There were ways to avoid parties. Megara had spent years building her list. At least today, she could pretend she'd gotten lost, or whatever she'd run off to do prevented her from attending. She could claim all sorts of things, but it wasn't likely Hercules would let the subject drop. She'd need a solid alibi, not the sort of thing he could poke holes in just by being a nice person.
For now, the most important thing was to get dinner and find a place to sleep where nobody would molest her in her sleep.
"In the shadowed alleys of Athens, the Grim Avenger pauses. He sees his friend's girlfriend, the one he's been sent to ensure is okay, and it appears she is. But the Grim Avenger was never told to approach her. If he gets too close, he might spook her."
Megara slowly turned toward the low, monotone voice. "You cannot be serious."
The warrior who'd appeared out of nowhere in his dark armor stood with his back pressed against a wall flanking the alley. His mouth was visible in a tight line.
"Are you… narrating?" Megara asked.
The Grim Avenger, as he called himself, covered his mouth. "I seem to do that more often than I thought."
"Everyone's got their weird thing." Megara rolled her eyes. "Wait. Did you call me Hercules's girlfriend?"
"I uh… yes. Was I mistaken?"
"Did he call me that?"
"I insinuated. It didn't take much to surmise that you two have a romantic bond. Hercules is the most readable person I ever met."
"Ain't that the truth?" Megara shook her head. "Listen, we're friends, but he's infatuated with me. I'm waiting for it to wear off."
"So, is it not mutual?"
"I'm out of the 'people' business. I don't want to hurt him, though, so don't say anything to him."
"You could perhaps supplement his understanding, provided you joined us at Theseus's party tonight. It's a palace, too, so if you needed somewhere to stay the night, I know Prince Theseus would be happy to offer the space for as long as you needed it."
How long had it been since she slept in a real bed?
"Well… It would be rude to reject your hospitality, Prince Theseus. You can lead the way."
Theseus gasped, scandalized by her blatantly stating his identity. He pressed a hand over his chest and made several inelegant gasping sounds.
"You're dark, not subtle. You and Herc make a good team. Sunlight and shadow. He shines so brightly he casts long shadows for you to hide in."
Theseus managed a smile through his shock. "How poetic. You speak with the wisdom of an artist."
"Thanks. Lately, I've been in a full-time acting gig. Hard to break character."
"I'd love to host a command performance from such a stunning heroine. You've done Athens a great service with your quick thinking tonight. You belong with the rest of us at the party."
"I'm not a heroine." Megara folded her arms against the chill rattling her bones. "Yes, I had a couple of good ideas tonight, but that isn't the same thing."
"You have admirable instincts. Perhaps if you were allowed to cultivate them, we might yet award you a title that surprised you. I think you'd make a good match for my friend. If I can help it, I'd like to see the two of you together."
If only.
No, that would be a terrible idea. She wished she could slap herself. There was no telling when Theseus would notice her conflicting reactions or recognize her from when he courted her cousin. She had to keep it cool. "Right, well. I'll attend your party, but I'll make no promises about Wonder–I mean, Hercules."
Theseus smiled at the half of her endearment he'd heard and gestured her further down the road. "Is it Meg?"
"Megara."
"Life is full of mysteries. I hope you allow yourself to see which ones you still haven't found the answers to."
They didn't talk much the rest of the way to the palace, aside from Megara's complaints about her feet from walking most of the day. She'd taken a trip most people made in multiple days since the early morning, and now the sunlight was fading. That bed was sounding great right about now, as long as she'd be in it alone.
A large, impressive chariot waited for them near the outskirts of town. Theseus insisted Megara go ahead so he could change out of his armor. She decided she didn't want to know details, so she didn't ask him to elaborate on how it was still a disguise if he had to carry it under his arm in public.
The woman who Megara had thought looked like Ismene waited near the chariot, waving. "Have you seen a man out there? Handsome? Grim? Avenge-y?"
"He's on his way," Megara assured her. "I'm guessing you two are an item?"
"Princess Galatea," the girl announced with a sigh. "Or I will be soon. But who are you?"
"Megara. I'm a friend of Hercules. I thought I'd come out to support his fundraiser, but it seems like the fundraiser is moving to another venue."
"Friend of Hercules?" Galatea inclined her head, assessing Megara. "I think I'm in a pretty good position to guess there's more to it than that."
"He'll get over it," Megara climbed into the chariot next to her and fixed her eyes in the distance. There was probably a chance this was an ex of his, or she'd politely rejected him at some point. Either way, Megara probably didn't want details.
"He'll respect your feelings if you don't feel that way about him," Galatea told her, unprompted. So she had rejected him.
"I'm trying to respect his feelings without encouraging him right now. If I let him get over me on his own time, it won't hurt when it's over."
"That's a generous way to look at it. Don't lead him on, though. He's a sweet guy. He needs someone who can be sweet back."
