•°•°•°•°•°•°

One child of Echnida,

The Sphinx killed anyone who couldn't solve her riddles.

Oedipus succeeded correctly,

and the Sphinx drowned herself in despair.

Never to be heard from again.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

I lifted my chin, trying to act confident but that wasn't entirely true. Liam made me nervous on some occasions. "When Zion and Pedro tended to Gwen, you had the opportunity to run. Why didn't you?"

His arms tightened around me for a fraction of a second. "If I leave, I'll bump into them in school, so what's the point?"

I stared intently at him, searching for truth in his eyes. Why do I feel that wasn't the entire reason? I pushed away from him and surprisingly, he let me. I stumbled back just as the door veered open.

Zion frowned the moment he saw us. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing," I replied curtly. Zion watched me, his expression seemed to ask if I was certain.

I nodded.

"Gwen appears to be in great shape," he said and leaned against the doorframe. "I guess it's time we discuss what the heck happened tonight."

"Good point," Liam said stiffly before striding around Zion and out the door.

Zion's brown eyes met mine. He gave a long glance at my nightgown. "Aunt Callida gave you this?"

I nodded. He sighed like he knew a joke Aunt Callida was trying to pull. I didn't bother about it though. Aunt Callida could be sending an indirect message to him.

Whatever that is.

"We are meeting in the living room," he said, stepping aside.

I nodded and walked through the door, following Liam's footsteps. I was so close to getting my answers before we were interrupted. But could we trust him?

He could be lying to our faces and we wouldn't even know it. I'll just have to follow Zion's lead. He knows what he's doing. We walked down the corridor to the sitting room.

"Hello, Cherry." Pedro sat on the farthest side. His legs stretched out before him and his arms rested on the sofa. "Come sit," he said, patting the space beside him.

I rose an eyebrow and he patted it again, his eyes seemed to hide silent humor. I crossed my arms and he kept patting the sofa. He's going to be adamant about this. I sighed before flopping by his side. One arm draped across my shoulders in a friendly gesture.

"Everything alright?" He asked and I nodded, totally embraced in his cologne.

Zion Sat on the sofa across from us while Liam leaned forward on the one to our side. His expression was blank as he watched Pedro.

Zion leaned back and tapped a finger on his thigh. "Okay, now that we've all gathered, does anyone have a freaking idea about the gibberish statement Gwen said?"

"Oh, it's gibberish alright." Pedro smiled. "But I think it's a language we're not familiar with."

"It's Greek," Liam and I spoke at the same time.

Zion watched us with one eyebrow raised and Liam narrowed his eyes at me. He began speaking:

"Zítima zoís kai thanátou.
Mia epilogí pou tha gennitheí sýntoma.
Ópou o agapiménos tou vrísketai se kíndyno.
Oi enérgeiés tou tha oriothetithoún apó ta bar tou.
Kai i kardiá tou kópike sta misá.
Giatí tha dolofonísei ton agapiméno tou,
Poté min sósete."

Pedro sighed and rubbed his head. "Yeah we've established that mumbo jumbo but what does it mean?"

"A matter of life and death.
A choice soon to be birthed.
Where his loved one is in danger.
His actions will be bounded by his bars.
And his heart sliced in half.
For he will murder his beloved,
Never to be saved."

I found the words leaving my lips before I could stop it and everyone watched me with astonished faces.

"I guess Mr. Metallicbutt taught you well." Pedro grinned down at me and I smiled sheepishly.

"It's Pandora." Liam sat unmoving in his seat. His normal green eyes seemed to scrutinize me. "I guess more of her abilities are poking through the surface. She's able to interpret and understand every language."

"How long have you had this?" Zion made a sideway-glance at me.

I pursed my lips. "Ever since I confronted Zeus. He spoke to me in Greek and I recognized it."

Zion shifted uncomfortably. The thought of nearly murdering me was quite disturbing. "Point noted, but then why will Gwen say all those nonsense?"

"Because she's an oracle," Liam spoke up. "She speaks hidden truths of the future."

Wow, he knows his Greek, but where does he get all the information?

"So she has a spirit within her?" I asked. "Just like Zion?"

"More or less." Liam shrugged.

Does he ever give a straight answer?

I shifted in my seat. "Okay. So who was she talking about?"

Liam scrunched his eyebrows slightly then glanced away, "I don't know. But from what I get about Oracles, they're triggered whenever they see or touch the person to whom it concerns."

"You're saying she could be talking about any of us?" I asked and Liam nodded.

My heart plummeted. The prophecy was more of a curse if you ask me.

"Alright." Zion rested his arm on the sofa, his face nonchalant like he couldn't care any less about prophecy. "Moving on to more pressing matters. Gwen's dad."

Pedro leaned forward, his attention had intensified. "Why will Henry want her dad anyway?"

I couldn't help but feel guilty about it. "It's me, isn't it? If I hadn't gone freely with Henry he might've spared him."

"You don't know that--"

"Actually that's what Henry will do," Liam cut Zion off completely and grinned when he got a threatening glare. "He's a dog of vengeance and will do anything to get what he wants."

I couldn't stop the voice that crawled into my mind; see you soon sweetie. I always love a good chase.

Zion growled. "How sure are you he just wants to kill her? We're not letting him near any of us or her as far as I'm concerned."

"Then she must not be isolated for more than a minute. I know Henry to make a move the moment he gets the opportunity."

"This time I'm going to kill that freak," Zion grumbled.

"Relax bro," Pedro tapped my shoulders with a finger. "Even if Penny confronts him, she can teleport him back to the hole he crawled out of. Ain't that right, Chocolate?"

I winced. "Yeah right. I don't even know how to trigger it. I'm as thoughtless as Zion and useful as a toddler doing magic. But he mentioned about his mistress wanting me."

Zion and Pedro faced me with eyebrows raised in unison. "What?" They both said.

"Henry is working for someone but we don't know who," Liam clarified. "We also don't know why they would need Penny."

"Henry mentioned something about me being dangerous since I carry Pandora's spirit," I mumbled.

"Then Pandora could be what they want," Pedro added in.

"I say we capture the freak. Make him release Gwen's dad, and answer all our damn questions before we kill him." Zion grumbled.

"But if we're going to battle the leader of a pack of crocottas we need a fighting chance." Pedro unconsciously rubbed slow circles on my arm as he faced his brother. "You need to use Zeus to your advantage. Develop your control over lightning."

Zion slumped back and rested one elbow on the armchair. "And how am I going to do that?"

"I can teach you," Liam answered. "It's all based on emotions and I can guide you through them."

"You will?" Pedro sounded surprised.

"Yes," Liam answered. "For a price."

I knew there was a punch line. Liam wasn't going to make this easy and we needed him.

Zion narrowed his eyes. "And what's that?"

Liam's iris had slanted a bit as he watched me before moving to the brothers. His face was filled with mischief and complete coldness that I was surprised by his answer.

"A kiss."

What do you think about Liam?

That's all for now. Don't forget to vote and comment.