“You mean to go with me?”
“Well, of course,” I say. “For some reason, you want us to go with you, so why wouldn’t I? By the way, why do you want me to come with you? Aren’t the gods going to be upset that a vampire is in their great, immortal home?”
“Not if you are my guests. The other gods can not complain if you have been formally invited. I will take responsibility for you all. I would talk to Zeus on my own, but I think it will be better if he hears the story from someone not so close to Pandia. That’s where you all come in. With so many of you to tell the truth, I hope he can see reason.”
I look at everyone. “What do you guys think? Are you up for a trip to Mount Olympus?”
“What about Jillian? Won’t she be worried about us by now?” Austin asks. “Shouldn’t one of us go back and tell her that we’re all ok?”
“I will tell her personally,” Selene says.
I look around at everyone again, and I’m met with faces of determination and fearlessness. They all nod their approval, and I smile. “Alright, let’s go to Mount Olympus.”
The preparations take about twenty minutes, and then all of us are crowding around the three goddesses of the moon. We’re all clasping hands, and Selene looks at me. “Are you absolutely sure about this, Kylie?”
“Yes.”
I have time for one deep breath before the now familiar sense of being pulled away happens, and we vanish from Selene’s Eternal Gardens. Seconds later, we’re standing in front of a set of massive, golden gates. They stretch high above us, twisting and curling in beautifully ornate designs, showing off the true craftsmanship of the gods.
“Hephaestus designed this gate,” Selene says to me. “It only opens for those of godly descent, or those who are the guests of the gods. You should all feel very honored; this gate has only opened for a handful of people like you.”
The gate swings open slowly, and we all follow Selene into the paradise known as Mount Olympus. It swings shut behind us, and I get my first real look at the beautiful home of the gods. It’s a castle like Hades’, but it’s much brighter and more open. The stone it’s made of is almost as gold as the gate, and there are fountains, and streams, and beautiful flowers.
This place is what I would think Heaven would look like…
We pass a silver fountain that flows with some kind of pure white liquid. “It’s ambrosia, the nectar of the gods,” Hecate says beside me. She alone doesn’t look in awe of this place, and I realize that as the goddess of the dark moon and witchcraft, golden buildings and flowers probably aren’t her thing.
Chloe stops to smell a beautiful purple flower with silver streaks, and she sighs. “Everything here is so beautiful and wonderful. It’s like a thousand times better than even my best dream!”
We follow a cobblestone path up to an open archway, where we’re met by a young man of no more than twenty-one. His hair is curly and strawberry blonde, hanging down into light blue eyes. His nose is straight, and his cheekbones are sharp and angular. His chin is stubble-free, and he’s just less than six feet in height.
“Hermes, we need to speak with Zeus. We have the most urgent of matters to discuss with him, and I’m afraid they simply cannot wait another moment. If at all possible, I require the other gods and goddesses be in attendance as well.”
Hermes frowns. “You’re late, Selene. Artemis arrived nearly thirty minutes ago, and has been speaking with Zeus since then. He doesn’t seem very happy at what he’s heard so far. Did you really attack Artemis for speaking badly of your daughter?”
Selene laughs darkly. “That would be the story she decided to tell.”
“So it isn’t true.” He doesn’t sound surprised. “I figured she was lying. Those twins never tell the truth, ever. Very well; I’ll take you to see Zeus this instant, and maybe you can do some damage control. I fear his temper nearly got the better of him earlier, and he wanted to haul you up before the council. Thankfully Athena managed to talk some sense into him. He’s been waiting to hear you out.”
Selene looks at me. “Be ready, Kylie. I may call on you to help me explain.”
“What?” I ask, turning on her. “You can’t be serious! You expect me to speak in front of the other gods and goddesses? You’re crazy if you think I can do that, Selene. I’m just a vampire. Why would they even care what I have to say?”
