Chapter 12

The night in Heaven is always pretty. Full of stars. Full of everything there is to see but it felt empty. It felt too hollow. I was too close to the sky, that I felt like I was minuscule to what was in this world. We were outside, enjoying the night as we strolled along with the estate towards my garden.

Aidan simply amused himself by taking an interest in the koi swimming in the pond. His head tilt left to right as he watched them curiously. "Are these real?" he asked. "Can I eat them?"

"They're an illusion, Aidan."

"Why do you say that?" he asked as he attempted to catch one, scooping one out and holding it in his hands. "They feel real. The water's wet too."

"The magic I created is complex enough to make it seem real," I explained softly. "It's not similar to the mortal realm. I can never get them as similar to the ones in the mortal realm. Trees, flowers, grass, or fish can't live here. You can't grow them either."

"But –"

He sounded upset so I changed the subject. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"Yes!"

I watched as he returned the fish back to the pond, eagerly watching them above the water. He was so fascinated by everything. He pounced away from the pond, so I followed him onwards, walking across the wooden bridge where my garden was. 

"Aidan."

He stopped playing around with a flower he found amidst the grass. "Yes?"

"I don't know what you plan to do by staying here," I said. "This realm is no place for a free spirit like you."

"I can't leave when I have this crown on me now, can I?" he asked.

It has been three months since he has been marooned here. Was he considered to be a prisoner here? I expected him to plan something to flee by now. I shrugged. "If you wished to leave and never come back, I could probably convince Father to let you off the crown," I said. "I know what it feels like to be chained down."

"You're an immortal, you can go anywhere you please."

I stared at the stars listlessly – seeing them twinkle in the far distance. Only a few hundred stars were visible to the naked eye but thanks to my vision, I could see far more constellations than any normal human. They were lovely to look at, blinking innocently in the distance as they did their job as they were created.

Perseus looked extremely beautiful today.

"I am not just any immortal, monkey," I said almost sadly. "I cannot go anywhere I please."

"Why can't you just get permission to go somewhere?" he asked. He was very persistent suddenly. "We can just pop down to the mortal realm and pop back up. Leaving for a few hours won't hurt anybody. It'll be easy for you."

Glancing over at the monkey, I noticed just how bright his eyes looked under the twinkling stars. I don't know what I had to say that would make him understand my predicament. I felt frustration rising in my chest but I fought it down. He does not understand, I should not be annoyed at him. He had no play in this.

"I cannot go down to the mortal realm," I said. "I am banned from entering. I cannot leave Heaven."

Aidan knew I was upset by his question but he didn't care at all. He lacked the subtlety of one. He was a monkey, and he wanted to know the truth. It doesn't matter if I am burdened by it. He bounded over and stood so he towered over me. He tilted his head, his eyes begging for me to answer his unasked question.

I sighed. "Ever since Mother was incarcerated and bound on Earth, Father had given a decree to me and my brother," I explained. "We are bound to Heaven, if we were to leave here, our powers will be stripped and our bodies will struggle to live without our powers. We might die. We might suffer before we die. It's not … it's not that I want to stay here."

Aidan looked crestfallen.

"I cannot go to the mortal realm," I said firmly.

…