by D. S. Murphy
“Are you sure I should be out here?” Puriel asked. People were gawking at him, with a mixture of fear and awe on their faces. Then I realized, they were looking at me as well, and even Sarah received some skeptical glances. Puriel was the only leech in Nevah, and Sarah was still just a child. I was nobody, on the surface at least, but even being escorted by Sam was enough to impress.
“Where are we going?” I asked Sam. I’d never been this deep in the woods before. Moss dripped like curtains over ancient, twisted trunks in this section of the forest. “How far does Able’s property go, anyway?”
“Hundreds of acres,” Sam said. “A separate area has been set up for refugees. Some of the heirs and roots aren’t happy about the influx. It used to be assumed, Nevah was for magical creatures. But now, we’re letting in seekers as well. Anyone threatened by Zeus’s hunters, any possible ally. Not everyone is happy about it.”
The trees finally thinned out and on the other side of a ridge we saw a wide meadow with rows and rows of white tents. We climbed down a steep hill and stepped over a makeshift bridge spanning the clear, bright water of a murmuring stream. We cut through a narrow alley between the tents, emerging in a crowded a crowded marketplace. Exotic spices tickled my nose as I looked around at the bronze lamps and pipes, glowing lights and colorful liquids in tall glass vases. It reminded me of the camp where we met Maddie’s family, but on a whole different level. This was a magical bazaar.
Sarah saw Jessie first, next to a group of tents next to a long line of motorcycles. Her eyes bulged in surprise as Sarah wrapped her arms around her waist. She peeled Sarah away to examine her face, then looked up at me sharply.
“Jadius cheated us and stole five years from me, and now I’m a teenager and a daughter of Zeus. And I exploded my bedroom, so Heph made me these,” Sarah said turning her bracelets.
“Sarah,” she said calmly, “can you give Kai and me a minute?”
“I’m not a kid anymore,” she said, crossing her arms.
“You were eight years old, literally yesterday,” I said. “And it’s not about you. Jessie and I just need to catch up. Why don’t you and Puriel check out the market and meet us back here?”
We sat on folding chairs outside a large tent and drank sweet tea from tiny glass cups. I thought Jessie was going to yell at me, but she kept her cool.
“Is all that true?” she asked finally, “about Jadius, and Zeus?”
“Yes,” I said. “I swear I had no idea until this morning.”
“Wait, I thought the deal was if you got the shears. But we didn’t find them.”
“We got them,” I said, stirring my tea with a guilty expression.
“Wait, what?”
“Last night. I remembered something. I went to my old house, the shears were there. But Zeus showed up. It didn’t end well.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked, with a pained expression. “I should have gone with you. I’m sorry, about what I said on the plane.”
“No,” I said, touching her arm. “Don’t be sorry. That’s not why. I thought we could just run and grab them, we weren’t expecting a fight. But then, I got them, and I couldn’t use them. I couldn’t cut Zeus’s string. Listen, Jessie, you were right. I need to tell you what really happened in the cave. I did do something, but I shouldn’t have. I found the Fates, but Sarah got in first. Zeus possessed her and killed them,” I shuddered, remembering Sarah’s small body drenched in blood.
“Brutally,” I added. “She doesn’t remember, thankfully. When I went down again, I was looking for the Fates, so they could save Sitri and Max. Instead, Zeus showed me a spell. It was too late to save Max, he was already gone. And I’m so sorry. But... I saved Sitri. What I didn’t realize, is that I was binding his life with Zeus’s. It was a cruel trick, so that when I actually had the shears and Zeus was right in front of me, I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill Zeus without killing Sitri, too.”
“That bastard!” Jessie said, making me smile.
“Anyway, it was stupid, and I’m sorry for lying to you.”
Jessie’s eyes softened. She looked out over the sandy stretch of land, and the white tents in the valley. It was early afternoon, but the sun had already disappeared behind the tall pines, casting long shadows.
