"And what do they say about him?" I inquired, letting her get worked up, her nerves obviously coming to a quick end.
"That he went mad. That he fell in love with a mortal, not realizing she was working with the Titans, and it broke him. Is it true he only tries to find a way to be with her again? How can you adequately run a prison if its master won't even go near it?"
She smiled at me snidely and I saw my moment. Lunging forward, I knocked the knife from her hand and grabbed her wrist, jerking her around and slamming her back into the wall.
She cried out, feet flailing, as she made a futile attempt to kick me again.
With a swift jab of my sword, I stabbed her clean through, her body dangling on the blade as it sank into the solid wall behind her. Screams tore from her throat as the lighting that encased the blade shot through her, her body trembling violently until I pulled the metal from her.
I looked down at the burned body as it fell to the floor, dead eyes still looking up at me in terror.
"There's just one difference between my uncle and I," I said, wiping the blood stained sword on my pants. "I have nothing that precious to lose."
Chapter Two
Mount Olympus.
It was the only real home I'd ever known, and yet, at times, it felt more like a training ground than anything else. I could barely remember a time when I wasn't in the fields with my father, brandishing a sword as he barked orders at me. As I aged, the orders stopped and sparring matches began.
It wasn't that he was a bad father. He was quite the contrary, actually. After The Undoing, he stepped into the role of general, as he had in every other war the Olympians fought. Personal interests and desires were put aside for the greater good of our people. But, when it came to my mother and I, he never shirked on his duties. The amount of love he had for us was apparent in everything he did, right down to teaching me how to fight and defend myself.
My mother, Karly, hadn't been so keen on me learning the ins and outs of battle, which was to be expected from her. She hadn't always been a goddess as she was now. Her human nature wasn't used to a world where everyone needed to learn how to kill as soon as they could hold a weapon. After what she'd witnessed during her brief time with the gods, she was easy to convince, though.
When my training was complete, I joined the ranks of hunters with the other gods, always on the lookout for Titans and the beasts that had escaped Tartarus. The combat was always ongoing, guerrilla warfare employed by both sides. Each knew it was only a matter of time before another large battle would rip through the lines.
At first, I accepted missions from my father and his brother, Poseidon. I'd bring in the Titans, slay the beasts, and report back to them as soon as possible. The longer I did this, the more it became clear I had a knack for it, a special ability that far outweighed the other Olympians and their skills.
Soon, I started staying away from home longer, searching out my own targets, studying what was happening to the mortal world, and guessing where my bounties were located. Before long, I stopped taking orders all together. Finally, I'd reached the point of being able to be my own general. With each capture and take down I completed, the gods admiration for me grew. Before long, the Olympians were calling me Avenger and treating me like a much revered hero.
My prey took notice as well, giving me the title Adrastia. The name had formerly belonged to a goddess who was lost to us during The Undoing. I took it as a compliment, enjoying the fact they basically called me "The Inescapable."
I sighed, looking at my reflection in the gold lined mirror of my personal quarters. It was nice to be clean again, free of the grime of the human world. Here on Olympus, I always felt like everyone was doing their best to stay fresh. It hadn't ever been made out to be a big deal, but, for whatever reason, I felt it was.
Pulling my long, black hair back into a ponytail at the nape of my neck, I smoothed the strands between my hands, examining their reflection as I did so.
"Well, well. The prodigal son returns."
Catching sight of my visitor in the looking glass, I smiled widely and turned around.
"Arsenio," I laughed warmly. "I thought for sure you would have met me at the gate."
"Perhaps that's why you slipped in as quietly as you left?" he asked with his own teasing grin.
"I knew you had a weakness for club girls," I snorted, folding my arms across my chest. "I thought you'd better sit that one out."
"You left me here for weeks," he exclaimed. "I turned around for two minutes and you were gone! Are you seriously saying you didn't think I could handle it?"
"Are you seriously going to keep pretending you're mad at me?" I snickered.
"I am the son of Poseidon," he said in faux haughtiness. "I don't pretend. I feel deeply and forever."
"Half son," I countered, pushing away from the vanity and walking towards him. "With a sense of humor to boot."
He broke out into a wide grin as I advanced, moving forward to meet me and share in a hug between brothers.
"It wasn't that bad, you know," he offered, shrugging as he broke away from me. "Aphrodite was here for most of it."
"Still chasing what you can't have?" I laughed again, clapping him on the shoulder.
"A demi-god can dream," he smirked, a mischievous grin twisting on his lips. "Besides, I've heard talk of how irresistible Italian men are. I figure, if I lock in on that and the allure I get from being the son of Poseidon, she'll be helpless to my charms."
"She's the goddess of love and married," I snickered. "I'll believe it when I see it."
"I'll hold you to that," he chuckled.
Walking past him, I left the bathroom, crossing to the bed that sat in the connecting room. Zeus's sword lay there waiting for me, my constant companion in every place except home. Anywhere else lacked the feeling of trust I felt here.
"Your mom will be excited to see you," Arsenio said from behind me, leaning in the doorway between the two spaces, his arms folded over his white, cotton clad chest. The seal of Poseidon was stitched over the right breast, the silver thread shining in the soft light.
