Page 61 of Styx

and the cruel beauty that would be

the unmaking of Styx’s sisters.

I Disliked Swimming

I had hated it even more since

I had been trapped in the pool

and Styx saved me.

But I would swim

a thousand lakes and seas

for Styx that day.

When we reached

the other side,

we walked through

the curtain made of

willow tree leaves.

I looped her arm in mine

as we made our way

through the high arches

of Oceanus’s marble halls.

She did not speak,

but her silence

made me realize

how much she was

used to carrying

alone.

I only had one sister,

Leto. And I could not recall her

ever being this cruel to me.

Styx saw me

looking at her

and then looked away.