Persephone's Point of View
♕︎ ♕︎ ♕︎
As soon as I arrived at the Advanced Physics of Space and Time class, I immediately felt a shift in the air. The tension was palpable, almost as if the room itself was holding its breath. This was no ordinary class. The subject was notoriously challenging, and the professor, Ophelia Hrisoverghi, was a force to be reckoned with. She wasn't just a professor; she was an ancient cyclop, over three thousand years old, which made her both a legend and a terror in her field.
Standing at an imposing height of 2.70 meters, Ophelia was hard to miss. Her ashen pale skin gave her an ethereal, otherworldly appearance, while her long, curly lavender hair cascaded down her back like a flowing river. The silver of her single eye gleamed with a penetrating, almost unnerving intensity, as though it could see right through anyone who dared meet her gaze. Her curvy figure—accentuated by her large breasts and thick thighs—further added to her commanding presence.
I had always respected her power, but the memory of her abilities, especially her control over memory, always sent a shiver down my spine.
As I entered the classroom, the girls instantly caught my attention. It was as if they were waiting for me, a synchronized movement of energy that I couldn't ignore. Anna-Charlotte, ever the dramatic one, was the first to speak. She was panting slightly, clearly out of breath from the fading they had done to get here. "Finally," she huffed, each word coming out in bursts. "We," puff, "are," puff, "here!" It was clear she had barely managed to catch up to the rest of them.
Stella, always the playful one, couldn't resist teasing her. "You can't even handle a little fading, babe," she giggled, her voice light and mocking. As she spoke, she wrapped her arm possessively around Anna-Charlotte's waist, pulling her close and planting a soft kiss on her lips. The kiss lingered just a bit too long for my liking, and I quickly looked away, feeling an uncomfortable pang in my chest. It wasn't that I had anything against them or their relationship—it was simply that I didn't want to witness it. They must have started dating during the winter vacation. I didn't know the details, and frankly, it wasn't any of my business.
"Follow the plan," I said sharply, my tone making it clear that I wasn't interested in being distracted. It wasn't the time for personal dramas. I had my own agenda, and I intended to stick to it. The others—my girls—picked up on my cue and followed me to our seats. The awkwardness of sitting with them in class for the first time wasn't lost on me, but I was determined to make it work. If we didn't talk and kept to ourselves, we could survive this. At least for today.
The minutes dragged by, and slowly, the classroom began to fill with the usual crowd of elite students from the top 50. One by one, they trickled in, each group settling into their familiar spots. It was easy to tell who belonged where—the students from each house stuck together like magnets. My house, however, was the only one that had its members fully present. The rest of the students trickled in, but we were already settled and ready.
The last to arrive were the notorious members of Pride-Niklaus and the so-called "deadly sins," and soon after, my brothers and their two closest friends made their grand entrance, as they always did. The way they carried themselves, the air of superiority they exuded—it was hard to miss.
"Aye, this ain't fair," Apollo grumbled as he made his way over to me. His voice had an exaggerated pout, clearly putting on a show. "We wanted to sit with you, Persephone. Can't you tell those girls to move and make some space for us?" His tone was playful, but I could hear the faintest edge of annoyance. As if it were my fault that I had chosen to sit with them in the first place.
Loki, ever the troublemaker, appeared beside Apollo, flashing that mischievous grin I knew all too well. "Me too," he added with a wink, his eyes glinting with that familiar sparkle of mischief.
"Absolutely not," I said firmly, not bothering to look at them. My decision was final, and they would just have to deal with it. They weren't going to change my mind by whining.
"Come on, pretty Calli," Loki teased, his voice dripping with that same playful charm. He always thought he could charm his way into anything. But not today.
I gave him a glare—sharp and unwavering. The kind of glare that could freeze anyone in their tracks. "If you keep calling me that, I will make you a target and reap all of your nine bloody tails, fox," I warned, my voice colder than ice. The threat was real.
Loki chuckled, as if unfazed by my words. His gaze held amusement, though there was a flicker of uncertainty behind his playful exterior. "Lovely. I'll be glad to have your hands on me, no matter the reason. Even if it's because you're trying to kill me. It's still a wonder. I'm still attracted to you, Calli," he winked again, as if testing my resolve.
The disgust surged inside me, like bile rising in my throat. "I ain't ever touching my holy hands on your filthy body, fox. Dream on," I said, my voice low and deadly. "And if you try anything, I will mutilate both of your hands and slap the hell out of your dirty face with them as you bleed out."
Loki's grin faltered, but he didn't back down. He was used to being irresistible, to being the center of attention. But he had no idea who he was dealing with. I wasn't interested in his charm. Not in the slightest.
"So aggressive, Scarlet," came the smooth, purring voice of Pride-Niklaus. He had been watching us, no doubt entertained by our exchange. His voice was like silk, smooth and dripping with something far more dangerous. But I wouldn't rise to his bait.
I glared at him, but said nothing. There was no need to engage with him. Instead, I turned my attention back to my brothers, who were still lingering near my seat. They were hoping, no doubt, that I'd give in and let them sit with me. "We spent the entire vacation together," I reminded them firmly. "And you already spent five hours with me yesterday. That's more than enough. I was born with you. I don't need to be with you all the time. Sit with your little friends. We're in Sky-Eden to study, not to chit-chat. If you want to talk, we can do it at any time except in class."
"But…" my siblings protested, their voices carrying that familiar whining tone they knew always worked on me.
"No buts," I said, cutting them off sharply before they could drag this out any further. "You need to focus on your studies, and so do I. There's no time for distractions." I could feel the weight of their pleading eyes on me, but I refused to give in. I had to stay strong. I wasn't going to let them derail my priorities.
"Seat elsewhere," I added sharply, my patience wearing thin. "Professor Ophelia Hrisoverghi will be here in a minute, and you better be sitting down when she arrives."
The words were firm and final. Professor Ophelia wasn't just any instructor. She had a reputation—one that I had personally experienced last year. She was notorious for punishing disobedient students, and her method of punishment was enough to leave even the bravest trembling in fear. Ophelia didn't just give detention or reprimands; she had the terrifying ability to manipulate memories. If you disobeyed her, she could erase your memories or make you relive painful experiences.
I had been on the receiving end of one of her "lessons," and it was an experience I would never forget. Once was enough for me. I wasn't about to go through that again.
Thank the gods that when it happened to me, we were alone. If any of the other students had witnessed what Ophelia did to me, I would never have been able to hold my head high again. But at least Ophelia's kin was allied with my father, so I was spared further humiliation. That small comfort didn't make me any less terrified of her. I wasn't about to take any chances. I wouldn't allow myself to get on her bad side again.
And so, I silently prayed that the cyclops students in Sky-Eden were too terrified of me to notice how truly afraid I was of them. Otherwise, I would definitely be in for a nightmare.