Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

O nce again, Dante's arm was pinning her to the bed. He shifted slightly in his sleep, his arm heavy across her waist, holding her close. The warmth of the morning sunbathed them in a soft golden light, filtering through the open balcony doors and casting long shadows across the stone floor. For a moment, Amy just lay there, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest against her back, the soft rustle of the sea breeze stirring the curtains, the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore.

This world was so still. So peaceful. So… wild.

This was where she wanted to stay. For as long as she could. It was pure heaven.

Her mind drifted back to the night before, the intensity of it all—how they'd fallen into each other, finding solace in the chaos, the uncertainty of what lay ahead.

In this quiet moment, it felt as though time had slowed, the world outside their door forgotten, and all that existed was this—Dante beside her, their bodies entwined, and the gentle peace of the new day.

Nothing inside her had changed or awakened. She was still Amy. Just Amy. No Pandora. No threats to the world around them or the world that was to come.

She felt him stir again, a soft murmur escaping his lips as he buried his face into the curve of her neck, his breath warm against her skin. A smile tugged at her lips, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to forget the weight of the prophecy, the Fates, and everything that loomed ahead of them.

Dante's fingers flexed, his grip tightening slightly.

"Mornin'," he mumbled, his voice deep and rough.

Amy shifted beneath him, turning slightly so she could look at him. "Morning."

He lifted his head slightly, squinting against the sunlight pouring in through the open balcony as he blinked awake, his eyes still clouded with sleep. He stretched, his muscles rippling under his skin as he finally released her from his hold, though his hand lingered on her waist, his touch lazy and familiar. "You're warm," he muttered, half-asleep still, his lips grazing her shoulder.

"You too," she teased softly, running her fingers through his hair.

For a moment, they just lay there, the quiet between them comfortable. But as the warmth of the sun grew and the world outside began to wake, reality started to creep back in. The temple. The Fates. The inescapable truth of what awaited them.

Dante let out a slow breath and finally rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling as if it held answers. His voice was softer when he spoke again. "Last night… we talked about fighting back, about not letting them control us."

Amy nodded, her heart tightening at the thought. "Do you still believe we can?"

His eyes shifted towards her, his gaze unwavering. "I do. I have to. I don't care what they said—we're not just pieces on their board. We're not powerless." He glanced over at her. "Do you feel different?"

She shook her head. "You?"

He shook his head.

She studied him for a moment.

"I'm not sure what I believe," she whispered, moving closer, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "For now, all that matters to me is this." She kissed him again as his hands moved to her hips, slowly moving up and down her skin.

The passion she felt vibrating between them was something she'd never experienced before. It caused her body to heat to almost a breaking point. This time, when he slid inside her, twin moans echoed in the room, and she was pretty sure the entire world shifted around them.

Time and place no longer mattered to them. Exploring one another was the sole focus of the rest of their lives.

Once they were both breathless and she lay across his chest, it suddenly dawned on her. She had always felt this way about Dante.

How long had they flirted with one another? When had the attraction between them started?

Middle school? Earlier?

The first time she could remember thinking of him as more than a friend was when he'd stood up for her against a couple of bullies in gym class.

She'd been the awkward skinny and too-tall girl with no boobs or hips to speak of. As the only girl taller than every single boy in her class back then, she'd been an easy target. A few years later, none of that would matter when her boobs came in and all the boys in the class towered over her five-foot-seven frame after she stopped growing upward.

Dante had been the only one, besides her brother, to defend her. From that moment on, she'd looked at him differently. Then they'd gone to the dance together and had shared their first brief kiss. Every man she'd dated after had paled in comparison.

"How long do you think this will go on?" he asked as their skin cooled.

She didn't want to answer because she didn't want her time with him to end, here, where the entire world moved more slowly and, most importantly, wasn't on the verge of being destroyed.

When she didn't answer, he rolled over until she was pinned under him. "Amy?" He frowned as his eyes ran over her. "As much as I'm enjoying this, we have to get back."

"Do we?" she asked, her voice a little sharp. "Why?"

He blinked a few times. "I can give you a million reasons why." He brushed a strand of her hair away from her forehead. "Modern reasons…"

Amy stared up at him, her chest tight as she tried to find the words. His frown deepened, concern flickering in his eyes as his fingers lingered on her cheek.

"Modern reasons?" she whispered, trying to keep her voice steady. "What could be so important back there? You said it yourself—the Fates have their plans. They've already woven our threads. Maybe we can't change anything."