“You didn’t kill Max,” she said finally, her eyes narrowing. “The hunters did. When you came and got us in JDRI, I didn’t know what to think. The hunters seemed so impossibly strong and fast. You could defeat them somehow, with that plucking thing you do, but I could barely even see them. I didn’t know how to protect you, protect Sarah. I felt weak, useless. But then we met Madeline and Taylor. They’re just humans, like me. But they’re fighting back. Madeline said she’d teach me. I’m going to be a seeker. I’m going to learn everything I can, and I’m going to take down as many hunters as I can. For Max.”
She hugged me and I blinked away a tear. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed her. We’d barely had a moment alone since leaving JDRI, first being holed up with Puriel, then the weird sisters on the island of Kos.
“So,” she said after a long pause. “What now?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Figure out a way to break the spell I guess.”
“Whatever you need, I’m here for you. Always.”
“What are we going to do about Sarah?”
“Whatever we can. But at least she’ll be safe here. For now.”
***
Sarah and Puriel returned with Maddie and Taylor, they’d bumped into each other at the market. I hugged them hello, and we pulled stumps around a fireplace that Taylor sparked up with some kind of enchanted lighter.
“We’re eating out of cans tonight,” Taylor said. “Haven’t had time to go hunting yet.”
“Sounds lovely,” I said. “I’ve always wanted to go camping, like for real.”
“Can we have marshmallows?” Sarah asked.
“Hold on,” Sam said. He vanished for a second, and was back in the blink of an eye with a plastic bag.
“You’re in luck, they had some at one of the shops in the camp.”
“Wow,” Jessie said. “How many did you have to check?”
“All of them,” Sam smiled. He winked at Sarah and put a marshmallow on a stick for her.
“When did you arrive anyway?” I asked Madeline. “I thought you were against this whole sanctuary thing.
“Well,” she said, adding a log to the fire. “We knew something was up after Sitri and the torches visited us. Able rarely bothers with seekers. We figured our location was blown – if they could find us, so could the hunters. We’d barely finished packing up when they attacked. But it was coordinated. We’ve never seen anything like it. Usually it’s a small brigade; two hunters, maybe four. This time there were twenty. Luckily, most of us had already started moving, and we lost them in the woods. Sitri told us we’d be welcome at Nevah before he left – we didn’t believe it, but our camp got hit hard, and the one we were planning on joining was a crater when we arrived. So we came here.”
“But why would Zeus attack you like that, why now?”
“Probably figures, if a real fight is coming, better to have as few variables on the board as possible,” Curt said.
“Well it was his mistake. Now you’re here, with us.”
“I have to be honest,” Taylor said, “when you said you were going after Zeus, you.” He paused, looking me up and down. “I didn’t believe it. I thought you were crazy, or stupid, or both. I guess I underestimated you. If there is a fight coming, I’d be honored to be on your side.”
I nodded, then leaned forward and lowered my voice.
“Athena is dead. And I have the shears. I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but if things go well, maybe we won’t even need a battle.”
“There’s no harm in being prepared,” Sam said.
“We’ll be ready,” Taylor said, with a glint in his eye. He was as tall as Puriel, but with twice the muscle. In his plaid shirt and overalls, h
e looked like a lumberjack.
“Madeline is going to show me how to make Q-bombs,” Jessie said.
“This place is amazing,” Maddie nodded. “There’s more magic per square feet than anything out in the wild. And some of the things I’ve seen in the marketplace are mind-blowing. People have brought gear from all over the world.”
“You should check out Heph’s shop and the forge,” I said. “I bet he’s got a whole pile of scraps and junk.”
“Can we really?” Maddie asked, her eyes widening.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Sam said. “We don’t need magic, so we’ve never really been interested in seeker technology. Heirs think of them as parasites; digging through the trash, hacking and cheating their way, with no magic of their own.”
“Gee thanks,” Madeline said.
“At this point, we shouldn’t overlook anything – if this week has taught us anything, it’s that our biggest victories may just come from the unlikeliest sources. After all, if we’ve thought of it, Zeus probably has too. We shouldn’t let our pride get in the way of whatever weaponry we can make. I’ll bet Heph would be eager to learn from you as well.”
