Waking the Goddess

by Clara Hartley

  Hansel patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll keep you safe. Besides, you can use this as an opportunity to test your powers. I’m sure the Chrysari will react to your love abilities like most beings do. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out.”

  “Chrysari?” I asked.

  “That’s what we call them,” Hansel replied. “Medusa’s children.”

  Liam muttered something I couldn’t hear, then said louder, “If Cara wants to chicken out, let her. She never gave me the impression of a fighter anyway, so don’t expect much from her.”

  Hearing Liam insult me like that only encouraged me to prove him wrong. I shook a finger at him. “Oh, shut up. I’m a badass. Just you watch.” I really wasn’t. At least in the fighting sense. But when it came to making jabs? My mouth could run unlike any other.

  Liam snorted. “A badass doesn’t have to say that she’s one.”

  I rolled my eyes, willing the anger in me to stop seething. I hated being insulted. Then again, who didn’t? Some insults were made innocently, from a lack of tact. Liam’s, however, were out to get me, so I wanted to give him a metaphorical slap in the face by showing him otherwise.

  We stopped in front of a stone entrance. It was covered with green vines. A thick layer of moss grew over the stone. I glanced over my shoulder at the campus. The tall towers of the academy stretched toward the sky. There were rocky platforms that floated all around the school. I hadn’t realized just how large the campus was until now. It was big enough to house an army.

  Devon stepped toward the entrance and pried it open. As soon as the large granite door inched from its spot, a loud shriek pierced the air. I winced at the sound. It was ten times worse than nails on chalkboard, and my eardrums might have been punctured.

  Had I said something about proving Liam wrong? Was it too late to take my mental proclamation back? Because that shriek wasn’t human, and despite what I’d seen since coming to the Sanctuary, I still hadn’t grown balls large enough.

  I made a small shriek of my own.

  I shook a finger at the boulder as Devon slid it open even more. The shrieks turned into a loud, high-pitched wail. Abruptly, they stopped. The chilling silence that followed after freaked me out more than the wailing itself.

  Theo, sensing my unease, placed his palm on the small of my back. “It’s not that dangerous. Worst-case scenario? You turn to stone.”

  “Wonderful.” I shot an accusatory glare at Devon. Did he really have to go to this extent to show off?

  It probably wasn’t difficult to tell how nervous I was. I was on the edge of shitting buckets. I’d just turned nineteen! Barely an adult. My largest obstacles in life were supposed to be paying rent and finding a stable job, not facing Medusa’s fucking children.

  I bit my lower lip and darted a glance to Liam. Could he see me quivering?

  “You’re shaking,” Liam said with a smirk.

  Fuck.

  “I am so not,” I lied, fighting past the churning of my stomach. Despite being this disturbed, I did my best to project an image of sass and spunk. I’d be damned if Liam thought me a coward.

  “Sure.” Liam shrugged. Fenrir wagged his tail.

  I plucked my wand from my belt and pointed at the entrance with it. “Right, let’s get to it, then.” I puffed out my chest and walked toward doom itself.

  “Why’d they stop screaming?” I asked as we squinted in the dark tunnels of the passageway. I clutched Hansel’s hand tightly. He held me close as he led me through the darkness.

  Earlier, Devon had lit a torchlight that’d been provided for us at the entrance. The heat of the flames warmed my skin, but the embers still weren’t enough to provide sufficient light.

  I did my best not to show weakness. Liam would gloat if I did. It took all my resolve to not whimper and say, “I want to go home.” I even hated watching horror movies. I hated seeing scenarios like this on screen, and I’d just been thrust into one. I imagined Danna standing next to me with two glittery pompoms, cheering me on.

  Chattering noises came from down the passageway.

  “If I die,” I said, completely serious, “tell Lydia to burn my computer. My history’s filled with the weirdest shit.”

  Hansel snorted a laugh. “You’re not going to die.”

  “I might get turned to stone.”

  “It’s safe,” Devon said. His statement did little to reassure me. The soft sounds coming from down the tunnel creeped me out way too much. “The Chrysari aren’t as powerful as their mother. If you get turned to stone, it’s only for five minutes, then you’ll be back to normal again.”

