddenly, her expression changed, her lips trembling. Perseus whirled around just as the statue began to glow with an ethereal light. Before him, Athena stood, her expression unreadable, her silver eyes fixed upon Medusa, who shrank beneath her gaze.

Athena's voice cut through the silence, cold and clear, “Perseus, son of Zeus, it was wise of you to come and seek my counsel, for I am the protector of heroes. Here is the wisdom I offer you: The simplest path requires you to fulfil the bargain, settle your debt, and claim the gorgon’s head. Yet other paths exist, though blood taints all roads fate presents. Choose wisely, young hero, if you dare!”

Perseus’ head spun as he struggled to understand the goddess’s words.

Yet, one thing was clear to him. He had vowed not to kill Medusa and intended to keep his promise. “I will not sacrifice Medusa’s life for my own ends. She has saved my life and the lives of my crew. It would not be fair. There must be another way!”

Athena’s gaze flickered between Perseus and Medusa. “I amthe goddess of wisdom and strategy, not justice and fairness. Even so, killing Medusa would guarantee victory and appease the gods’ wrath for the havoc she has wreaked along the Greek shores.”

I have never murdered an innocent man.

“But Medusa has stopped killing. She has shared the ship with my crew for many weeks without harming a soul — even after they had wronged her. There is no need to murder her, for she is not the wild beast you made her out to be. What if she vowed to leave the sailors and coastlines in peace, not to harm any mortal unless to defend herself?”

Disdain flickered in Athena's steely eyes as she regarded Medusa. “Medusa has broken vows before.”

Perseus’s heart sank at the goddess’s harsh tone when she addressed her former priestess. The unspoken secret of their shared past lingered between Medusa and Athena. His hope for Athena's help dwindled. He should have known better than to rely on the Olympians' mercy.

Yet, one glance at Medusa, still lurking in the shadows, urged him to press on. This was not just about him and his mother … it was about her. “If you doubt Medusa's word, lift the curse you placed upon her. You claim not to be the goddess of justice, yet you speak of necessary sacrifices for victory. Relinquish the punishment you inflicted upon Medusa for her perceived insult and make her mortal once more. Then the shores will be safe, and the monster within her defeated.”

Athena turned the full weight of her attention on him, and Perseus winced. He had been bold — perhaps too bold — to demand that the goddess reconsider her punishment. Yet, the story of the young girl’s polecat, Gale, had been brandished in his mind. He straightened his back, withstanding the goddess’s stare. He had had to ask. For Medusa. Not because he feared the monster crawling beneath her skin. To him, there was nothing monstrous about her, for he knew that her heart was good. He had to ask so she might live, so mortals and gods might stop seeing her as a threat, so they might stop chasing her.

The goddess clucked her tongue. “Even if I agreed to relinquish thegiftsI have bestowed upon my former priestess,your debt to Polydectes would remain unsettled. Moreover, the gods have chosen you, son of Zeus, for this quest not only to eliminate the threat the gorgon posed for the Aegean Sea but so you may claim victory in your father’s name. The gods’ demand for greatness must be heard!”

Perseus nodded reluctantly. He could not care less what the mighty Zeus expected of him. If it were only his fate at stake, he would gladly defy his father's demands. But Athena was right: if Medusa became mortal, his debt to Polydectes would remain. How could he save both Danae and Medusa?

An idea began forming in his head. “What if I challenged Polydectes before he could harm my mother?” his voice grew more confident as he remembered the cruel man who ruled his home. Neither Medusa nor his mother deserved to die, but Polydectes did. “If I defeated him, freed Seriphos of the cruel tyrant in Zeus’ name, would that appease the gods? Would that prove my worth to the lord of the skies?”

The title felt like acid on his tongue, but Perseus didn’t flinch. He could feel Medusa’s eyes on his back, but he resisted the urge to turn to her. Instead, he met Athena’s gaze with unwavering determination, his heart thundering in his chest.

After what felt like an eternity, Athena declared, her voice reverberating with finality, “If you can defeat Polydectes and claim Seriphos’ throne in the name of Lord Zeus, you shall have proven yourself a true hero.”

The goddess’s sharp gaze turned to Medusa once more, who fought the urge to cower. “Only then will I take back the gifts I have bestowed upon you if you genuinely wish to relinquish them, Medusa? “

Medusa flinched at the sound of her name on Athena’s tongue, but she straightened her back and whispered, her voice raw, “I do.”

The two women locked eyes, the former mistress and servant assessing each other. A mix of emotions swirled in Medusa’s eyes that Perseus couldn’t read. Her legs trembled like those of a fawn, but she endured the goddess’s silver stare. Finally, it seemed Medusa had passed the test.

“Very well,” Athena said, “if Perseus proves himself, I shallmake you mortal once more. But know, Medusa: turning you into a gorgon was never your punishment. I banished you from my temple for your offence against me, for breaking your oath, but you remained one of mine, one I had sworn to protect. That was why I bestowed these lethal powers upon you, to defend yourself after leaving the shelter of my sanctuary. I made you even more powerful than your elder sisters, so you might make any man tremble in fear like Stheno and Euryale.”

Medusa’s lips trembled as Athena’s words echoed through the temple. Though her steely eyes had not softened, a hint of fondness sounded in her voice. Perseus watched as Medusa bowed her head before the goddess of wisdom and warcraft in reverence. For the briefest moment, a flicker of triumph shone in Athena’s eyes. He was still unsure what had truly transpired between the goddess and her former priestess.

“Kneel before me then,” Athena ordered, “vow to claim the throne of Seriphos to spare the gorgon’s life. Pledge your sword to this mission so I might bestow my blessing upon you, young hero.”

Despite his racing heart and sweaty palms, Perseus sank to his knees again to pray at the goddess’s feet. He had never desired to be a king. He hadn’t even wanted to lead the crew that had set out to find Medusa. Yet, this bargain, this path the goddess had illuminated, seemed the only way he could save his mother and the woman at his side.

Perseus’s heart was heavy when he spoke, “I will do it. I solemnly swear to you, Athena, protector of heroes, to defeat Polydectes and free Seriphos from its tyrannical rule in exchange for Medusa’s life, a mortal life … free from the — gifts you bestowed upon her.”

“See that you do,” Athena warned. “You have already strayed from your blessed mission once. Should you prove a disappointment again, the council of the gods will not be so forgiving.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Medusa’s blood was humming with irritation. Once they left the temple, she grabbed Perseus’ tunic and slammed his back into a marble pillar so hard the air whooshed from his lungs. “What the fuck was that, godling?”

Confusion was written across the hero’s face as he apologetically lifted his hands. “What did I do?”

What did he do?She resisted the urge to smack him for his ignorance. Yet, she struggled to put into words why exactly she was furious with him.

“How dare you negotiate with a goddess on my behalf! We may play pretend at being husband and wife, but you don’t get to make decisions for me!”

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