"Of course I love that blundering idiot! I’ve loved him for all of my life, Geb. I didn’t ask for you to kidnap me. Had you asked me, I would have told you that I didn’t have feelings for you! You are a monster! You deserve to be trapped here beneath the Earth’s surface for your crimes. You’ve killed nearly a billion people. Do you realize that?" Her voice was cold but near the end, it cracked. "You’ve killed my other children, Geb. If you loved me so, how could you have done that to me?"
"I’m not sure how you’ve kept this one alive, she should have been dead too. It’s taken me thirty years, but I finally found her. The surprise I left in her shack of a home should have taken care of the problem. Imagine my shock when I had to send yet another golem after her. It’s just as well. I want you to feel the pain of your betrayal, Diana. I am going to kill her in front of you so that you always remember who holds the power of life and death over you."
I gasped and his attention swung back toward me. "You must have run right back to him and thrown yourself at him, legs spread wide. You whore!"
The crack of sound was deafening as she slapped his face. His head rocked back with her rage. "You. Do. Not. Call. Me. Whore," she ground out, each word punctuated with building fury.
It occurred to me with sudden clarity that everything my mother had said to me when we met was a lie. Facts slipped into place like bullet points.
Geb didn’t know that I was his child.
She had sent Drew to protect me because somehow she knew that Geb was going to come for me.
If Geb had killed all of her children, she must have been terrified that he’d come after me next. The fight in the house, this kidnapping - it all made perfect sense.
I stared at her with confusion. Why didn’t she just tell him that I was his child? It certainly would have saved me a lot of trouble. Not to mention my house, I thought wryly. Better than that, was he so blind as to not recognize me? Sure, I was covered in mud, but the more I stared at him, the more I recognized features. Our facial bone structure was completely similar. I had his cheekbones and chin. I was Geb in female form.
I no longer blamed Diana for shuffling me off. A constant reminder of her captivity and rape must have been so difficult to bear.
The only sounds in the room were the ragged breathing from these two gods as they stared each other down. I shouldn’t have chosen this time to open my mouth.
But I did.
"You’re a fool if you cannot recognize your own blood when it’s right in front of your face."
"Grace, No!" my mother gasped. I wasn’t sure why she wanted my parentage hidden, but if it would keep me alive, I wasn’t going to minimize the knowledge.
"Oh look, the monkey speaks." He turned his angry violet eyes on me and I took a minute to think that he’d be so pretty if he weren’t so crazy.
"Oh, c’mon. I am really tired of being insulted by idiot men." I chirped with derision and rolled my eyes. While they’d been arguing, I had re-established my connection to the ground surrounding me and was finally able to move.
I pushed up off the floor, gaining my feet unsteadily. "Yup. That's me - a monkey. It's really unfortunate that I didn't develop a tail. That would have been super cool," I quipped, brushing caked mud from my face and pushing the heavy hanks of mud-soaked hair behind my shoulder.
"So who do I have to kill to get a shower around here? Maybe you’d recognize your own daughter if she were clean." Glancing around, I noticed that there were no doors or windows. So escape just became more difficult. Great.
Balls of light floated lazily in the air, casting a soft glow against the brown tones of the cavern. I wondered how we got air and where we were within this cave system.
"Who gave you permission to speak?"
"In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not back in the middle ages anymore, buddy. I exercise my right to free speech often." I inched closer to my mother and touched her briefly on the wrist. I’m not sure why. We didn’t have signals. I guess I just wanted her to know that I was okay. I wanted her to know that WE would be okay.
"If you’re so smart, why haven’t you figured out that I’m your kid?" I continued, circling around him warily as I talked. "Do I look like Zachary? Gosh, I’d hate to think that those naked bits with Drew were a no no."
"Diana, what is she talking about?" He sounded confused. This was good. If I could throw him off his game, maybe we had a chance of overcoming him together.