"I'm waiting him out. Everyone eventually gets over me, so he will, too. It'll happen naturally, there is no need to rush him. He needs to be the one who decides it's over."
Theseus reappeared, though Megara hadn't noticed when he disappeared. He dressed casually for a prince, with a large sack to hide his Grim Avenger getup. "Well, ladies, shall we be off?"
Galatea latched onto his arm and brushed her cheek against his shoulder. "Oh, honey lamb, I'm so pleased to see you again! You missed another visit from the Grim Avenger. I wish we could thank him together for helping fight those nasty Gorgons!"
Theseus struck a pose and started the chariot on the road to the palace. When they reached the palace, there were already a few guests at the party, evidenced by the raucous music playing inside. Cartfuls of Gorgonite were even receiving an inspection by a group of artisans by the door.
"This town moves fast," Megara whistled.
"That it does, my friend," Theseus said. "Hercules will be here soon. You should go get ready. It looks like you've been on the road all day. You'll need to be refreshed before you can enjoy the celebration."
"It'll take a lot more than that," she muttered.
"Oh, don't worry!" Galatea turned from her boyfriend with a renewed interest in her new acquaintance. "It's time for a makeover! Come on, it'll be fun!"
"For you!" Megara didn't bother trying to break free as Galatea rushed her past the guards. It would look too suspicious, and really, it would be good to get the road dust off of her.
Entering the palace struck her with a wave of memories from her childhood. Theseus's home was a modernized version of the palace she was born in, which had been over a hundred years old before she came along to live in it.
"I'm so glad you made it!"
Megara's heart tightened in her chest at the sound of Hercules's voice. She glanced in his direction, to find him landing Pegasus with Medusa and Phil in tow. He jumped off, and then helped Medusa down while his animal companions glared at her, but she chose to ignore them. He was with Medusa. They'd had time to reconnect. She could start to let him go. "Galatea here was about to give me a makeover."
A look of panic crossed Hercules's face. "You and Galatea… Well, I… I hope you know you don't need a makeover…"
"She really does," Galatea said. "This girl's been through it today, and she'll never enjoy this party if she has to be there, covered in dust and sweat. You can join us, too, if you want!"
"Wh–? Me?" Hercules took a step back.
"No, not you, your friend." Galatea gestured to Medusa. "Girls should always get ready for parties together. It makes the big reveal even better! What do you think? Wanna surprise the boys?"
Medusa ducked her head. "I don't think there's anything I can do about how I look…"
"You can do a lot about how you feel, though! Come on!"
Hercules set a hand on Medusa's shoulder and whispered something to her.
Megara looked away. Nobody needed to know what was going on behind her eyes, especially if she didn't know what it was. She couldn't reconcile her physical responses with her reason. How many times did she have to go through this cycle before she learned to shut her heart off completely?
It was a relief to follow Galatea through a guarded corridor toward her private chambers. The more distance between her and Hercules, the better. Of course, her theory that it would be easier to manage her emotions went out the window the moment the door closed behind them.
"So, how did everyone meet Hercules?" Galatea asked. "I'll let mine be a secret until you tell me yours."
"He washed up on my island," Medusa said, giving Megara a look through her glasses that said she was helping her stall for time. "I followed him to his school, and we hung out. Aphrodite helped me out, so I don't petrify anyone."
"Hero business," Megara muttered.
"You can't leave it at that!" Galatea objected.
"I can if I want to."
"But it's time for girl talk! We're all sharing!"
"You're not."
"If I go before you, will you tell?"
"I'll tell you exactly as much detail as you give me."
Galatea ushered the other girls into her room. "I'm a homunculus, and Hercules was… present when Aphrodite gave me life. So I've always known him, as long as I've known anything."
Megara and Medusa exchanged a look, distracted from the lavish decor of the bedroom by this revelation. "So, would that make the sculptor your father?" Megara asked.
A strange look crossed Galatea's face. "I'm pretty sure neither of us would ever be comfortable seeing it that way, but in a deeply technical sense, sure."
"Well, I can't top that." Megara relaxed somewhat now that she wasn't the one with the most scandalous story. "A centaur kidnapped me. I was a damsel, I was in distress, Hercules wouldn't let me handle it. Now he knows my name."
"A centaur! What was that like?" Galatea asked.
"Like being assaulted by the wrong end of a barn?"
"And Hercules saved you! How romantic!" Medusa exclaimed.
"It really wasn't that serious."
"But maybe it was to him," Galatea said, to which Medusa nodded. "He's a romantic to the bone."
"Which is why I didn't want him to rescue me. I hate the idea of heroes who feel entitled to girls just because they helped them out of a tight spot."
"Hercules would never," Medusa reassured her.
"I know that now, obviously, but he's so… different. There's no way I could've known he'd be the only exception to the rules. He's a whole other playbook."
