Iridescence

CHAPTER TEN

ELIZA

I was quite surprised when my gym class began with an announcement. "Class, I would like to introduce you to a new teacher who will be joining us," Mr. Markson said. He pointed toward someone whose back was to us as he set up some equipment. "This is Mr. Ray. He is a student teacher in the music department, but he is also an accomplished archer, and he's graciously come by today to give you all a crash course in the sport."

My eyes widened in shock as Apollo turned around and smiled at us. "Who here has ever shot an arrow before?" He asked cheerfully. He was wearing a white gym t-shirt with the school's name written across it in bold navy blue letters and a pair of matching navy blue shorts. My eyes fell on his long white crew socks and white sneakers that were so clean they were almost blinding. It took me a moment to process what I was seeing.

A couple of kids raised their hands. "That was a trick question," Apollo said with a laugh. "You don't shoot an arrow... You loose an arrow. Like this." He casually loosed an arrow into the nearest target without looking at it.

The class reacted in excitement. Some kids clapped and others cheered. I watched him, torn between my shock and genuine awe at his archery skills.

"Everyone, grab an arm guard and line up," Apollo instructed. As they did, he took me aside and strapped an arm guard on me.

"Here," he said softly. "This one's for you. It's got protection magic on it."

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"I got myself a job so I can keep an eye on you girls in school," he replied. "I applied as a music teacher, but when they asked about my hobbies and I listed archery, they asked me to help out with the gym classes, too."

"Apollo, what if someone recognizes you?"

"They won't. I'm just a humble student teacher named Mr. Ray... Get it? Like a ray of sunlight?" He grinned at me.

"Subtlety isn't your strong suit, is it?" I asked with a slight laugh.

He grinned more at my response. "Not at all," he confirmed. "Now, line up."

I got in line. Apollo began to demonstrate the proper stance before he let kids start loosing arrows. Some hit the edge of the target, others nearly hit the bullseye. A few missed the target entirely. When it was my turn, I was very nervous to be at the center of attention. I realized I was trembling when Apollo gently touched my arm.

"Breathe, Eliza," he said soothingly.

"Mr. Ray, please refrain from touching the students," Mr. Markson said firmly.

"Right! Sorry about that," Apollo replied. He stepped back a little. "Pardon my forwardness, Miss," he added with a subtle wink.

"It's alright," I replied shyly.

"Just relax and take your time," he coached me. He'd shown me how to use a bow and arrow during our training, but now I had an audience, and that scared me. "It's just you and me, Eliza," he whispered. "You can do this."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. With Apollo beside me, I felt calmer. I opened my eyes and loosed the arrow. To my shock, it hit the target. In fact, it was closer than anyone else had come to the center of the bullseye.

My classmates cheered in surprise. Mr. Markson gasped. I'd never shown any athletic ability whatsoever before, so I can't really blame him. "Eliza Alden, you've been holding out on us!" He declared.

"That was excellent, Eliza," Apollo told me as he beamed with pride.

I felt myself blushing. I hated being the center of attention. Apollo seemed to realize this, and he called the next person up, but he was still smiling at me.

After class, I changed into my regular clothes and left the locker room. I noticed Leo Lukas waiting for me. Leo was one of the school's jocks. He mostly hung out with Jenna's crowd, but everyone knew who he was.

"You were pretty amazing in there today, Eliza," Leo said with a friendly smile.

"I was?" I asked in surprise. I didn't even know Leo knew my name.

"Yeah. Have you tried archery before?"

"I recently started lessons."

"You're a natural, Eliza."

"Thanks. That's kind of you... You know, I don't think we've ever spoken before, Leo."

"That's my loss. Any girl with your kind of talent should definitely be one of my friends. I like to surround myself with awesome people."

I blushed again. As Leo leaned in closer, he added, "You're cute when you blush."

I almost ran away in embarrassment, but he laughed and said, "Relax, Eliza. I'm just teasing. You're pretty shy, huh?"

"I sort of socialize more with books than people," I admitted.

"Maybe we can hang out sometime. I can show you that people can be just as fun as books."

"I... Um... Sure," I replied awkwardly. This wasn't the sort of thing that happened to me. I was confused.

"Eliza... I'd like to discuss your technique," Apollo said as he suddenly appeared and moved between us. "May I walk you to your next class?" He motioned for me to follow him, leaving no room to refuse.

I offered Leo a polite smile before following Apollo away. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"What? No... I just thought I should walk with you to make sure you're safe," he replied. "Besides, you looked uncomfortable. Want me to beat up that boy for you? Or perhaps turn him into a tree?"

"Of course not! We were just talking, Apollo. Leo was impressed by my unexpected archery skills."

"Oh, was he now? And what would Leo know about archery?"

I frowned. "Do you know him or something?"

"No, but I know his type. You can do better, Eliza."

An impossible thought occurred to me. Apollo was acting jealous of Leo, but that made no sense. Why would a deity be jealous of some random teenage boy? And why would he be jealous of anyone in regards to me?

Is Krissy right? I wondered. Does Apollo have feelings for me? No way... That's ridiculous, Eliza. He's just being cautious about trusting people around me because of the coming threat.

"Look, I'm sorry," Apollo said suddenly. "I just didn't like how close he was to you."

What did that mean? Krissy had really gotten into my head and now I was overthinking everything.

"It's not a big deal," I insisted. "He's just a classmate. I hardly know him."

"You need to be careful, Eliza. People aren't always what they seem," he replied. As we reached my classroom, he paused. "I really am proud of you. You did great today," he told me. "I'll see you in music class."