She smiles. “I brought you along for a reason, Kylie. The gods can tell when anyone other than another god lies. When you speak to Zeus, you’ll tell him about the graveyard, and everything that’s happened since then, and he will know you speak nothing but the truth. Then he’ll know that Artemis hasn’t been speaking the truth, and I hope that will make him side with us.”
Kaven takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. We follow Selene and Hermes down a series of beautiful halls filled with ancient tapestries, vases, rugs, and furnishings. Everything passes by in a blur while I think about my inevitable speech in front of the gods. I’m about to speak in front of the beings of legend. Zeus could zap me with a lightning bolt! I’m about to be fried, and my life will end, for the second time.
Kaven pulls me closer. “Relax, Kylie. All you have to do is tell the truth, and they’ll see that we’re the good guys. Just stay honest, and everything will work out for the best.”
I nod, but I’m not entirely convinced. Somehow I doubt this will go over as easily as he’s saying it will. Things just don’t seem to work like that for us, but I take a deep breath and start to prepare my speech in my head. According to Selene, all I have to do is tell the truth, but I don’t want to make Artemis out to be a horrible person, because I know that she’s as much Zeus’ daughter as Pandia.
Hermes leads us to a large, circular chamber, complete with over a dozen throne-like chairs. Each chair is occupied at the moment, and I only recognize one of the gods: Hades. He sits one seat to the left of the middle throne, and he gives me a glum smile when his eyes meet mine.
The man sitting beside him looks too much like him to not be his brother, Zeus, the king of the gods. They have the same strong facial features, and they both carry a similar aura of power. However, Zeus is taller, just over six and a half feet in height, with bright blue eyes. His hair is curly, and a brilliant shade of red. His beard is the same.
To Zeus’ right sits another man with similar facial features. He is a few inches shorter than both Zeus and Hades but the resemblance is unmistakable. His eyes are the brightest shade of green I’ve ever seen, and his hair is startlingly white, considering he doesn’t look older than thirty. All three gods are barrel-chested, with thick, muscular limbs, and powerful, deep voices.
They stop arguing as we approach, and they all look at us. Surprisingly, Hades is the first to speak. “Greetings, Selene. I see you’ve decided to bring your favorite child. Oh, look, you’ve also brought Pandia with you!”
Selene smiles tightly. “Hades, you know I am not here to speak with you. I requested this meeting with Zeus, and nobody else.” She looks at the king of the gods–her king–and bows. We all follow suit. “Zeus, I have come to understand that Artemis may not have been telling you the whole truth of our…situation. I would like a chance to clear the air.”
“Lies!”
I look at the woman who spoke, and realize instantly who she must be. Artemis wears a knee-length white dress, and she has a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to her back. She’s the goddess of the hunt, and therefore most animals are considered sacred to her. She’s a few inches shorter than six feet, with long, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes.
Looking around at the other goddesses and gods, I realize that most of them seem to have blonde hair and blue eyes. That’s probably what happens when the gods and goddesses are all related. Maybe they shouldn’t have so much sex with one another…
Zeus regards me with cool blue eyes, hidden beneath bushy red eyebrows, before turning to Selene. “I have heard from Artemis, and I do wish to hear from you before I pass judgment.” His voice
rumbles so loud it nearly hurts my ears, and I fight not to wince in discomfort. “You may tell your side of the events that have occurred over the past few days.”
Selene takes a deep breath, before addressing the entire council room. “A wayward child of mine used sacrificial means to summon Achlys in a graveyard near Daray Hall. Achlys then stepped through the portal that opened, and promptly slaughtered the young fledgling. Kylie here, in the process of guarding her friend, stayed and fought with this goddess, even knowing it would most likely result in her death.
“She did die that night,” Selene says. There are a few murmurs from the others in their thrones. “And I kept her soul with me in my Gardens to rest in peace. However, peace was not to come for her. In a matter of days, Daray Hall was burned to the ground by a Protector under Achlys’ instruction. Several of my children were killed in the fire, and another attempt was made on Tara’s life.” She nods to Tara, who blushes and looks down. “I decided I had to send Kylie back to help stop a war from happening.”
