Cursed by the Gods by Raye Wagner

Author:Raye Wagner [Wagner, Raye]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: young adult, demigods, Mythology
Publisher: R. Wagner
Published: 2015-08-08T22:00:00+00:00

She still had more than a week before the change. A week that seemed like forever away, and yet every day was a reminder of the time ticking away. And as the time grew closer to the change, the constant reminder that she was different than everyone she hung out with began grating on her. Her curse was a burden, and she resented it more and more every passing day.

But she pushed it aside, her fear and her worry, because today was going perfectly. It was early afternoon, and they were in her Civic heading south on I-82 to the fish hatchery. Tristan and Haley sat in the back seat, their constant conversation lulling Hope’s nerves. Athan chimed in occasionally, mostly to give her directions.

Today had been different than any she’d ever had at school. She sat with Haley, Athan, and their friends at lunch and found herself laughing at Tristan’s jokes. Haley invited her to come to the river Thursday night for a bonfire, and Hope contemplated going. Krista had left her alone. There’d been no further phone calls from Priska’s number. And no Skia. If Priska would just let her know she was okay, life would be perfect.

“You look awfully pleased.”

Athan’s comment pulled Hope from her reverie. “Oh, just thinking. Are you going to the river Thursday?”

Part of her wanted to hang out with her new friends, and she recognized the shift. She was even referring to them as her friends.

“Do you want to go?” he asked.

Unwilling to commit, Hope mumbled, “Maybe.”

The revelation that she’d settled enough to have friends was a bit disconcerting. It warred with what she’d been told over and over: connections were to be avoided. At some point, she would have to move, and . . . She didn’t want to leave.

“I think you’ll have a great time if we go, but I’ll leave it up to you.”

She caught his wording, and her heart fluttered. She would deal with leaving later. Once Priska came back.

They pulled off the freeway, and Hope followed signs to the Bonneville Fish Hatchery.

Hope looked out the window, assessing the surroundings. She could see picnic tables, benches, and a water fountain from the car. Trees and shrubs lined the concrete landscape; small pink petals floated in the breeze.

“How did you know about this place?” she asked as they walked past a couple industrial pools.

The group wandered down a path that wound alongside a natural-looking creek and several smaller ponds. The flowers bloomed in white, pink, and lavender. The smell from the blossoms mixed with the scents of the nearby river and the large pine trees. Overhead, small birds chirped.

Haley laughed. “Seriously, this isn’t really a dude kinda place.”

“Oh, I asked Scott what there is to do around Goldendale.”

“Scott?” Surprise was written all over Haley’s face.

Tristan chuckled. “Scott loves to fish. They have monster sturgeon here.”

“Come on.” Athan gave Hope’s arm a little tug further down the path.

Hope could only stare when she first saw them. She had no idea that fish in a river could be so big and so ugly.

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