After the Emissaries from Erindros settled in, Adonis and his n set off from Thalassia the next day. Astrid went to stand beside Adonis on the deck as he stared at the sea.
"This is an awfully familiar scene," she said behind him.
Adonis jerked slightly, "Don’t sneak up on like that," he chuckled. "And yes, you’re right. This is becoming very..."
"Normal?"
"You could say that."
Astrid heaved, "So what should we look forward to at Anatolia? More bombs, of course, but you should have figured out a way to deal with that by now, am I right?"
"You don’t need to worry, Astrid, with everything we’ve prepared, we’re confident it’s going to be a smooth sail from here on out."
"I really hope so," she mumbled.
"How’s Doris? She’s getting better?"
"She’s almost at full recovery, don’t worry too much."
"Who said anything about ’worrying’?"
"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Adonis?" she said and walked away.
After the initial reports on the bomb reserved in various kingdoms, he’d told him, n, to stand down and wait for his signal. When they were at any of their locations, they would set off the bombs from within, and Adonis and his n would attack.
The battle at Anatolia was swift. After the bombs were detonated, Adonis and his n wasted no ti taking the city.
There were a few hiccups in their plan; the ssenger they barely able to catch, who had been assigned to call for reinforcents. But that was sorted out quickly.
They wasted no ti staying in Anatolia. Adonis wanted to be done with the death; he wanted to go ho.
They took over two other kingdoms just as swiftly and were on their way to Epirus.
Astrid and the girls were talking and laughing in Adonis’ cabin, which had turned into that of the girls. They had the space because they couldn’t sleep with the boys. They snored and slled of piss and wine.
"I can’t believe I’m going ho," Astrid squealed. "I wish Hera were here; she would have loved to see our parents again, our people." Astrid sighed.
"You think you can face them again?" Andrea asked, "After the way you ended things with them?"
"I didn’t end things with them," she said defensively, "I was just extrely disappointed in their choices. They made horrible choices as parents for I and Hera. Now look at us, I’m on a ship with the prince of Eprius, capital city of the greatest empire in the world. And I don’t an that in a good way, because Adonis wasn’t Adonis; he would have killed ."
Doris plopped herself up on her elbow. "Well, what about now?" She asked, "You’ve forgiven them?"
"I have," Astrid answered. "It’s a little hard to reconcile the fact that they did things without telling us why, but then again, I can’t be sure that I would have acted right if my father told he was sending away with no communication for half a decade. Besides, the empire has made see other perspectives."
Doris and Andrea nodded their heads.
"After all of this is over, what do you girls plan to do?" Astrid asked.
Andrea chuckled, "Astrid, I have no ho to go back to, there are no plans."
"Likewise," Doris said as she nodded her head.
"Well," Astrid cleared her throat, sat up straight, and raised her chin, "I am going to be queen soday, so, if you’d like to stay, I’d be most happy to have you."
Doris and Andrea looked at each other, both holding in their laughter, then they bowed, "Yes, your highness," they chorused and burst out laughing.
Astrid joined them in their laughter until their bellies hurt and they could laugh no more.
"I missed this," Doris said quietly. "Laughing and joking about stupid things together with all our sisters. I hope wherever Lily is, she’s happy and healthy."
"A ghost can’t eat," Astrid said playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
"You wish," Andrea chid. "Lily had a large appetite; I’m sure she’d have found a way to take down a few plates of food."
Then a slight rustling ca from the trunk; they could hear the squeaks.
"By the gods," Doris whispered, "did we accidentally call her?"
"What?!" Astrid was flabbergasted. They’d all curled around each other on the bed when they heard the sound.
Then they heard the sound again.
"Soone needs to go check," Astrid said.
"You’re the one leading this expedition; you should go," Andrea said.
"In your wildest dreams, Andrea, "Astrid hissed. "Besides, aren’t you the oldest? You need to go and check whatever that is." Then she and Doris pushed Andrea towards the trucks near the edge of the room.
Andrea cursed under her breath and slowly moved towards the trunk. Imdiately, she stood in front of it, and she froze and began to whimper.
"Andrea?" Astrid whispered, "What’s wrong?" She stuttered.
"Soone’s here, I can feel it."
"What?!" Astrid glanced at Doris.
"Please help ," Andrea whispered desperately, "please help ."
"What do we do?" Doris hissed.
"Why are you asking ? I don’t know how to deal with ghosts. I knew we shouldn’t have ntioned Lily." Astrid looked about the room as she held on to Doris tightly.
Andrea gurgled, her arms around her neck as they watched her struggle.
"Andrea?!" Astrid shouted and ran to her, "My goodness," she cried. "What do we do?"
Before they could fully react, Andrea had stopped moving, and her breathing stopped.
"No, no, no, no, no." Doris ca to stand beside her. "This can’t be happening." Tears bawled out of her eyes.
They soon heard laughter while they were both crying.
"I didn’t know you loved this much," Andrea said. "Now, this ought to teach you a lesson."
Astrid and Doris look at each other, then at Andrea, and begin to hit her.
"Oww, ow, would you stop that?" Andrea yelped in pain.
"How could you play like that, you dimwit?" Andrea shouted.
"Sorry, sorry," Andrea said, laughing. "It was a joke. Don’t take it too seriously."
Astrid huffed, and Doris looked her up and down. Soon enough, they all burst out laughing.
"You got us there," Astrid said.
"I know I did," Andrea replied.
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