  “Sounds unpleasant all around.”

  We reached the end of the passageway and entered a large chamber. Symbols I couldn’t read were carved on the ground and ceiling of the chamber. They looked Grecian. Torches protruded from the walls. Their flames burned a bright green that reflected off the sharp edges of the vassal’s faces.

  “It’s empty,” I said, taking a step forward to inspect the place.

  Devon reached out, halting me. “Wait.”

  “Let’s get the bracelet and get out of here before those screaming—”

  The ground shook.

  I clutched Devon for support as I almost lost balance. Liam noticed my nervousness, and a smirk spread over his face. I rolled my eyes then released a soft whimper when the floors beneath me quaked even more. Theo came from behind me and placed his hands on my arms to help me keep steady.

  A fault line formed on the ground, and the floor split. It looked like the ground itself might swallow me whole. My stomach lurched. “Oh, fuck me,” I said.

  Devon winked at me, showing no signs of fear. “The pleasure’s mine, but later.” He had the audacity to smile at a time like this? I thought I might wet myself. I tried focusing on the positive side of things. Lydia had taught me that when life went to shit, the only thing to do was to make the best of it. I might get eaten alive by the ground, but at least I had a bunch of hot dudes to die with me. I focused on that and waited for my mood to calm.

  Nope. I was still terrified as fuck. Just great.

  The shrieking came again, even louder than before. I wasn’t even sure how that was possible, but the sharp noise sliced through my head. I flinched as I saw a tiny, spindly hand crawl from the crack in the ground. I peeled my lips back in disgust and shuddered. The skin on the hand looked like it was melting off. “Medusa doesn’t take very good care of her children, does she?” I asked. “They look diseased.”

  “They’re abominations,” Hansel said. “Due to her crimes, the goddesses cursed Medusa to never have proper children, even though that was a strong desire of hers. All her offspring end up looking like monsters. Still, that didn’t stop her from trying.”

  As soon as the shrieking mellowed, a slithering sound hissed its way through the chambers. The first of the Chrysari popped its head over the crack. I’d heard stories of Medusa, and just like her, her children had hair made out of tiny serpents.

  “Don’t look directly at them,” Devon said. He spread his hand out, and a burst of water came from it. The water gathered into a solid form and shimmered. I stared in awe at the little mirrors that Devon had created around us. “Okay, whatever you do, avoid direct contact with the Chrysari. The worst-case scenario is that all of us turn to stone at the same time, then no one will be left to fight and getting out will be a bitch.”

  Liam sniffed. “They don’t call this the most dangerous place in the Sanctuary for no reason. This is why the goddesses make the Chysaorsi off-limits.” He met my eyes. “Cara looks impressed by your mirrors, though, so good job with the whole showing-off bit.”

  Once the first Chrysari climbed over the crack, its companions followed. One after another, they joined the first, and soon, a horde of little baby monsters were running at us. “Do these things have a conscience?” I asked. “They’re somewhat human.”

  Theo shook his head. “They’re born with the strong desire to take revenge on the world.
Their existence is suffering, so they know nothing but pain.”

  “Yikes.” I’d feel sorry for them, but they had mottled skin, a distinct lack of teeth, and their ribcages poked out in a hideous manner. That, and they were trying to kill me.

  Devon and the others pulled their daggers out from their scabbards and began slashing at the horrible things.

  I did my best, making sure I only looked in the water mirrors that flanked us. I stood by uselessly while they fought. I raised my wand and pointed it in a random direction. If I magicked them to look at each other, then they’d turn into stone themselves, right? Problem was that I didn’t have a good sense of space, and it was difficult to angle my wand without the ability to look at the creatures directly.

  “Don’t point it at me!” Liam shouted. I’d spotted him in a mirror. He shoved his dagger up the ribcage of a Chrysari. Turquoise, slimy liquid burst from the creature’s chest and poured over Liam. Blood spurted from the monster’s wound and sprayed Liam’s cheeks. Ugh. Gross.

  I flicked my wand in the other direction.

  “Not here, either!” Hansel yelled.