His hand stilled, his brow furrowing as he searched her face. "We're not just puppets, Amy. We've talked about that."

She closed her eyes, taking a slow breath. "But what if… what if I don't want to go back?" The confession felt heavy, like a weight finally lifting off her chest. "Here… with you… it's like none of it matters. Like the future isn't this… inevitable disaster."

Dante's grip on her tightened, his body tensing above hers. "Amy, we can't just hide here forever. As much as I'd like to."

She met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. "But what if it's the only place where we can be together? Where we're safe?"

Dante's expression softened, and for a moment, she saw the same conflict mirrored in his eyes. He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. "I get it," he whispered. "Believe me, I do. But we have to face it. Whatever the Fates have planned for us, we can't let it happen without a fight."

Her throat tightened, the reality of it settling in. The future she'd seen… Moros. Death. The destruction of everything. She felt it every time she closed her eyes, the nightmares gnawing at the edges of her mind.

Dante kissed her gently, his lips lingering on hers as if trying to reassure her. "We'll make every moment count, starting with right now. But we can't give up. Not yet."

She swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. In the safety of this moment, in the warmth of the morning light, it was easy to pretend that none of it mattered. That the end wasn't coming for them. But deep down, she knew he was right. They couldn't escape forever.

"Okay," she breathed, her voice barely a whisper. "But... can we just stay here a little longer?"

Dante smiled softly, his hand brushing over her cheek, gentle and reassuring. "Yeah," he murmured, pressing another kiss to her lips. "Besides, we still need to figure out just how in the hell we get out of here."

She smiled up at him. "How about a walk?"

He nodded. "Food first." He glanced around. "Do you think they're going to deliver food to us up here?"

She shrugged. "It does seem like we're being ostracized. Separated from the town for a reason. Maybe punished?" she continued as he rolled away and they sat up to dress.

"Punished? For what? We didn't even do anything—at least not yet," he said.

"Maybe that's the point. Or they're worried we will," she suggested.

Amy pulled her gown over her shoulders, tying the sash as she glanced at Dante. He was struggling with his shirt, and the familiar sight of him doing something so ordinary brought a brief flicker of warmth to her chest. But her mind kept spinning. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched and scrutinized. Separated. It wasn't just paranoia—it was something deeper. The way the villagers had avoided them, the way they were being kept here, isolated, it all felt... intentional.

As Dante finished dressing, he walked to the balcony, his eyes fixed on the sea. Amy followed, leaning against the stone railing next to him. The fresh breeze off the water tickled her skin, but the beauty of the view couldn't distract her from the weight pressing on her chest.

"So what's the plan? We just wait here, in this time, until they decide to let us go?" he asked.

Amy wrapped her arms around herself, staring out over the endless horizon. "I don't think we have a choice. The Fates said this is where we need to be." She paused, the memory of those cryptic words tugging at her thoughts. "But that doesn't mean we can't find answers ourselves."

Dante's jaw tightened as he nodded, the frustration evident in the tense set of his shoulders. Amy understood—neither of them was the type to sit back and do nothing. But what were they supposed to do here, in this temple, cut off from the world?

The knock on the door startled her. Amy exchanged a glance with Dante before turning towards the sound. A servant entered, silently holding a tray with bread, fruit, and water. He didn't speak, didn't even lift his head to look at them, just bowed slightly and left.

"Well," Dante muttered, "that answers the food question."

Amy walked over and grabbed a piece of bread from the tray. "Looks like."

He let out a dry laugh. "Great. Food and isolation. The perfect combo."

As they ate, they chatted about everything they could remember about the Fates, Greek myths, and the geography of the area.

The Fates' words kept replaying in her mind, looping endlessly. The inevitability of Pandora's awakening, the way they were destined to be here, fulfilling some ancient prophecy—none of it sat well with her.

Once they were done with their meal, Amy's eyes met his. "Okay, we have to figure out how to change the future." Amy's heart raced as the idea took root. "Theo," she said after a moment, the name sparking a glimmer of hope in the haze of uncertainty.

Dante's brow furrowed, his deep eyes searching hers. "Who is Theo?"

"The boy who brought me to you, remember?" she said, a small smile forming at the edges of her lips. "He didn't seem afraid of me, and kids… they tend to see things differently. Maybe he didn't get the memo to stay away from us."