“She’s lying!” Artemis screams.
“Silence!” Zeus roars. Several of the other gods flinch and shrink away from him, though both Hades and Poseidon remain still and unwavering. He turns his cool blue eyes on her. “I have already heard your side of this story, and I will not hear it again. You will allow her to speak. Continue, Selene.”
“I took Kylie to see Hades in the Underworld. While there, she completed three tasks in order to get back her body. I then put her soul back in her body, and Kylie woke up on Earth, only to experience pain so great that it very nearly shattered her soul and destroyed her mind, as it has before in the past when I tried this. But she fought through that pain to return to the people she cares about.
“She then pledged herself formally to Tara, and this brave group of friends traveled to the Immortal Realms to rescue my kidnapped daughter. They were attacked by a minotaur, by sirens, and by harpies, but they persevered through it all, and managed to save Pandia from the clutches of Achlys, Bendis, Achelois, and Artemis.”
Zeus rubs a large hand through his beard. “How am I to know which of my daughters is the real victim here?” he asks. “I’ve heard two wildly different stories, and both seem plausible to me. How do I determine which side to take?”
Selene steps forward. “I believe you should ask Kylie to tell her version of events. As a vampire and not a god, her testimony can be taken as fact. You will be able to definitively tell whether or not she lies, unlike with me and Artemis.”
Zeus nods. “Very well.” He looks at me. “Kylie Redding, you seem to hold great favor with your goddess. I’m very interested to hear what you have to say in this matter. Give me your version of events. I want the truth, and only the truth.”
Chapter Twelve
Selene places her hand on my back, and Kaven gives my hand one last squeeze. I step forward, and quickly bow my head. “Everything that Selene has just said is the truth. Shortly after my arrival at Daray Hall, a young woman was brutally murdered. Selene came to us, and asked Tara to use her special gift of mind reading to help search for the killer, which had been hidden from Selene’s view by another goddess.
“Together, we began searching for any sign as to who the killer might be. After the second killer, we developed a suspect, and set about watching him. Travis wasn’t working alone; he was working with Andrea, who was manipulating him with sex and the promise of power.
“Tara was abducted and held hostage in a graveyard near Daray, and I followed Andrea there. A graveyard attendant stumbled into our fight, and he became the third and final sacrifice. The portal opened, and Achlys stepped through. She offered me the chance to leave unharmed, but I couldn’t just let Tara be slaughtered, so I refused. She and I fought, and I lost.
“However, Selene arrived in time to save Tara’s life, and banish Achlys from the graveyard to recover. I died in that graveyard, and my soul departed to Selene’s Eternal Gardens. Once there, however, things quickly spiraled out of control. Tara was depressed with my death, and started cutting herself. Travis was still at Daray Hall, unable to be held accountable for his actions due to the fact that Tara didn’t see him abduct her.
“Travis then set fire to Daray Hall, and Pandia was abducted. Selene sent me back, and then we set out to rescue Pandia from Artemis and the other goddesses. While we were in the Immortal Realms, I was attacked by a minotaur who tried to sexually assault me, and I saved Austin and Kaven from being drowned by Sirens.
“We found the cave where Pandia was being held, and I fought off the harpies that guarded her while Morgan helped Pandia escape. Kaven arrived in time to save me, and we were transported back to Selene’s Eternal Gardens. That’s what happened. Selene is telling the truth, and Artemis and the others need to be punished before they wage war on Earth and destroy everything.”
There’s silence in the council room, but I can see someone that can only be Apollo trembling with rage. He full-heartedly believes that his sister is innocent, and he thinks that our group should be punished instead. Instinctively I know that even if Zeus decides to side with us, Apollo is going to cause trouble for us.
“You speak the truth,” Zeus says. “Humans and vampires cannot lie to us, which means that I have been lied to recently.” He glares at Artemis, who cowers under his gaze. “You thought that if you got here first, I would automatically believe what you had to say?”