I tried not to obsessively overthink as I sat through my math class, but it was difficult. By the time I got to music, I desperately needed to focus. I sat down at my piano and began to play.

I lost myself in the music quickly, my fingers expressing through the keys what I could not express with words. This act soothed my nerves.

I didn't notice when Apollo arrived, now dressed much less ridiculously in a button-down sky blue shirt, khaki pants, and black dress shoes. He moved closer to the piano, just observing me in silence as I played. I started a new song and I finally noticed him because he tensed.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Where did you learn that song, Eliza?" He asked me very softly.

"I don't know," I admitted. "It just sort of came to me. I've never played it before." I was confused by his reaction. "I'm sorry. I'll stop."

"No," he whispered. "Don't stop. Keep playing."

Uncertain of what else to do, I resumed the song. He watched me with incredible sadness in his eyes. When the song ended, he sighed.

"That was lovely... Eliza," he said, pausing before saying my name as if he was struggling to remember who I was.

"Thank you," I replied. I really wasn't sure why he looked so lost, but I knew it had to do with the strangely familiar melody I'd been playing.

As the last few students filtered in, Apollo put on his usual cheerful expression. His smile was blindingly bright, but I saw the pain still lingering in his eyes. No one else seemed to notice. As he taught, they listened and laughed, instantly charmed by him. I couldn't blame them. Apollo had a way of sucking people in when he spoke.

After music class, I headed to my final class of the day, which was history. Vanessa and Faith were both in the class with me. Faith was busy doodling in her notebook, but Vanessa smiled pleasantly when she spotted me. I smiled back before taking my seat.

As the teacher lectured, I zoned out. Normally, I paid excellent attention in my classes, but I couldn't get the mysterious melody out of my head.

Hail, Hail, we pierce the veil!

Hark, Hark, we banish the dark!

Hail, Hail, we cannot fail!

Hark, Hark, this is the spark!

The words repeated in my mind over and over again. I was confused by them, yet they seemed familiar. Suddenly, I was seeing flashes of something else. Nothing was clear. I had a bunch of puzzle pieces but not the whole picture.

There was a battle. Bodies littered the ground. The deities were outmatched. Everyone was in danger. A young woman was watching in horror, desperate to do something to help. She began building power, preparing for an intense act of magic. Then, Apollo began screaming.

"Kleia!" He shouted, his horror clear in his tone. He pronounced it CLAY-uh. The name sent a chill through me, as did the pain and fear in his voice.

Suddenly, the woman was in his arms on the ground. He sobbed as he held her. She remained motionless.

I felt arms wrap around me. Vanessa turned me to look at her. "You're hyperventilating in class, Eliza," she told me. "You need to wake up before the teacher notices. Are you okay?"

I nodded, but I wasn't sure. "Come on. I'll guide you back," she offered. She took my hand, anchoring me. I let her lead me away from the strange dream or vision or whatever it was.

I opened my eyes and forced myself to calm my breathing. Whatever I'd seen was real. I was certain of that. Apollo's grief had been far too strong for it to be my imagination. It was like I could feel it in my own heart.

I looked across the room at Vanessa. She smiled at me reassuringly and I tried to calm down. I didn't know what was going on, but I'd figure it out. Faith was watching me with concern.

Maybe I can talk to Apollo at training today, I thought. If what I'd seen was real, he could confirm it for me. At the same time, it was obviously painful for him, and I didn't want to upset him. I needed answers, but I couldn't risk hurting him again. My song had already upset him.

The past is gone yet haunting thee.

Your grief flows freely as the sea.

Your broken heart I long to ease.

With this hymn, your pain I release.

I wasn't sure why I felt compelled to make up rhymes. I'd written lyrics ever since I was a little girl, but I had no idea where the urge came from. Sometimes it was simply the easiest way to express myself.

This time, it was odd, like the words were actually doing something. I could almost feel the magic flying into the air and headed straight for Apollo. Strangely enough, I sensed him calming down a bit. I didn't understand how, but I was certain the words had brought him peace.

I was looking forward to training just so I could check on him. I couldn't help but worry about him. I jumped up as soon as the bell rang.

"Feeling better?" Vanessa asked.

"A little," I replied.

"I've got rehearsal and Jenna has track," she said. "We'll meet you guys at training."

"Come on, Eliza," Faith added, "let's go find Krissy."

I nodded and we hurried to find her. When we got outside, Krissy was standing with Apollo.

"I figured I'd take you girls for a snack while we wait for the others," he said with a smile. His eyes weren't as sad anymore, but he was staring at me.

"Emily usually goes on her own," Faith replied. "Jenna and Vanessa are the ones who have after school activities."

"We'll get a snack and wait for those two," Apollo said. "If we catch Emily, she can come, too." He led us across the street to a pizza place.

"I'll text Ness and Jen and let them know," Krissy decided.

As Krissy and Faith debated what to order, I watched Apollo closely. I desperately wanted to ask him about Kleia, but I was afraid he'd get upset.

"Something on your mind, Eliza?" He asked.

"No... Thanks for the pizza," I replied quickly.

I could tell he knew I wasn't saying something, but he didn't call me on it. Instead, he cheerfully replied, "You're welcome."

The four of us ate our pizza and talked casually, but I couldn't focus. I needed answers. I took a deep breath and decided I'd try to get them during training. Until then, I just needed to relax before Krissy, Faith, and especially Apollo noticed and started to worry about me.