The young dryad's face was a mask of terror as she took in my hideous form. My stomach dropped. She cried out in their language, pointing at me as the others each caught sight of me as well.

The dryad's sisters followed where she pointed, and horror dawned in their pretty green eyes. My blood turned to ice, my body momentarily frozen as the dryads' singing suddenly transformed into horrible cries of fear. The melodious voices, so beautiful moments ago, twisted into something ugly and grim. As always, my curse turned all good things into tragedy and torment.

Perseus looked around in shock and confusion at the sudden screaming, his expression completely bewildered. A stab of regret jolted me as I looked at him. I had wanted to give him a gift, something sweet and beautiful to remember me by. Instead I had given him nothing but memories of fear and revulsion, the dryads' cries ringing in our ears even as they began to dash away from the clearing.

Perseus squeezed my hand again, a clear signal of his utter confusion, a fearful question in his gaze. That was enough to push my frozen body back into motion. I jumped to my feet and pulled him after me, sprinting away from the meadow as fast as my feet could carry me. The screams of the dryads reverberated in my ear, refusing to fade away no matter how much distance we put between us and the meadow. Their horror, their disgust and fear... I could sense it so clearly. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes.

"Wait- slow down!" Perseus tried to protest as I pulled him along faster than was safe for him. In that moment, I didn't care- I just wanted to go home, to be safe in my solitude once again. Back to the walls of my temple, where the outside world and all of its miseries couldn't touch me- and where I couldn't touch it.

I released Perseus' hand once we passed through the columned entrance of the temple, my legs numbly carrying me further inside. The small pool at the back of the stone chamber beckoned me with its calm dark waters, and I fell to my knees beside it, leaning over the edge. I stared at my reflection in the water. I felt as if I was hypnotized by its gruesome ugliness. I couldn't look away. Unnatural golden eyes stared back at me, swirling with the dangerous magic of my curse. Above them, the snakes of my hair twisted and slithered languidly, unconcerned by the pain squeezing its unforgiving fingers around my chest. Inhuman. Monstrous. They were my curse manifested, the ugly horror of it personified.

This is what the dryads saw tonight, a low voice murmured in my head. This terrible monstrosity. Is it any wonder they ran screaming?

I dragged my gaze away from the dark reflection, squeezing my eyes shut as if that would block out the images of the dryads' terror. No, I thought. They were right to run. They simply fled from a monster.

I felt a feather-light touch on my hand, hesitant but sure. My eyes snapped open, my head whipping upward. I had been so consumed by wallowing in my own suffering and self-pity that I had not even noticed Perseus approach me. In truth, I had barely remembered he was still here. But there he was- sitting beside me, his eyes dark with worry, as he wordlessly gripped my hand in his. I barely choked back a bitter laugh as I stared at our hands, our intertwined fingers. You try to comfort a monster, I imagined telling him. But I did not. I still could not bear the thought of him knowing. For better or worse, my foolish heart held back my tongue before it could betray me.

"I'm sorry," I said instead, my voice barely more than a whisper. "I wanted to give you a parting gift. Something beautiful to remember me by, but I... The dryads spotted me and were frightened away. I ruined your gift."

"You didn't ruin anything," he said fervently, his brow furrowing low over his eyes in clear frustration. "I loved the gift. I love that you chose to share their song with me. It isn't your fault that they were startled away." I smiled sadly at him, a smile he couldn't see. He had no idea what he was talking about, no idea that it truly was my fault, but even so his attempts to comfort me made my heart sigh with longing. He had a good heart. He deserved to be back with his people, where he could become the hero he was meant to be. I was meant to stay here, hidden away on my island, where I could not hurt anyone. Neither of our destinies could be changed.

"It was my fault," I replied. "But thank you for trying to make me feel better." I took a deep inhale, straightening my shoulders as I tried to collect myself. I refused to break down in front of him. I didn't want to become more vulnerable than I already was.

"I suppose I'll have to find a new parting gift for you," I said, trying to make my voice light, playful. "What would you like?"

Something flashed heatedly in his eyes, something sharp and potent, between hope and anguish. He grew silent for a long moment. I carefully watched him, watched as that beautiful pensive look came over his face, watched his breathing become just a bit too fast, his shoulders stiff with tension.

"What if..." He paused, and I could tell he was choosing his words with the utmost care, as if each one was as fragile as glass. "What if I don't want a parting gift?"

"Oh." I winced, unable to help feeling hurt. I had assumed he'd at least want some token to take with him, some tangible reminder of his time here with me, but perhaps I'd been wrong about it. When I spoke again, my voice trembled slightly, unable to hide the pain. "That's fine. I don't need to give you anything, it was my assumption that-"

"No." He squeezed my hand tightly, his eyes burning with some emotion I could hardly name. I found I couldn't look away. "What if I don't want us to part?"

I blinked at him, not understanding at all. "What?"

"Come with me when I leave." His voice was low and breathless, his tone pleading. "When the ship arrives, return to Seriphos with me."