  What the hell was I supposed to do, then? My vassals had formed a circle around me, protecting me from the creatures. I glanced to my left and spotted Fenrir. He’d decided to sit out of the whole fight and was lounging in front of the entrance.

  “Devon!” I shouted. “I really think this is a stupid idea! I thought I’d let you know before we die!”

  “Much appreciated!” Devon replied. “But we’re not going to die.” Devon knew how to fight. During our brief conversation, he’d taken down three more Chrysari. They fell limply to the ground before disappearing in black smoke. Their dying noises were going to give me nightmares.

  “How many children did Medusa have?” I asked Hansel, who’d taken a break and neared me. He pressed his back against mine. “This is insane.”

  Hansel panted. “She had forever to try to conceive a normal child. Every time she birthed one, the goddesses sent them here, close to the Sanctuary, so they could be watched over.”

  I clutched my wand tightly. “How did Medusa even, um, do the dirty with those men? She can’t look them in the eyes, right?”

  “Do the dirty?” Hansel asked. “Surely you could have thought of a better way to describe it?”

  “Sex. I mean sex.”

  He chuckled and twirled his dagger, readying to jump into action once more. “I’m not sure about the specifics, but my guess is that blindfolds formed part of the—”

  Hansel stopped mid-sentence. The warmth that came from his back disappeared abruptly, and his flesh turned rock solid. I spun around. Worry zipped up my spine as I braced myself for what I was about to see.

  Hansel had turned to stone.

  Shit.

  I stepped around his frozen body to inspect him. He was still smiling from amusement, his mouth hung slightly ajar. His eyes, however, had lost their irises, completely replaced by the gray of granite.

  Just five minutes, then he’d be back. I just hoped the rest of us were able to stall enough for him.

  The fuck-up started with Hansel, but soon, the rest of the guys fell to the Chrysari’s wiles, too. Theo first, then Liam. There were too many eyes moving too quickly around us. Devon’s mirrors provided a way for us to work against them, but the creatures wouldn’t stop running toward us.

  “Damn it,” I said to myself. “Could Medusa have kept her legs closed?” I knew this wasn’t the main concern. But seriously, how did she withstand this many births? Many women stopped at one because it hurt so much, but looking at the army surrounding us, she’d been popping out babies like nobody’s business. I didn’t care if she had an eternity to try for a kid. Did she really want one that badly? The number of monsters surrounding us verged on madness, and all I could think was how much the woman’s vagina must have hurt.

  Five minutes. Could Devon and I really hold them off for that long? Liam had frozen mid-fall, so his stone body was in a lying, awkward position. Theo had been fighting, and his entire weight was supported on one foot. I hoped their bodies weren’t brittle when petrified. It’d be dastardly if they cracked while they were in this state.

  Devon pushed aside the Chrysari with walls of water, cutting a path straight toward me.

  “Shit’s hitting the fan,” I said matter-of-factly. I attempted searching for the fear that shook through me earlier, but there was none of it. Adrenaline spiked through me, banishing all thoughts of cowardice.

  “It’s not,” Devon said.

  “How are you so confident?” I asked.

  “I’ve been here with my father a couple times,” he said. “He used it as a training ground for the Cierro family. I know my way around this place like the back of my hand. Thought I might show you around.”

  I raised a brow. “This isn’t exactly the kind of place to show a girl around.”

  “I like being creative.” I couldn’t tell whether he was being serious. The bright smile on his face confused the fuck out of me. “So, what do you think?”

  “I think I might shit my pants.”

  Devon laughed again. I frowned. “The others are stone now, so your powers won’t affect them. Try to get the Chrysari to fall in love with each other. Aim properly. You don’t want to hit me.”

  “Great,” I said, throwing my hands up into the air. “Now you’ve gone and jinxed yourself. I’ll definitely hit you.”

  Devon’s smile didn’t drop. He leaned in, placed a kiss on my forehead, then was back into the action. Had it been five minutes yet? I didn’t want just Devon and I to face these numbers. I should have brought along a watch.