Her words echoed in her ears, going steadily mad with the realization that she had no walls that would hold against genuine goodness like his. Her defenses were built to outwit opponents. The crust around her heart would repel anyone who came at her with cruel intent. But there was no reason to block herself off from anyone as genuine and kind as Hercules. Where was her excuse?
In her search for anything that would distract her from mounting panic, Megara sent her eyes on a journey around the room. An open balcony gave them an unobstructed view of the beach. The fading fingers of sunset painted the sea with dappled shades of red, gold, and pink. How long had it been since Megara saw the sunset? Or a sunrise, for that matter? There was something so human about the experience that she struggled to reconcile it with the life she was living. Or the half-life. As always, she ignored the distress and played it off. "Who'd you have to kill to get this view?"
"It's who I kissed, but I can see where the confusion may come from." Galatea went to her vanity, where she kept a line of perfume bottles. "I'm thinking we each get a signature scent for the night. It'll help us build a look. What're you girls looking to do this evening?"
"Disappear," Megara and Medusa said at the same time.
"That's just not going to happen, sorry." Galatea clicked her tongue. "All right, girls, I'm taking over now."
"You mean you weren't in charge already?"
Galatea laughed, but did nothing about the smug curve of her smile. "Now, girls, I think both of you would fit into my spare party dresses. We all seem to like purple, so there's no problem there!" She hooked an arm through Megara and Medusa's so she could lead them into an adjacent room.
It was completely marble, with places to sit and piles of luxurious-looking linen to wrap oneself in. One corner featured a screened-off zone to stand under a water spout shaped like a cherub's face. Galatea's jeweled strigil hung above a line of oil jars, each of which was marked as containing different scents.
"We'll go one at a time," Galatea instructed. "Megara, you first."'
"Why me?"
Galatea made a face. "You're the dirtiest. But don't worry. We'll get you the best scent to match your personality. Maybe something with some bite to it."
"Whatever you say." Megara trailed a finger along the oils. She'd given up on the luxury of choice a long time ago. The temptation to indulge was strong, but she wouldn't let herself seem over-eager. "I'll do the spiced one."
"Great! It's got cinnamon and citrus with a dash of nutmeg! Suits you just fine!" Galatea practically sang in her delight.
Megara's skin crawled at the mention of nutmeg, but she forced a smile. "Thanks. Very funny." She took the spiced oils behind the modesty screen and stripped out of her dress. It stuck to her skin from a layer of sweat, and once it was off, she noticed how the different shades of dust could accurately trace her journey from Thebes to Athens. She sighed and settled the dress on the ground at her feet. It could stand to get a little washing, too.
"So tell me, Medusa, what were you and Hercules talking about on the way over? I bet Meg's wondering, but she won't ask."
Megara was grateful for the screen that shielded her sour expression. "I really don't think that's any of our business. Medusa just lost her sisters. Let's focus on that."
"Actually, I think we should focus on anything but that," Galatea shot back. "Come on, Medusa, spill! Any drama?"
"He wanted to know how I knew Meg, and why. I kept it vague. You're welcome, by the way."
Megara kept silent under the flow of the water. It couldn't wash away her guilt, but it could do something about the evidence.
"Wait, wait, what were you hiding?"
Megara winced her eyes closed.
"Meg and I met on my island, which I told him. I didn't tell him she was the reason I knew about his fundraiser. She wanted me to come back here and replace her in his affections."
"What?" Megara squeaked.
"I don't wear these glasses because I'm blind, Meg. You're trying to find any wedge to put between the two of you, even if it means convincing me to date a hero again when it didn't work the first time, and we've both moved on."
Megara scraped the last bit of oil off her skin and wrapped herself in linen. "Fine. You caught me. It's your turn."
"Oh, I'm… not really sure how it works. I kind of swim whenever I wanna be clean."
"Maybe it works differently with scales?" Megara suggested to Galatea.
"Fine, I'll just get your dress cleaned while we're in our party dresses, and you can swim in the sea later."
"Sounds good."
Megara sat on one bench, wringing her hair out directly into the nearest drain. She waited for Galatea to start the water again before whispering to Medusa, "Thanks for not ratting me out."
"It's because you should tell him about your Hades problem. Hercules doesn't let his friends down. He could save you."
"Nobody can save me. If I ever get out of this, it'll be on my own. But I'm sick of being in debt. I'll never owe anyone anything again."
Medusa set a hand on Megara's shoulder. "Something else Hercules taught me? Love doesn't keep track of debts. If he does this for you? Don't call it debt. We're all lonely people. Maybe you could be a little less lonely together."
Megara shook herself free. "Cut it out before I gag on your positivity."
"Did someone say positivity?" Galatea appeared from behind the screen, wrapped in a linen robe. "That's the perfect high note for picking out dresses! Come on, girls! Let's raid my closet!"
