Page 156 of Styx

that made me realize perhaps

I had been wrong to keep this

secret from him.

Pallas had been nothing

but kind to me. He was nothing

like my father or brothers.

But my fear of being controlled,

of being told what to do,

had spoken louder than our love.

‘Pallas…’ I started to say,

but Notus interrupted before

I could explain…

‘We Have Arrived’

The boy-God’s hurricane

crackled with unspilled rain

as he brought it to a standstill.

He was the first to step out

of the grey-and-white swirl.

Perses and Asteria followed.

I could not turn to face Pallas,

but I knew him well enough

to expect that disapproval would be

etched into the lines of his kind face.

I felt him shift beside me.

Felt him stand up and then,

despite everything that had

just transpired between us,

he helped me to my feet.

Leto looked to us

and I smiled reassuringly at her.