Dante's frown softened as realization dawned. "You think we can find him?"

She nodded, feeling a rush of confidence. "I bet we can. He wasn't afraid, Dante. He seemed curious, if anything. And maybe, just maybe, he can help us figure out what's going on here. It's a long shot, but it's better than sitting here waiting for the Fates to decide everything."

Dante ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Okay, so we get that walk in."

Amy's smile widened, and she felt a renewed sense of purpose. The sun was already high in the sky, warming everything around them, but there was plenty of time. They could try. She grabbed her sandals and slipped them on quickly, the urge to move, to do something, propelling her forward.

Dante followed her to the door, and together they stepped out into the midmorning air. It felt different now—less oppressive. The weight of the day still lingered, but with a new goal in mind, the world around them didn't seem quite as confining.

The narrow streets of the town were quiet, save for the occasional clatter of pottery or distant murmur of conversation. Amy led the way, her eyes scanning for any sign of Theo. She remembered how quickly he'd appeared before, like he had been waiting for her, like he knew something that she didn't.

Dante walked beside her, his hand brushing against hers as they moved through the village. The buildings blocked out the sunlight, casting long cool shadows. If they could find Theo, if they could get him to talk, maybe they'd finally get the answers they needed.

After a few minutes, Dante broke the silence. "Do you think this kid knows more than he let on?"

Amy shrugged, her eyes still scanning. "Maybe. He brought me to you like he knew exactly where I was supposed to be. That can't be a coincidence."

Dante hummed in agreement, his fingers brushing her arm lightly. "Let's hope we find him, then."

They finished going through the main part of town and then she had an idea. She turned and they made their way towards the outskirts.

They found Theo just outside of town in a field, tending to his goats. He was perched on a rock, calmly watching over his small herd as they grazed on the patches of grass. As Amy and Dante approached, Theo looked up, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Found you," Amy said, her smile tugging at her lips.

Theo grinned. "I wasn't hiding."

Dante chuckled softly beside her. "Smart kid."

Theo stood up, dusting his hands on his clothes.

"What do you want?" he asked, though there was no suspicion in his tone. He was curious, just like before.

"We need to know if there's somewhere else where we can learn more," Amy said, glancing at Dante. "You know, like a place where the gods talk to people?"

Theo thought about it for a moment before his eyes lit up. "There is!" he said, excitement flashing across his face. "High up on the mountain. There's a place where the gods talk to man."

Amy felt a flicker of hope. Maybe this was it—the place that could give them more answers. "Do you know how to get there?"

Theo nodded. "You can't miss it. You just have to follow the trail that starts at the edge of town. It's almost a day's walk though."

Amy exchanged a glance with Dante. They were getting somewhere. "We'll go tomorrow," she said, already planning out the next day in her head. But then Theo's voice cut through her thoughts.

"Can I see your magic box again?" he asked. "I've been thinking about it."

Amy blinked in confusion before realizing what he meant. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, unlocked it, and showed him the screen. Her battery was close to being gone so she reminded herself to turn it off when they were done.

The boy's eyes lit up with fascination as she swiped through the photos, his small fingers tracing the light on the glass screen.

"It's not magic," she said with a smile, showing him a picture of the sea. "But I guess it might seem like it."

Theo's wide eyes darted between the images. "It shows the world, though. Like it's all inside there. The good. The bad."

Dante chuckled beside her. "Pretty much."

As Amy swiped through a few more photos, Dante leaned in close. "So, we head up to the mountain tomorrow?"

She nodded, her eyes still on Theo. "Yeah. It sounds like our best shot."

Theo handed the phone back to her, still staring at it like it was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen. "You should go soon," he said, his voice turning a little more serious. "Before it's too late. I'm told you must return to the temple each night and remain there until it's time."

Amy raised an eyebrow at that, but before she could ask what he meant, Theo smiled again and turned back to his goats.

"Well, thanks for the tip, kid," Dante said with a nod as they turned to leave.

"Good eve, Pandora, Epimetheus," he called over his shoulder.

Amy froze for a heartbeat. Then she turned to Dante. Dante's brow furrowed as he looked towards Theo. The kid had already disappeared behind the hillside.

Pandora and Epimetheus.

Amy's stomach twisted, the implications of the names sinking in.

Dante met her gaze, his expression a mirror of her shock. "Even he thinks that's our names."

"Then maybe the myths were never just stories—they were about us all along," she whispered.