If I'd been prepared for the pain of him leaving me, this- his begging for me to go with him- was like a blow to the chest. It knocked the air from my lungs, leaving me confused and uncertain and a little bit dizzy.

When I said nothing, he pressed on. "You deny it, but I know of your loneliness, Andromeda, your heartache. I hear it in the way your breath catches when you speak of far-away cities, or the way your voice trembles when you talk of your mother. Your longing sighs when we speak of all the many things out in the world." I flushed, suddenly embarrassed that I had been so bad at hiding myself from him. Even without sight, he'd seen through everything. He moved closer to me, a movement so slight but so full of meaning, that I could do nothing but stare into his unseeing eyes, dangerously close as they were to mine. "Please say yes. I can't go knowing I leave you behind."

Reality doused me like ice water, the spell of his sweet words and passionate gaze breaking. I could not say yes. I could not go with him. My curse ensured that it would never happen. I could not join the world of men without causing suffering for all who laid eyes upon me.

"Perseus..." I swallowed thickly, struggling to find the right words. "I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't. I must stay here. And you have to go."

"Why?" he whispered. "Why, when you want to leave so desperately?"

"I..." What could I tell him? How could I possibly make him understand? "I can't betray my mother's last wish. She wanted me to stay here, where I would be safe and protected."

"She meant well, Andromeda, but you can't sacrifice your happiness for her request," he protested. "I won't lie to you. The world is dangerous and harsh. But it's also so wonderful, so breathtaking. I'm sure your mother would understand that you want to experience it for yourself." His lips quirked into a half-smile. "Besides, I've felt the blows of your staff. You can protect yourself out there better than anyone I know."

I let out a low laugh, a strange sensation to contrast with the knife in my heart. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore his closeness, the hope singing in his voice. I needed him to understand.

"I wasn't being completely truthful before," I said slowly. "It's true, I can't leave because of my mother's wish. But there is another reason as well." I slowly opened my eyes, preparing for his reaction. "I'm hideous, Perseus. I'm the ugliest woman you've ever seen. I would not want to endure the world's cruelty for that. And believe me, you would not want me to go with you if you could see me."

He growled, his eyes darkening. "And why should that matter?"

I frowned. "What do you mean? Of course it matters."

My heart stuttered as he slowly raised my hand and brushed his lips across it, so slowly and gently I felt like I would combust in seconds from his touch alone. "I also wasn't being entirely truthful before," he murmured, his lips brushing against my knuckles. "It's true I want you to come with me because I don't want to leave you here alone. But there is another reason." I watched with bated breath and hooded eyes as he turned my hand over, his lips ghosting against the inside of my wrist. I shivered, unable to tear my eyes away. You should stop him, the dark voice in my head spoke urgently. I don't want to, I snapped back, easily overpowering it. "I want you to come with me because I don't want to be without you, Andromeda. My chest aches when I begin to think about it, to imagine not having you beside me. I want you to stay with me. I don't care if you are the ugliest woman in the world. You could have two heads and ten eyes and I would still miss you desperately every time you're gone. You could have horns atop your head and teeth as sharp as swords, and I would still long for your laughter in my ears, your silver voice singing to me, your clever tongue teasing me and your sharp mind challenging me. I just want you."

I hardly dared to breathe. My addled mind could hardly comprehend his words, I was only aware of the lingering sensation of his lips on my skin and his hand as it came to rest against my cheek. I couldn't tell if he was moving forward or if I was, but I found that it really didn't matter to me.

I shook my head back and forth, still disbelieving. "You only say that because you can't see me."

"I see you," he breathed.

His thumb caressed my cheek and my gaze became unfocused. My mind was so cloudy, so dazed, I could hardly think straight. The snakes in my hair tugged against me frantically, their eyes full of panic, but I ignored them. Perseus tilted his head just so and my eyes slid closed as he pressed his lips softly against my own.

It was hardly more than a touch, a gentle brush of our mouths, but it set something alight in my chest, something full of hunger and longing. I instinctually pressed closer, deepening the kiss even as it remained agonizingly slow, as if Perseus wanted to savor every movement and touch, every slide of my lips and flick of his tongue. It was maddening in the most perfect way. My stomach fluttered wildly and my heart beat like a drum in my chest.

It was like he cast a spell over me, erasing every worry, every fear in my mind and leaving only the addicting pleasure, the perfect intimacy of the kiss.

But then Perseus' hand slid to cup my jaw and all in one moment, my rational thoughts returned to me. I realized with cold certainty that he was moving his hand to grip my hair and panic made my whole body freeze. The thought of his hand brushing the snakes slithering above my head, of the revulsion and horror that would dawn on his face if that were to happen, was enough to drag me back to reality. He can't discover me, I thought frantically. No matter what, I refuse to let him discover me.

In an instant, I pulled harshly away from him, our mouths parting as we both panted for breath.

"I have to go," I mumbled hurriedly, quickly standing up and turning to run. I did not think of where I would go or what I would do next, only ran as fast as I could out of the temple, into the forest and far away from the person who unknowingly held my fragile heart in the palm of his hand.