The sound of thunder echoed from the training courtyard even before I arrived. They were not thunders from the sky, but rather violent, blue sparks erupting from Eron's hands. He was there, sweating, focused, channeling his father's power in a way that made the very air vibrate. In the distance, I saw the gazes of some warriors; it was not martial admiration—it was hunger. My mother was right: his time as a mere protégé was over.
— Eron! — I shouted, trying to keep my voice steady above the crackle of electricity.
He turned, his eyes still glowing with the remnants of divine energy. A lopsided smile appeared on his face, that confidence that always disarmed me.
— Diana? I thought you were hiding in your room after our argument.
— I grew tired of the walls — I lied, approaching with the reins of two horses. — The day is suffocating. Shall we go to the plains? I need wind and speed.
He sheathed his sword, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm.
— You never refuse a racing challenge. I accept.
We rode in silence for a while, leaving the stone citadel behind. The sound of hooves hitting the packed earth was the only rhythm that calmed my racing heart. When we reached the open horizon of the plains, where the high grass danced like the sea, I pulled the reins. The silence there was absolute, broken only by the heavy breathing of the animals.
I dismounted, feeling the weight of the invisible crown I would soon have to carry. Heron stopped beside me, watching the sunset that stained the sky a bloody orange.
— You're acting strange — he said, his voice lower now. — What is it?
My hands trembled. I looked at him, at the man who grew up as my brother, but who now occupied my every thought in a way the laws of the Amazons would never allow. The fear of rejection was a sharp blade at my throat.
— My mother... the Amazons... they have already decided your fate, Heron — I began, my voice faltering. — They want your power. They want you to be the King, the progenitor of a new lineage. They look at you and see a demigod.
He frowned, but I didn't let him speak. I took a step forward, closing the distance between us until I could feel the heat emanating from his skin.
— But I don't see a king. I don't see just a son of Zeus. — I took a deep breath, feeling tears sting my eyes. — I fought against this. I told myself a thousand times it was wrong, that we were siblings... but I don't want you to be theirs. I want you to be mine. I love you, Heron. Beyond the laws, beyond blood. If you reject me now, I will understand, but I cannot let another touch you before you know how I feel.
The silence that followed seemed to last an eternity. The wind blew through his black hair, and for a second, I thought he would turn his back. But then, Eron let out a soft laugh, a mixture of relief and disbelief.
He reached out, touching my face with a delicacy that contrasted with the raw power he had emanated minutes before.
— Did you really think you were the only one suffering from this, Diana? — He stepped closer, and the spark in his eyes was no longer of lightning, but of something much more human. — I look at the others and I feel nothing but duty. But when I look at you... I see the only reason I want to stay on this island. The feeling is mutual. It always has been.