  I gripped my wand tightly. Then, focusing on a mirror to try to figure out where the creatures where, I flicked it over my back. A tunnel of light zipped from my wand, shooting straight at nothing at particular, because I couldn’t aim. A Chrysari, just as clumsy as me, stumbled into my magic and fell victim to my love spell. The scream that it released was chilling enough to make anybody grossed out. Filled with lovely, wild lust, the creature ran up to its nearest companion and stared into its eyes. They both turned to stone at once.

  I breathed out a sigh, relief pouring through me. At least my powers worked on these creatures. Then Devon wouldn’t have to fight them off alone.

  I flicked my wand as many times as I could. Damn. Being an overpowered half-blood was fun. Taking these creatures down was way too easy. In the mirrors, I watched Devon exerting himself as he fought, having to make wide gestures with his hands to summon water, or leaping so he could get his dagger close. I hummed a merry tune and waved my wand back and forth. I acted like I was the motherfucking fairy godmother. Take that! These Chrysari had nothing against me. Bippity boppity boo.

  “Want to make this a competition?” I asked Devon, waving my wand about happily. In a short time, many of the creatures had turned to stone from my doing. “We can keep track of numbers. The loser has to kiss Fenrir and Liam.”

  Devon pulled his weapon out of a Chrysari. He was covered head to toe in creature ick, while the jeans and blouse Hansel had picked for me were crisp and clean. Yay for being awesome and having things easy. Devon turned to me. “A competition?”

  I nodded. The power trip gave me excitement, so I waved my wand at him and said, “Yeah, I thought I might up the stakes—”

  My power, in a glittering light, zipped at Devon. It splashed in his face. His expression turned from puzzlement to unadulterated lust in a split second. I grimaced.

  Ah. I’d gone ahead and magicked him, too.

  Oops.

  He was looking at me when my magic hit him, so the lust he felt must have been for me. He lowered his hands. Due to his distraction, the mirrors he’d created from his water disappeared, turning into mist. My confidence dissipated as soon as I saw my protection had disappeared. A Chrysari seized Devon’s distraction as an opportunity and leapt in front of him. He turned into stone right after.

  And that left me alone in this batt
le.

  I hissed out a curse. Devon had no trouble fighting the Chrysari earlier, but I’d gone ahead and ruined his concentration with my overpowered magic.

  I needed to give myself a figurative slap over the forehead. Why wasn’t I more careful? Then again, “careful” and I didn’t exactly go together. It was why we were here to get the bracelet in the first place.

  I had to ensure I didn’t make eye contact with any of these monsters. Thinking quickly, I craned my neck up toward the ceiling and shut my eyes. I swished my wand about more, willing my love magic to do its work. It was impossible to aim, but I could only send my magic out and hope for the best.

  Had it been five minutes yet? If I turned to stone, too, we might all be fucked.

  My shoddy plan didn’t pan out as well as I’d hoped. The creatures neared me and began clawing at me. I heard serpents hissing all around. The sound gave me nausea that made me want to hurl.

  Damn it all.

  Why did Devon want to show off after fucking? He really didn’t need to. I was perfectly happy with just looking at him. All he really needed to do to impress me was take off his shirt.

  Thankfully, the monster babies didn’t have sharp claws or teeth. Despite the terrible noises they made, their touch felt like slimy Jell-O. Safe, but gross. I could find peace in knowing that they had no ability to tear me apart. The greatest danger they posed was turning people to stone with their eyes, which some might argue was equally was bad.

  “Hansel!” I shouted, eyes still clamped tightly shut. I assumed he’d be the first to turn back to human, since the creatures got him first.

  No response.

  Did I really have to do this by myself?

  A Chrysari leapt at my back and hooked its arms around my neck. I squealed, hating the cool sensation, and pushed it off me. Another hugged my ankles, and one more caught a tight hold of my thigh. I gritted my jaw to steel myself against the uncomfortable sensation. “Hansel!” I shouted again, hoping he’d wake up soon. I wondered if he’d be as helpless as I was. We needed Devon’s mirrors to fight properly. Would Hansel be able to manage something with his wind powers? At the very least, if he were awake, I wouldn’t have to be alone.