"It's her birthday," I stated simply. "I wouldn't miss it for anything."
"Momma's boy," he teased.
"Absolutely," I replied seriously.
"She'd be ecstatic you were home even if it wasn't her birthday," he continued thoughtfully. "Unlike my mother, who basically refuses to acknowledge I exist, now she knows I have the same powers as my father."
"Put the family issues away for the time being," I said, tying a belt sheath around my waist and placing the sword inside, my figure already clad in a loose, gold shirt marked with Zeus’s thunderbolt and black pants. "We won't be staying for long. My last stop gave me a lead on where we need to go next."
"Oh, I get to come on this mission?" he teased, an eager light shining in his eyes.
"As long as you don't have any issues with a witch hunt," I answered, moving to the door and opening it to the hallway.
"When do we leave?" he asked, a business like tone to his voice.
"I'll talk to you about it later," I stated, stepping out of the room and heading down the long corridor.
"I'll meet you at dinner," he replied, coming out behind me. "I have to change."
"All right," I said, nodding to him over my shoulder.
He went his own way, leaving me in the silence I so often enjoyed. Arsenio liked to talk, but he'd always known when I needed the quiet. Besides being my cousin and accomplice, he was my best friend. We'd trained together for most of our lives, after he'd been abandoned by his mother and brought to live at Olympus. She'd been seduced by Poseidon before he met his current wife, Audrey. The end result was Arsenio, who was a good three years older than me. The age difference had never bothered us, though. I thought of him as my brother in every way.
As I made my way through the elegant palace, I was met with little company. It appeared everyone had already made their way to my mother's birthday feast. I didn't parti
cularly like making a grand entrance, but it looked like that might be my only option now.
The closer I got to the dining hall, the louder the muffled sounds of the party got, sliding over the top of the marble floors and pillars to reach me. Finally, I stood in front of the great double doors, nodding to the guards who stood there in mutual respect.
They opened the entrance for me, closing it quickly once I'd entered. The ballroom was decorated in black and white, the many sets of double doors on the far side of the room open to the garden, where I could see a few gods walking the well tread paths. Lights danced through the vaulted ceiling, twinkling down on all in attendance. Thankfully, the meal hadn't begun yet and everyone was still milling around, visiting with each other. That didn't stop my parents from immediately noticing my arrival, though.
"Cristos!" my mother called out, hurrying across the room to me, her arms open wide, ready for an embrace. The skirt of her fitted, gold dress brushed across the floor as she tucked a strand of light brown hair back into her elegant bun.
"Happy birthday, Mom," I laughed, meeting her halfway and wrapping my arms around her in a big bear hug.
She was still as beautiful as I remembered, her goddess state having kept her from aging. Anyone who didn't know her would never believe she had a twenty three year old son, barely looking twenty herself.
"I'm so happy you're here," she beamed, pulling back from me some so she could look at my face. "Are you well?"
"I am," I said, nodding. "The same as ever."
"Good," she laughed. "I've missed you so much."
She hugged me again, her arms wrapped tightly around me as if she were afraid I would disappear right in front of her.
"Son."
I looked up, smiling at my father as he walked over to us. He was clad in the same comfortable clothes many of the gods wore, his silver shirt etched with a golden lightning bolt like always. The source of my dark, black hair was cut short on his frame that looked no older than thirty years, his smile infectious to all who were watching. When he reached the two of us, he wrapped his arms around our shoulders as well.
"You return victorious again," he chuckled. "If you catch any more of the beasts, you'll have ended the war all on your own."
"That's the plan," I smiled back.
"I'm surprised you returned at all before it was finished."
"I wouldn't miss Mom's birthday," I said, untangling myself from them.
"You better not. I'd come hunt you down myself," she teased, wrapping her arms around Zeus's waist and leaning her head on his chest.
"You think she's joking," Zeus said seriously, giving me a pointed stare I'd come to recognize as a look of humor.
"Friends and family," he announced, turning from me to address the rest of the room.
Everyone fell silent as they looked at their king. As I watched them all, I felt many looked happier than I'd seen them in a long while. It wasn't often we had parties any more.
"Tonight, we come together to celebrate my beautiful wife, Karly. During one of my darkest times, she came to me as a brilliant light. When I would have cursed my exile and time in the mortal realm before, I have never been more grateful for it now. It brought me the love of my life."
He smiled down at her, his arms wrapped around her, and leaned in to kiss her forehead.
"And boy, did she make me work for it," he laughed, the other gods joining in. "Happy birthday, Karly!"
An echoing chorus filled the room, some raising glasses and toasting her.
"Thank you," she answered warmly, a tiny laugh breaking from her lips. "Now let's eat!"
As everyone moved to the long table in the middle of the room, the doors opened once more behind me and Arsenio entered.
"What did I miss?" he asked, stopping by my side.
I glanced over at him, taking in his dressy white shirt, green vest, and black pants.
"You weren't joking about needing to change," I said with a grin. "I'm guessing Aphrodite is here tonight."
"Maybe," he replied with a shrug and a grin. "Really, what did I miss?"