I looked at Diana. She looked even more ethereal than she had when we first met - thinner and even a little fragile. He’d had her captive for at least two months and I didn’t know where she gained her power from. To say that I was worried was an understatement. He was so much more powerful than I. I wasn’t sure how we were going to get out of here if she weren’t at full strength.
She sighed sadly and I wished that I could read her mind. I needed to know why she had kept this a secret from him.
"Tell me the truth!" He was thundering at her and with every word, she shrank into herself. He reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her closer, with his face inches from hers. I could see the spittle flying against her face as he raged and my own anger started to rise. "You will tell me the truth by all that is holy or I will kill her where she stands, you lying, sneaking bitch!"
"Enough Geb," she yelled, but her heart wasn’t in it. "Yes, she is your daughter."
His hand dropped from her arm and I flinched at the red marks that were already leaving a bruise. I took a step forward, prepared to knock him into tomorrow, but her quick look and small head shake stopped me in my tracks.
"How?" He was clearly flabbergasted and oh how I wanted to take advantage of his stupidity. For once, I kept my mouth shut and let this play out.
"What do you mean how? Do you not remember the constant rape? The humiliation you piled upon my head for months? How could I not get pregnant, you imbecile? What did you think would happen? I thought that was your wish – to leave me with a piece of you that I couldn’t rid myself of. Well, congratulations! You did it, Geb. You gave me a miracle and a constant worry all in one."
I watched them, astounded at what was happening, the words that were being said. I felt shame for my mother and for the words I’d spat at her regarding my abandonment. I don’t know if I’d have been able to look at a face that so reminded me of my tormentor.
She must have seen my thoughts flit across my face because she limped toward me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I hadn’t realized the limp before and I frowned with concern.
"You can threaten her life if it is truly what you wish, you pustule on the backside of humanity, but you will know that you have to kill me first. You will not harm my daughter ever again."
I gave her a gentle squeeze and looked around for a chair so that she could rest. When one didn’t appear, I called out to the ground and raised a shelf of granite for her to sit on. The surprised gasp behind me made me turn to look at Geb.
His face was stricken with surprise and shock. He looked vulnerable and if he had been any other person in this Earth, I would have given him comfort, some type of concern. "It’s true. None of the others can manipulate the earth as I can. I—I never realized. I was so foolish. I never would have attempted to hurt her if I had known."
But he wasn’t any other person on this planet. "Do you think that forgives you? Do you honestly believe that she is ever going to love you? That I am ever going to accept you? Medusa’s balls, but you are an idiot," I spat at my so-called father. "I’m just getting her comfortable before I come over there to kick your fucking ass."
"Grace, he’s too strong. You’ve felt his power over the last few months. He seems to be growing stronger and I am too weak to help you." The words were a murmur and if I weren’t so damned stubborn, they may have given me pause. They didn’t and I was.
I whirled upon him, calling in my kukri blades. They shined red from the heat emanating from the steel. So that is what Drew meant when he’d said directed force. I didn�
�t need an earthquake to bring this scumbag down. I was earth based. That meant that I had fire in my arsenal, as well. Not to mention whatever bag of tricks I’d inherited from my mother.
"So what, you destroy your home world and you think you can cause a ruckus in mine?" I glided forward on the balls of my feet and swung in a high arc toward his face. This wasn’t a serious fight yet. But it was about to be. "Didn’t you watch Men in Black? That’s not how this story plays out."
He dodged my slice and called in his own armaments. His were a variation of the sai. Longer and thicker than the traditional three pronged weapon, the metal looked more like iron than steel.
Hmm, Papa had been out of the world for a long time. He obviously didn’t know his weapons anymore since they also had a bulge weld, giving me the advantage. Not only were mine made of a stronger metal, but they could chop - potentially breaking his blades.
A sizzle and a waft of burnt hair reached my nose and I smiled without humor at him. "Oops, did I ruin your haircut? I understand that doesn’t grow back."
