It never felt right for her to be there, to be around such a loving and happy family. The Ritters were something entirely different than what sheâd seen in her few short years of life, they were all so⊠connected, so in tune with one another, Artemis would move one way and Apolloâs body shifted entirely to follow suit, even when they were in a screaming match, there was something in their eyes, a knowing love, a bond and it was so pure it was nearly palpable. She never knew that, not with the woman who gave her life, who hated her so much that the hate drove a darkness deeper in Iliana until one day the woman didnât wake up from one of the reoccurring night terrors that her young daughter unknowingly gave to her. She didnât know it from the Sisters of our Lady of Sorrows at the all-girls orphanage in Moscow, they all saw that darkness in her and kept her in it, kept her from love, from peace and happiness, because she was a monster, and she did awful things to the people who upset her⊠the closest she ever felt to love was when the child of Hebe found her, a pretty soft woman with ginger hair and emerald green eyes, who took her away from that home, took her to America, made her feel a semblance of peace for a little while⊠until Iliana ruined that as well, damning her to the empty abyss of darkness that she herself couldnât even figure out how to get to all because she was upset about her adoptive mother wanting to move them to Olympus.
The Ritters would be her next victims, it was inevitable, she knew thatâŠand yet selfishly she stayed, she let them take care of her, let them think she was the product of a neglectful mortal mother, and each day she came over, like she was one of them. Artemis was usually there during the day, keeping her company, gossiping about Antonio Mendez or another boy who she was amusing herself with, but today she had dance practice after school and Iliana instead of making her way to her empty home, perched herself on the couch in their den, glancing out the window and watching the hummingbirds flick around to each feeder, buzzing and zipping happily around. The next sight made her heart skip a beat, mouth nuzzling closer to her hand as she watched as Apollo Ritter rolled down the driveway on his skateboard, apparently home early for the day as well. Apollo wasâŠspecial, perfect even, the type of boy who made every girlâs head turn and heart race, painted their cheeks in shades of pink and red hues, when he smiled or, laughed, and she wasnât the exception to that cause at all, in fact, some days she felt like she was the main target. His hands would linger on skin, eyes trailing over her features, lips pressing to her ear, she knew Apollo wanted to be with her, heâd wanted to for what seemed like months now but she was afraid of what she would do to him if she allowed it⊠though she was weak and lonely and tended to let him do as he pleased with her, playing into his wants and accepting the consequences of his hurt feelings when she didnât allow them to progress.
She heard the lock click on the door and her heart fluttered again, shifting back on the couch and pulling herself against the arm back of the sectional, smiling some when Apollo rushed in, skateboard tucked under his arm and smile wide and bright on his face when he spotted her, seemingly knowing sheâd been there, âArtemis is at practice I uh,â Iliana trailed off some, sliding her hands down her legs and shrugging, âI was going to take a nap, you know the usual.â