Megara blinked, and the minutes flashed past. Before she was aware of what happened, she was seated before a mirror, wearing an extravagant red and purple gown while Galatea combed her hair.
"Isn't it weird how we have the same texture of hair and almost the same exact skin tone?" Galatea asked. "It's like we're sisters!"
She'd had sisters once. Halkyone and Pyrrha. She'd never dealt with their loss, just ran away. A sick feeling rolled through her blood, collecting in her throat. Sooner or later, history would repeat. "You wouldn't want to be my sister."
"Maybe I would!" Galatea planted her hands on Megara's shoulders, giving her a stern look in the mirror. "You've gotta give people a chance at some point."
"Most people aren't worth knowing, but I hope you're lucky enough you never have to recognize that."
"Stop saying things like that!" Medusa exclaimed.
"Don't get your hopes up. Most people are two-faced traitors waiting to take what they can from you and disappear. Just because the two of you are super perky doesn't mean people won't hurt you."
"I know they will, but… Aphrodite would've told me if there was nobody worth being friends with. I think the two of you are the best friends she could've ever given me."
"The same Aphrodite who left you without a real solution, so you gave up on the best man alive so you could self-isolate with a pair of ungrateful bitches?"
Megara watched as Galatea and Medusa's expressions synchronized into a matching pair of smug grins.
"Best man in the world, huh?" Galatea snickered.
"I mean, she could be right." Medusa indulged in a laugh, too, while Megara covered her face in her hands.
"I just meant… Out of everyone that's out there…"
"We know what you meant," Galatea gave her shoulders a squeeze. "You know what? There's a common denominator to this evening: Aphrodite. She's almost like my mom," Galatea mused. "Then Medusa's gotten a half-solution from her, and you've clearly been burned to the point you're ready to crumble to bits. I think it's time we beseeched Mom and asked her to help our mutual friend. She's been through way too much. It's time for a changeup. You'll help me talk her through this, right?"
"Sure," Megara said, her heart quickening at the thought of confronting the only goddess who intimidated her more than Hades.
"You ok? Need a drink first?"
Nothing could possibly prepare her. "Let's just get it over with."
Galatea sprayed a cloud of perfume into the center of the room. "Aphrodite! Mom! Could you help us out here?"
A pink light shone down through the ceiling in the spot where Galatea had sprayed the perfume. Disembodied voices started singing as a scallop shell materialized out of nowhere. "Aphrodite, Aphrodite, Aphrodite! The Goddess of Love!"
The shell opened to reveal Aphrodite, who was much taller than Megara had expected. Her glossy golden hair almost brushed the ceiling of Galatea's room. "Never did I ever think I'd see the three of you together in a room!"
"You know… all of us?" Megara asked.
"I know everyone who's in love," Aphrodite replied simply, which only got Galatea and Medusa laughing again.
"That was a long time ago," Megara snapped, giving each of her new friends a warning look. "Anyway, we beseeched you because Medusa deserves a better deal than she got, and I'd like to renegotiate on her behalf."
"Wow, bold of you, but ok, let's hear it. What makes you think Medusa needs to change her species to be worthy of love?"
"That's not what I said. Nobody's asking her to change who she is. It's the curse that's kept her from making friends. She's a genuinely likable person, and she deserves to exist around people without putting them in danger. You gave her a bandage, but she's still bleeding through it. If you're the physician who's responsible for her healing process, your job isn't done yet. She's learned huge lessons about friendship, and she's been an absolute martyr the whole time. You know what I think? I think a goddess of love could do way worse than a follower who'll evangelize to everyone about how to make friendships when it's difficult. If you don't give her a makeover to go along with that, fine, but she deserves more than to be hypervigilant all the time about whether her glasses are slipping."
Aphrodite watched Megara speak with something that was either amusement or admiration. "You're right. Medusa, you win major bonus points for cracking that shell. Check it out: Meg here has had a heart of stone for the past few years. There's no reaching her."
"We're not talking about me. We are never talking about me." Megara pushed Medusa forward. "This isn't about me. It's time someone here was set free."
"You, my friend, are something special, and nobody's going to doubt that anymore." Aphrodite raised her hands over Medusa's head. "It's about time I gave you a makeover, hon. We'll let your true nature shine through."
A blinding blend of gold and pink light filled the room. Megara shielded her eyes so she could stare through the haze to watch as Medusa's green scales flipped to pearlescent white with pink freckles in the shapes of hearts. Her snakes took on alternating pink, white, and red scales, and each of them adapted with several tiny holes over their mouths. They had a decidedly cuter appearance to them and seemed much calmer than before.
When the light cleared, Aphrodite was gone, but a lingering sense stuck in Megara's mind. Love would lead to her downfall. It wouldn't be long now.