He growled and stabbed at my midsection which I dodged with a laugh. The ground started to rumble and I could feel the weight of gravity trying to slow me down. It wouldn’t work this time. The Earth and I had come to an agreement. I wouldn’t fuck her up and she wouldn’t let him use his powers against me.
I could see the uncertainly flit over his features as he realized that what he was trying to do wasn’t working. "Child, listen. I’m your father. There is no need for us to be enemies."
"Grace," I grunted as I feinted to the left, swinging my blade forward for an arm slice. "My Mother named me Grace and no, you are not my father. You may have donated the sperm, but that is where your involvement ends. I refuse to have anything to do with you."
He parried my slice and slashed his sai down my side, leaving a thin parting of flesh. "If that is what you wish."
Huh, they hadn’t looked that sharp. I didn’t even think, I just reacted and a section of still wet mud transferred itself to my cut, effectively sealing it while my nanites worked to heal.
It still hurt like a bitch and I may have cried out in pain. I try not to think of moments like that, though. I was working doubly hard not to show any type of weakness to this man.
"Is it true what my mother said? Did you destroy your own world?"
This made him pause and I took advantage with a swing at his neck. He dodged, but only at the last minute. A trail of blood lined his cheek where the tip of my kukri had nicked his face.
"Yes Geb, tell your daughter what you’ve done in the name of Science and Power." My mother’s voice had a lazy drawl and I desperately wanted to look back to see how she was doing.
What’s the saying? Never bring a knife to a bazooka fight? If I could, I’d just nuke this guy out of orbit and be done with him. I was starting to get tired. The last 24 hours had been exhausting and it didn’t look like I was going to be able to slow down anytime soon.
I deflected his thrust with my knife and swung toward his neck again, determined to separate his head from his shoulders. He parried that and smacked me in the nose with his elbow. I saw stars.
"I would devastate a thousand realities in order to harness the energy I have into a source of power that allowed my people into this world."
"That wouldn't be necessary if you hadn't massacred half of your entire race, leaving the other half to starve in the desolate wasteland you'd left behind," she spat back at him.
"You judge me too harshly," he panted. I hoped he was getting tired too. "What was I to do? I discovered a way to open a Rift to this reality! Was I expected to just ignore my discovery?"
"Yes!" she cried.
I pushed forward mercilessly, kicking out with my foot, catching him in his middle and throwing him back. I dove forward, hoping to get a swipe in – one that would at least slow him down.
"I did it for you," his voice was so quiet and full of pain that it stopped me short. I stood looking at him utterly flabbergasted. "How did you even know her to have done it for her?"
"I saw her through a small opening one day. She was so lovely and looked so serene. I fell in love. I needed to see her again. I needed to touch her." He punctuated his last sentence by throwing a sai at me. I had to throw myself down to dodge the weapon.
"Oh my God! I can’t even come up with this sappy shit for my romance novels. Are you kidding me?" Grabbing a dropped sword, I rolled onto my back and stopped so suddenly with a short gasp that he tripped over me, his body sprawling at my mother’s feet. Glancing up to see what had startled me out of the fight.
Protruding from her chest was Geb’s sai. The hilt stuck out from her sternum, each prong of the weapon puncturing her breasts. She was looking down at the weapon with surprise and no small amount of resolution.
"What have you done?" He screamed and dove for me, wrapping his long fingers around my neck and bashing my head against the floor over and over again.
I was too stunned to speak. I shouldn’t have ducked. "You. Have. Killed! Her!" Each word was punctuated by a cracking sound. It reminded me of a cross between someone thumping an over ripe melon and cracking an egg.
"Geb, no! Please, stop. She’s your daughter. This is your fault, not hers." Her voice sounded wet and I could hear a sucking noise with each breath she took.
Dark spots were clouding my vision. I was pretty sure I had a concussion. He wouldn’t stop beating my head into the floor. Briefly, I wondered if I would survive having my brains scrambled. And then it stopped. I was able to breathe and could feel my body starting to heal itself but couldn’t figure out how until I lifted my head gingerly to see the electricity arcing across my body.
