When I woke up, the dizziness and tiredness were completely gone and I felt much better. I felt like I had slept for hours, but looking out of the window I noticed that it was still morning, so apparently I had slept very little.

I didn't feel like meeting other people, so I spent the day in my room. I took a long bath, tidied up and ate some fruit I had on my table.

The image of Hector couldn't seem to leave my mind. The look on his face when I had told him that Andromache was now married to Achilles' son just broke my heart. Yet, he had just said I hope he will treat her well. Hector had always been so generous...

Something about that visit was deeply unsettling. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't been able to touch him, the way his body had felt like smoke under my hand.

But there was something else. I had felt strange in a way I couldn't explain.

Well, probably it was normal to feel like that while visiting the kingdom of the dead. Or wasn't it?

My thoughts were interrupted by someone knocking at the door. It was Hermes.

"I just wanted to check on you. You looked pretty exhausted after our trip" he explained.

"Thank you. I am feeling much better now" I answered, moving to let him in.

"Apollo contacted me today" he said conversationally, taking place on a stool next to the fireplace.

I sat in front of him, looking at him questioningly. This was clearly going somewhere, but I couldn't understand what he meant yet.

"Did you feel him in your mind while we were in the Underworld?" he asked quietly.

I gaped at him, suddenly understanding what that strange sensation had been.

"I... no. I didn't feel him, I realize it now..." I answered.

"For a while he didn't feel you, either. That's why he contacted me" he explained.

"Were I supposed to feel him in the Underworld, too?" I asked. After all, it was the kingdom of Hades.

Hermes considered the question.

"I have accompanied Ariadne and Heracles to the Underworld several times" he replied. "They both have a connection with their respective spouses, similar to the one you have with Apollo. Now, I asked them today, and they told me that they could still feel the connection, although it was weaker than usual. They also didn't react as strongly as you did. You practically fainted in my arms at some point"

It made perfectly sense. Once we were out of the Underworld, I had immediately felt better. I had assumed that it was because of the light and the sun, but it was also because Apollo was in my mind again. I had been so exhausted that I hadn't even realized it.

"Why did I lose the connection?" I asked, perturbed.

He looked at me for a long moment, unusually serious.

"Because Apollo is purposefully keeping it as weak as possible. So, once you were in Hades' realm, you lost it"

I didn't know what to say to this.

"Our connection has been like this... since the day when he cursed me" I said after a while. "I could barely feel him after that"

"Still, you would like to sever the bond once and for all" Hermes answered softly.

I looked away, blushing.

"I'm sorry that I overheard that conversation between the two of you. I just wanted to say goodnight and I just..."

"No need. That conversation was about you, after all. Of course, it would be better if you and Apollo could discuss these things with one another instead of with me. But I know that communication is not your thing - and by your I mean both of you"

His tone was playful, but now I knew him well enough to know that he was scolding me.

"I would like to sever the bond" I admitted. "But I know that it isn't possible. And I didn't want Apollo to feel that thought... I am not trying to make him feel bad! I didn't try to make him leave!"

"I know, Cassandra" he said reassuringly. "Don't worry too much about what you heard. Apollo was already feeling bad about how he treated you, then he noticed that you wanted to sever the bond. It was the last straw. He just needs to spend some time alone and sort things out on his own. He will be back"

He was silent for a while, then spoke again in a lighter tone.

"You know? He told me that he wouldn't be angry if I tried to pursue you"

I looked at him with wide eyes, too stunned to speak.

"Oh, no no no. I am not trying to pursue you" he corrected with a smile, noticing my expression. "I am just explaining what he told me. He said, if you like her don't hesitate just out of consideration for me, and he meant it. And yet I know that he would be deeply aggrieved if I pursued you. This is Apollo at his very best" he concluded quietly.

I looked down, unsure of what to say. I knew that Apollo was truthful and kept his word but I didn't think that he could be selfless, too.

"He also suggested that he could strengthen the bond when you wish to visit the Underworld, otherwise you are probably going to faint every time" he added.

"I think it would be wise. I am still feeling a little weak" I said.

During the following days, I often thought about this conversation. Should I address the matter with Apollo when he came back? Should I wait for him to do that? Or should I just pretend nothing had happened and carry on?

-O-O-O-

A few days later, something completely unexpected happened.

As I often did, I was eating with Hermes and Athena when Artemis showed up. I hadn't seen her since the banquet.

"Cassandra, I am going to the woods tomorrow morning. Care to join me?" she asked.

I was taken aback. I knew that she was very private, so why did she want to go to the woods with me, whom she barely knew?

"Yes... thank you" I answered after a moment. Maybe this wasn't a good idea, but I knew that she was easily offended and it didn't seem wise to refuse.

"Great. I'll pick you up tomorrow. Goodbye" she replied tersely, turning around.

"You could join us since you're here" Hermes called her back.

"I'm not volunteering to spend more time with you, brat" she said pointedly.

I wondered whether he blunt answer was serious. Hermes, on the other hand, didn't seem to take it seriously at all. He blew a kiss to her with a sassy smile and went back to his meal.

"Well, well. That's a surprise" commented Athena after Artemis was gone.

"Is it... unusual for her to invite people like that?" I asked. I was starting to feel scared.

"It's not just unusual but downright exceptional" said Hermes. "She has a group of lady friends and goes to the woods with them, but they are nymphs. They have been the same for centuries. I'm not aware that she invites other people, deities or otherwise, like ever"

"Should I be worried? I mean... maybe she is angry that Apollo left Mount Olympus because of me"

"Oh, no" Athena reassured me. "Artemis can be mean when she wants to, but she is not a subtle kind of person. If she were angry at you, you would definitely notice"

Despite Athena's reassurances, I was very nervous when Artemis picked me up after dawn, on the following day.

I didn't know what to expect. Was she going to make small talk, to question me?

We walked in complete silence until we reached a large wood. Artemis turned to me and whispered "we have to be silent and walk really quietly, otherwise we are going to scare the animals. If you see a large animal, stop and wait for my instructions"

Without another word, she walked into the woods and I followed her.

Trying to walk as quietly as possible, I looked around, curious. I had never visited that part of the woods.

After some time, we were so deep into the forest that I couldn't say where we had come from.

"Now Cassandra - no sudden movements - look to your left" Artemis whispered without turning.

I slowly turned my head and spotted a beautiful deer, so close that I could almost touch it. It made a movement like it wanted to run away, but eventually it stayed where it was and just stared at us. I had never seen a deer alive before.

I saw many other animals I had never seen before and some others I had never heard about. In the forest, there were wolves, wildcats, foxes and an endless number of birds. I enjoyed the smell of the deep forest, so different from the one I knew from my simple walks in the woods. Even if the sun was now high in the sky, but the forest was so thick and the trees so high and leafy that it was almost dark.

Artemis spoke only when it was absolutely necessary. Her gait, the gesturing and her silence oddly reminded me of my twin brother. Yet, apart from the reserve and some sullenness, their personalities seemed to be very different.

I had completely lost my bearings but, luckily for me, Artemis seemed to know every corner of the forest. At some point, I noticed that the sun was shining brighter and I understood that we were reaching the edge of the wood. When we emerged from it, I noticed with some surprise that we were at the same side, close to Olympus' gardens.

I expected Artemis to say something now, but she just nodded and we walked back to the palace.

"I am going back to my nymphs now" she said noncommittally once we were in the main hall.

"Thank you for the walk. I really enjoyed it" I replied, uncertain.

"You're welcome" she answered, and walked away.