I shivered, and zipped up my jacket, just as a loud siren ripped through the refugee camp, so loud I had to cover my ears.
“What is that?” I shouted.
“A summoning,” Sam said, once the noise had stopped. “It means Able will be making an announcement.”
“Does that happen often?”
Curt and Sam exchanged a glance.
“I think the last one was in 1939. Just before World War I.”
3
As soon as we got back to the house, Tori grabbed my arm and brought me up to her room. It was the first time I’d been inside it, although I’d caught a glimpse when I peeked through the keyhole. I blushed, remembering the lurid scene I’d witnessed when I first arrived. She pushed me into the bathroom, which was nearly as large as the bedroom. First she had at four maids strip bathe me in rose water, scrubbing my arms and legs, then they sat me in front of a large oval mirror to do my makeup.
“I don’t understand,” I asked. “Why do I have to get all dressed up just for Able to make an announcement?”
“We’re having a ball tonight,” Alice said. She’d followed us in, and was going through a large rack of Tori’s exotic perfumes. “Remember? Able mentioned it last night at dinner.”
Was it only last night? It seemed like so much longer.
“But why now?” I asked. “We just got back.”
“Nevah has never been this full of guests. It’s important for Able to welcome them officially, at least the leaders. It’s an honor to be invited into the main house. Most of the lesser heirs and roots have lived here for decades and never seen the whole family altogether. Some of us like to mingle and help out – others, not so much.”
“There’s also going to be a presentation ceremony,” Tori said. “A speech outside, for everyone in Nevah. News of Athena is pressing, but not everyone knows exactly what happened, and most people don’t know about the shears yet.”
“Will he tell them?”
“That’s up to him to decide,” Tori said. “Information, knowledge, is power – Able usually plays his cards tightly. I don’t know what he has planned, but why turn down a chance to get dressed, to be seen, to be adored.” Tori’s eyes shone with eagerness. She dusted some gold powder against her brown cheeks and turned each side to the mirror, before applying bright pink lipstick.
The idea of all eyes on me made my skin crawl.
“Don’t we have better things to do though? We barely survived our last encounter with Zeus, and now he knows we have the shears. He told me he was going to wipe Nevah out, I doubt he’s changed his plans.”
“Ability is important,” Alice said. “But so is mindset.”
“But we need to prepare. We don’t know how much time we have left. We shouldn’t spend it at a party.”
“If the world is ending, a party is exactly where we should be,” Tori said, pulling her hair into a high bun and pinning it with a long gold clip.
“Time for us is different than time for you,” Alice said. “It could be days, or years until we hear from Zeus again. We will practice, train, improve – but all the training in the world won’t help in the end.”
“It won’t?” I asked.
“Zeus is too powerful. Too powerful for us, for Able, for everyone. We can fight battles for eternity without exhausting Zeus’s power – that’s why Able was so invested in finding you. I don’t know what comes next, and war is probably inevitable, but a victory in battle will not be the thing that destroys Zeus.”
I will be, I completed her thought, feeling dread spread through my shoulders. Is that what Able still thought of me? That I was his secret weapon in his battle against his brother?
“Forget about it,” Tori said. “Tonight is simply about unity. There are a lot of new faces in Nevah. We don’t want whispers, speculation or half-truths to divide or confuse us. Able believes in truth.”
“Which truth?” I asked.
“The most effective truth,” Alice said. I wondered if there was a slight bitterness in her voice. “The one that accomplishes his aims.”
I wanted to keep talking but Tori put her finger against my lips.
“Right now the only thing you need to worry about is your dress.”
Alice was already wearing a simple, yellow dress, with tiny beads and sequins hidden in detailed embroidery. She always looked like a classic film star; not flashy as the other gods, but somehow just as stunning, in her own way. Tori ravaged through her massive closet, pulling out piles of costumes, and finally grabbed a tiny strapless dress. It rippled like liquid silver, with gold accents. It was backless, and the front was bare to her bellybutton.