"Zachary," my mother breathed. Her eyes shone with love and pride. I’m not entirely sure why she chose to lock him up in that lab, but it wasn’t because she didn’t love him.
"Hello Love," he replied with a gentle smile. I struggled to see what had happened with Geb. It literally looked like he’d been struck by lightning. His arms and legs had blown off of his body and the limbs were jerking with the charge still encompassing him.
I could have dealt with that if it weren’t for the mud that was reforming into limbs on his body.
"He’s regenerating." Struggling to rise, I saw Zachary and my mother share a look.
"You won’t be able to kill him, darling. That’s why he’s been trapped here all of these years, instead of dead."
"Stop talking," Zachary told her gruffly. "We need to get you back to my lab so I can get that thing out of your chest. Don’t aggravate your injury further."
He knelt down gently beside her and probed the wound. She most likely wouldn’t die from it, I hoped. I heard him softly tell her, "Your nanites should take care of this with no problem."
"Zachary, you know what I have to do to be rid of him." She raised her hand and cupped his cheek. "I should have done it last time, but I knew I was pregnant and I didn’t know what the Rift would do to Grace."
"No, I forbid you!" He stood abruptly, thundering out the words.
"This is the only way," she continued with labored breath. "I’m the only one who can safely open a Rift. I’ll have to drag him through."
"I said no!" he cried. "We’ll find a different way. You’ve buried him here, we can leave him!"
"And let him wreak further devastation on our home?! I think not. You are not my master, Zeus! You won’t order me about like some servant. This is the solution. My daughter will remain safe."
"How do I live without you?" He dropped to his knees and laid his head on her lap.
She stroked his hair and murmured, "You’ll find a way. Grace isn’t just his you know. She’s mine too. Now, help me stand."
Tears streamed down my face. I wasn’t certain what was going on, but I knew without a doubt that I was about to lose my mother a second time.
She turned her gaze on me and smiled so gently. "What a woman you have become. You are such a strong warrior Grace. You are everything I cou
ld have ever hoped that you would be. You will know what to do when the time is right. You will be able to find me." She reached out to me and then thought better of it before smearing some of her blood on her hands and creating a sigil in the air.
The room vibrated and the air shimmered as a piercing blue light erupted from a rift in time and space. Jerking her hand down she pulled the tear open further and let it widen.
She called, "Zachary, pull him to me while I hold this open."
He did as she asked and she spared one long glance at me. Our eyes connected and I could see longing and the love I’d always craved written on her face. "Never forget that I love you. I’ve always loved you. You are the very best of us both and I am looking forward to spending more time with you, daughter."
She closed her eyes and heaved herself and Geb’s body through the Rift. It sealed almost immediately with an audible snap.
Zachary fell to his knees, sobbing. I crawled to him, hoping to offer and receive some comfort.
"This is my fault," I whispered.
He took me into his arms and rocked us both back and forth. "Nay, Gracie. This was never your fault. I should have taken care of him a thousand years ago."
"What do we do now? How do we get her back?" I whispered.
"There are a few things that I need to do, but when I’m finished, we’ll start your training. You’re the only one who will be able to open a Rift to get to her."
"How do you know? Do you even know where she took him?"
"I have an idea and it’s not good."
"Will she live long enough for me to figure this out? What if she doesn’t survive her wound?" I was so full of questions and doubt. A glimmer of hope was forming but dread and self-loathing were rising, trying to squash it before it could bloom.
"She’s a strong lass. She’ll make it. We just have to get to her. Can you stand?" When I nodded, he pulled me to my feet and cradled my face in his hands.
"I’ve treated you poorly. I’ve withheld more information than I should have and I’m going to make this up to you. I’m going to be the man that your mother believes in and we’ll work together to find her. First, you’re going home. I’ll come to you when I am done here."
Huntress (A Grace Murphy Novel) Page 20