'She's so gorgeous.'
'Thoughts about crushes also come my way~.'
'You're annoying.'
'You love me~.'
'Very debatable.'
Donna's gaze shifted to me, causing a pink hue to settle on her cheeks. She sent me a small smile before turning her attention back to her niece. I turned my attention back to Alcina and noticed her gaze darting between myself and her sister. When her eyes stopped on me, I cleared my throat and glanced off to the side, calming my heart rate as quickly as I could. I glanced back at Alcina and noticed her eyes had darkened a bit.
'That's not a good sign...'
'No, it's not,' Isa's voice entered my head. 'What'd I miss?'
'I would say I'd tell you tonight, but they only prepared one room so I'll be sharing with Donna.'
'Oh? And who requested that~?' Aphrodite's voice sounded off again.
'Not you again-.'
'Get out of my twin's mind. This is my space.'
'IT'S MY MIND?!?' I bit back a groan and rubbed my temples.
"Something wrong?" Donna's voice cut through the arguing in my head, making me slowly look up at her.
"Just a little... Overwhelmed," I whispered as she pressed a hand to my forehead. "My powers are in overdrive. I'll be fine in a second."
"You can always take a walk," Daniela suggested as concern swirled in her gold eyes. "I'm sure aunt Donna won't mind showing you around the castle. She's been here hundreds of times! I can help too!"
"Dani," Bela hissed from the doorway, motioning her sister over. "Come here. Cass and I need to talk to you."
"I'll be right back."
Once Daniela was at the door, her sisters pulled her into the hall and shut the door. I turned my attention back to Donna, taking a mental note of the concern on her face. She glanced at her sister before motioning for me to stand, wrapping her hands around my bicep. After saying goodbye to Alcina, Donna and I walked into the hall, the suffocating feeling finally easing up a bit.
"What does it feel like?" Donna asked as she pulled me through the halls.
"Huh?"
"When your powers are overwhelming you... What does it feel like?"
"It's hard to breathe," I sighed before she rested her head on my shoulder. "Everything seems so... loud. Difficult to focus... Not to mention the glimpses of the dead."
"That bad?"
"It's not as bad as it used to be, but it's still jarring to see the spirits."
"...Do you not want to stay here?"
"N-no! That's not the case!" I promised with a squeak. "It happens anywhere I go. Spirits are drawn to the royal family — this would happen anywhere. Your sister and nieces seem nice, plus you seem happier here. I don't mind staying."
Donna turned her head enough to bury her face against my shoulder, the smile clear on her face as she spoke. "As long as you're okay with it."
"I'm fine with whatever makes you happy."
A quiet squeak left Donna as she tightened her grip slightly, only loosening it back to normal when she seemingly calmed down. Once she settled down fully, she led me on a tour of the castle, ending the tour at the room we were staying in. When she pulled me inside, she shut the door and began pacing, making me tilt my head out of curiosity.
"Is something wrong, Donna?" I asked softly as I took a step toward her.
Donna flinched and I immediately stepped back until I hit the door, not wanting to scare her too much. "Please don't be mad..."
"Mad? Why would I...?"
"I...I asked for... The single room... Please don't be mad!"
"...Why would I be mad? You inadvertently made this stay a lot easier for me. Having something or someone to be near me — someone alive — makes handling it easier at night. It gives me something to use to ground myself and block everything else out."
"So... I helped by doing this?"
"Absolutely. And when we get home, I'll make your favorite meals — and desserts — as a thank you."
"That... that would be nice," Donna muttered as she fidgeted with her dress. "Do...—."
"Do you want a hug?" Once the question left me, Donna was in front of me and wrapping her arms around me.
"...I should've asked you first."
"It's a nice surprise. When do we eat?"
"We still have a few hours, why do you ask?"
"Because I have a few questions for you about your sister and nieces."
Donna nodded and slowly pulled away from the hug, leading me over to the bed. Once we were seated, I asked her a few questions — all of which I already knew the answer to, I just needed confirmation. After getting the confirmation, I simply nodded at her and let her know it didn't bother me. Having a reason behind why the spirits were there and now a reason to ignore them.
"Do they complain?"
"Every spirit does," I sighed and flopped back onto the bed. "A lot claim wrongful deaths — some are accurate — or that they still have things to do in the mortal world. The fates don't care."
"...I..."
"Something wrong?"
"N-no," Donna squeaked out, making me glance at her. "I-I have to go."
Before I could question her, Donna stood and left quickly, making me feel bad for some reason. When I was sure she was far enough away, I reached out to Zagreus, deciding to ask him if he knew anything about Donna. It didn't take long for him to show up, the smile on his face bringing a sense of familiarity to me.
"What do you know about the—."
"You know the rules," He cut me off with a chuckle. "I'm not allowed to tell you about a specific family or situation. If the fates wanted someone to stay in — or go to — the underworld, they would be there."
"So telling me if Donna's dead is against the rules?"
"You're a child of Hades, you should know automatically."
"...It's... Complicated?"
"Correct. Oh, and by the way, good luck, baby sis."
"Isa's the baby of the family."
"Compared to the rest of us," Zagreus laughed with a shrug. "You're both babies."
"You're millennias old," I deadpanned as he laughed harder. "Get out."
"I love you~!"
"Yeah, yeah... I love you too."
Zagreus disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving me alone yet again. The alone time didn't last long, however, as the scent of cinnamon filled the air. I glanced at a corner and waved at the red eyes, watching Isa step out of the darkness and take a seat next to me. The tension in their body faded as soon as they sat down, making me sit up and place a hand on their shoulder.
"Everything okay?"
"I was gonna ask you that," Isa chuckled as they glanced over at me. "I've been suppressing your anxiety since you were told that you'd be coming here. It's overwhelming."
"I'm sorry," I sighed and rested my forehead on their shoulder. "I guess it's because I know this is a test of some kind? I just don't want to mess up."
"You won't."
"How do you know that?"
"Because you're my sister. You can do anything you set your mind to. And even if you need help, I'll always be here to help you. That's what siblings are for."
The door opened and Donna entered, pausing when her eyes landed on Isa. I lifted my head from their shoulder before standing up and motioning to Isa. They stood and introduced themself with a bow, sending Donna a warm smile. When the clicking of heels reached my ears, I tried my hardest to fight back a smile and waited patiently for Alcina to show up. Once she did, she ducked into the room and Isa tensed immediately.
'[Y/N]...'
'She's taller than your godly form.'
'...I hate this.'
"And who might you be?" Alcina inquired as she glared at Isa.
"This is my twin," I grinned and wrapped my arms around Isa's neck so they couldn't leave. "I told you about them, remember?"
"I—," Alcina paused when her daughters showed up, sending them a smile before continuing. "I do remember that, actually."
'...Holy fuck... Those three are hot.'
'Oh~? Looks like both twins are smitten now~.'
'STOP READING OUR MINDS!'