“I can’t wear that,” I said. “It’s more of a belt than a dress.”
“Don’t be silly,” Tori winked. “This one’s for me.”
“Able wants you to look fierce, dangerous,” Alice said.
“Wait, Able gave you instructions on how to dress me?” It sounded ridiculous, both sweet and terrifying at the same time, that the lord of hell cared about what I wore.
“It’s a show of strength,” Tori said. “People are scared. Fear can be dangerous, especially in tight spaces. Able understands the value of presentation, and symbolism.”
In the end they decided on a black dress that wasn’t terrible, and pair of heels that made me look a little bit less tiny and insignificant next to the other women of Able’s family. I was nearly as tall as Alice, but somehow she had a grace and poise born from knowledge and experience. With the dress, they added a tailored jacket that looked almost like a uniform. Then one of Tori’s maids buried half my face in a pool of dark eyeshadow, that brushed out in wings towards my ears. For some reason it reminded me of the raven mask I was wearing when I met Puriel.
“Well?” Alice asked, turning me to face a large mirror. The effect was startling. My teal eyes popped from behind the makeup, so clear they practically glowed, and the black dress and jacket cut a stark figure. I looked beautiful and dangerous at the same time.
“I don’t hate it,” I said.
“Just one more thing,” Alice said, grabbing a thin marker. I frowned as she drew a line of red ink around the scar on my wrist, deepening the ugly scar I’d been careful to hide all my life.
“I guess this means I don’t get to wear my gloves?” I asked.
“Able wants you to be seen,” she said simply. “All of you.”
It was late afternoon by the time we were ready. We gathered in the large family room where we’d met this morning; it opened out onto a large balcony. Sarah squealed when she saw me and gave me a hug. I hardly recognized, her, with her hair up and curled. I’d always seen her a mess, at JDRI, and it pained me to realize we’d never focused on her personal hygiene as much as we should have. She looked several shades lighter, and her skin was practically glowing. Which, I realized, may
be it was. Able said she was powerful, and we still had no idea just how much.
She was still wearing the bangles on her wrists, but in a simple white dress, with straps that wrapped around her neck and shoulders, tied with a bright blue band around her waist and a large bow in the back. Gold blush sparkled from her cheeks and eye shadow. She was beautiful – divinely beautiful, even as a young teen. I wondered how I’d never realized it before. In a few years, she’d break hearts.
We peeked through the curtains at the crowds growing below us. The amphitheater filled up first, then the surrounding grounds, all the way to the trees. Several thousand people at least. From this distance, I could make out the individual factions of Able’s haven. To the left, the torches, spilling out of their hive like ants, surging over the top of the hill between the large red rocks.
Puriel joined us, steered in with Able just behind him, with one hand on his shoulder. He’d had his own makeover. I wondered if Able attended to this one personally. He was wearing a tight-fitting uniform. It almost seemed too small for him, which just made him look bigger. The black pants were lined with a strip of gold fabric, and disappeared into a pair of sturdy black boots. The jacket was something else. Straps and buckles that seemed to have no function. The sleeves were also lined with gold, along with sharp spikes that looked like black obsidian. It made him look dangerous, like some kind of shelled beetle. He pulled at his high collar and shifted uncomfortably.
“You look good,” I said, brushing off his shoulders. There was a sword strapped to his back, so large it hung to his knees. It was about as tall as I was. “I’m kind of surprised Able let you wear a weapon inside the house,” I said, smiling.
“It’s probably brittle steel,” he said. “You look... different.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I think?”
“It’s good,” he said. “You look strong, powerful. Kind of like a warning label. Your appearance suits the truth of your potential ability. Normally, it’s hard to wrap my head around how normal you look, considering how dangerous you are. If you’d looked like that before, when I...” he closed his eyes, and a pained expression flashed across his face. I knew he was remembering his fall; when he’d burst into flames in front of me. We’d never really talked about it, so I was surprised when he continued.