She flinches. “I’m sorry, father. I just–”
“You lied to me, and disrespected another of my daughters!” He sighs heavily, and rubs his face. “I require time to think about this.” He claps his hands loudly. The sound reverberates through the council room and everyone cringes. “Leave me.”
Everyone but Hades, Zeus, and Poseidon gets up from their seats and exits the council room. Hermes guides us back out, and he looks at me with a smile. “You handled that very well. I think a lot of young vampires would have bragged more about basically returning from the dead. Not that you don’t deserve the right to do it, considering how much you suffered for it.”
“Kylie, did it really hurt that much?” Tara asks. She sounds almost scared at the thought of me being in pain. “You would really suffer that much just to come back to us?” She looks at Selene and narrows her eyes a bit. “Why couldn’t you have made it less painful for her?”
“Tara, it’s not Selene’s fault. She didn’t cause me pain on purpose; it was the bonding process that allowed my soul to reattach itself to my body. She warned me of the pain, and offered me a chance to decide whether to stay or not. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to be sent back.” She bites her lip and turns her face away, which I recognize as what she does when she’s being stubborn. I grab her and turn her to face me. “If I had to do it again, knowing how much it would hurt, I’d still do it, Tara.”
She sighs. “You know, I think you might be the most amazing person in the world. Nobody else would have done what you did, suffered so much, just to keep someone you cared about safe. You’re really exceptional, Kylie.”
I shrug it off. “I’m just trying to do my job, which is keeping you safe. If I have to sacrifice a few things for that to happen, so be it. And no, I’m not the most amazing person in the world. There are far better people out there.”
I hear a couple of snorts, and Morgan and Chloe both duck their heads, trying to hide their pink cheeks. I shake my head. “You guys, what about Jillian? She founded a home for fledglings, several of them, and she teaches and cares for us. She’s just as amazing as I am. Even more so, because Jillian is like, perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” Chloe says.
I can’t help the startled laugh that comes out, and I try to smother the laughter building up. “I don’t think so! I’m sometimes rash, I don’t work well with others, I have intense anger issues when it comes to certain things or people, and I can be a bit of a know-it-all sometimes.”
Tara shrugs. “Those things are true, like when you beat the shit out of McKenzie.
That was definitely rash and an example of anger issues. But you’re still loyal, brave, caring, intelligent, and hard-working. So what if you have a bit of a temper? Most people do to some degree.”
“Not like me,” I say stubbornly. I’m right about this, and I’m not going to let it go. “I understand that I can be a good person and still have a temper problem, but I just want you to know that I am far from perfect, Tara.”
“I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.” Tara looks over her shoulder. “What do you guys think? Am I wrong, or is Kylie the most amazing person ever?”
There are mumbles of agreement from the others, and I sigh. Kaven wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me closer. “People love you, Kylie. Why do you have to fight that?”
“I don’t know,” I say, following Hermes.
He looks back at all of us. “Zeus will probably be in the council room for a very long time; he doesn’t like to rush things without thinking them through. So you’ll all be spending the night here on Mount Olympus with us. I’ve been tasked with showing you to your rooms for the time being.”
He leads us to the far side of Mount Olympus, where there is a building not attached to the rest of the place. It’s small and made of the same golden bricks, and Hermes stops at the doorway. “There are six rooms available here for all of you. If you require anything during the night, just talk to one of the attendants that await you in the halls.”
Hermes doesn’t wait for us to say anything before leaving. We all just stare after him for a minute, before Chloe sighs. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m exhausted. I think I’m gonna get some shuteye before Zeus makes his decision.”
Tara, Austin, and Morgan follow her into their rooms, leaving me and Kaven out in the hall. He looks at me and frowns. “What’s wrong?” He takes my hand. “Kylie, you can talk to me about anything, you know that right?”
“We haven’t had that emotional talk yet,” I remind him. There’s obviously something between us because he’s kissed me a couple of times since my return, but I don’t know what it means to him. Before I arrived at Daray Hall, he was in a casual sexual relationship with Tricia.
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