"Just the birthday toast," I answered, motioning for him to move ahead.
"Did you tell your parents you'd be leaving again soon?"
"Not yet."
"So we're leaving in the morning," he confirmed.
"What makes you say that?" I asked, the two of us taking seats at the lavishly decorated table.
"You never have a problem telling them you're leaving unless it's going to be in a few hours. Are you even going to tell them this time?"
"Of course I am," I answered quietly, returning my mother's smile from across the table. "Just not right now, at her party."
"I'll make sure everything is ready for us as soon as this is done," he replied.
I could tell from the tone of his voice he was switching over to work mode, making lists in his head and calculating what exactly we would need to take with us.
"And I'll fill you in on the details tomorrow morning after we've gone," I added.
The food started getting passed around, everyone taking what suited their fancy and filling the room with the buzz of conversation again.
"I will totally slay that beast," Arsenio said loudly as a woman in a red dress, Aphrodite, looked our way momentarily.
"I don't think she was actually looking at you," I laughed, picking up my wine goblet to take a sip.
"She was," he insisted, breathing in deeply. "She just doesn't know it yet."
"What happens when you fall in love for real?" I teased. "What will you do when a woman captures your heart more securely than a goddess's charm can?"
"You shoot me," he said seriously. "Because that is the day I will do absolutely anything for love, no matter the price."
"Deal," I chuckled, setting the glass down and picking up a chicken leg.
"And what about you?" he asked, tossing his bangs out of his face and tucking them behind his ear with the rest of his chin length, black hair.
"What about me?"
"What do I do when you fall in love?"
"You let me know," I laughed. "Because I don't see a day anytime soon when that will happen."
"Well, you do have the whole immortal thing working for you on that end," he snickered. "Maybe she's not even born yet."
"I don't plan on falling in love until this war is over," I answered seriously. "I'm needed here now. I can't imagine dragging someone into this mess either."
"That's a good point," he agreed thoughtfully. "Be careful what you say, though. The fates might hear you and send her your way before you're ready."
"Then it's a good thing the fates are on our side, isn't it?"
I smiled at him and then turned my attention to the food, happy to have a good meal to eat before we headed out on what was surely going to be one of our harder missions.
Chapter Three
Early the next morning, Arsenio met me at the portal door to the human realm, as he did with every mission we embarked on together. Since the Titan's escape, all of the doors into Olympus had been sealed but two—this one and the one to the Underworld. They were both always under a constant guard, no chances taken. We didn't know how often the portal system was used by our enemies and preferred to be on our guard instead of caught off it.
"Where are we off to this time?" he asked, yawning as he adjusted the strap of the bag slung over his shoulder.
"The Arabian Desert," I said grimly.
"Whoa," he exclaimed, suddenly waking right up. "When you said it was going to be a witch hunt, I didn't know you mean those witches. Are you sure you want to do that?"
"The Graeae have been hiding in the sand there for long enough. They're the only ones who could have made the enchantment I broke during my last mission, which means they're helping our enemies. I want them stopped before they agree to help a Titan."
As I spoke, I shouldered my own ratty bag, sliding my sword into it. I'd added a few extra small weapons to my stash before leaving my room,
not knowing for sure what the desert would hold for us. Arsenio's bag was enchanted as well, no doubt holding his own weapons and supplies for our journey.
"Still," he gulped. "Messing with those who can see the future? I'm not too keen on finding out if I'm going to die a horrible, painful death. Besides, the whole one eye shared between them thing creeps me out."
"You don't have to come," I replied simply, nodding to the guard in a signal to open the door.
"Yeah right," Arsenio snorted. "Like I'd miss this."
I grinned, my back turned to him as I walked through the door and into the bright sunlight of the mortal realm.
He followed close behind, the other side of the portal opening up in a small shop located in a village market on the edge of the desert.
"Should have packed lighter clothes," he said, fanning himself as we stepped out onto the dirt street.
"The heavier clothes will hold sweat better, which will help keep you cool," I stated, looking around for the stand I wished to stop at.
"That's not gross at all," he mumbled.
We made our way through the market, ignoring the cries of vendors to stop and see what their tables and booths held. I had complete confidence Arsenio had packed everything we would need, even though he'd not known where we were going until moments ago. Finally, as we reached the end of the street, the open desert laid out in front of us, I found what I was looking for.
There weren't a whole lot of camels to choose from, but enough to accommodate us. It only took a few minutes of conversation in the owner's native tongue and the trading of money before we were the proud owners of two of the animals.
"I said no camels! That's five camels; can't you count?"
Arsenio laughed as I brought our rides over, each chuckle getting further and further apart as I didn't join in with him.
"No? Never seen that one?" he asked awkwardly. "Of course you haven't. Okay then."
He took the reins of one from me and started out of the town gates without saying another word, probably frowning at my lack of movie watching over the years. I'd been quoted many lines I didn't recognize. It was beginning to get funny, watching him try to find something I'd actually seen. The joke was on him—I'd seen maybe three pictures my entire life and they were ones my mom had insisted I watch. There wasn't really time to become a movie aficionado when you were training for war.
Adrastia (The God Chronicles Book 4) Page 2