by Dee King
“How can I help?” I ask him.
“You are going to want to get the mortals secured, then take your spot beside Selene. We aren't in the clear yet.”
Just as he tells me that, the boat starts rocking back and forth, making everyone slide from one side of the
boat to the other. I rush to Chris, Chloe, and her mom, pulling the three of them over to the side. Finding rope, I make a knot, tying it to the rail, then pulling it across their bodies, making another knot at the end.
“Stay down, stay still. This will be over soon.” I tell them, while Zack checks my knots.
He nods at me, then he stands in front of them, covering them with his body. I make my way to Selene's side. She is focused on the ocean waves. I watch Selene majestically move the trident with the water. She was a natural force. I was in awe of her. She still noticed I was beside her, because I felt her hand slightly graze my hand. My father came behind me with Aries and Apollo, with everyone else standing tall behind us. This was it. We were going to fight our way out of here.
I just didn't know why we were running away?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Storms are a' brewing
The storm was growing darker over the seas as we kept sailing through the waves. Waves were hitting us from all directions. The boat was rocking pretty hard. If you were one to be seasick, this wouldn't be the ride you wanted on. Colin's trident faced the east wind that was causing the waves to raise high enough it could have easily taken over the boat. Selene's trident faced the west, causing the waves to stay still. They were guiding us out of the mount with what seemed to be ease for them. While the rest
of us were having a harder time just standing.
“Brace yourselves!” Poseidon yells, and we all try to find something in which to anchor ourselves.
A huge wave came rushing towards us.
Poseidon stomps his foot and trident at the same time. The result is the wave stopping right in front of us. A massive wave rose above us. I watch as he moves the trident, making the wave move to the side of the boat. It
hits hard, but we were still safe. Alex begins to raise his arms over his head. He must be trying to fight his father by dispersing the storm. He was beginning to win; the sun was trying to peek out through the storm building over our heads. The waters were calmer, Poseidon kept his trident facing forward. We were gaining speed. Fast. The boat was hitting the waves, and we were riding them like
we were on surfboards not an enormous old boat. We fly up seeing the water below us. Poseidon keeps it steady as we hit hard on the ocean waves. I could see the boat dock just ahead of us. We were almost to land. Alex keeps his hands raised, then we hear him scream. He drops his hands, having just been shot with a lightning bolt. Zeus just shot his own son. I would say he was pretty mad, but not as mad as Alex just became. The clouds grew a shade of green. This wasn't good. Alex was building a
tornado in the middle of the damn ocean.
“Alex! Control it!” I yell back at him. He looks to me, then the clouds grow darker.
He wasn't going to be able to stop. Cali takes ahold of his arms, trying to bring them down to his sides. Alex relaxes just for a minute and I watch his lips turn into a smile. An evil smile. If Cali could keep him calm for just a little while longer, we would be on land. Poseidon, Selene, and
Colin keep us going. Faster and faster. The dock was straight ahead. I run back to Chris, Chloe, and her mom, untying them. Zack had stayed standing over them the entire time.
“Good job, bro.” I pat him on the back, helping the three of them come stand beside the rest of us.
We push the three of them in between all of us. We were like a can of sardines. When the boat docked, we were going to go onto land the way we knew we could. One blink of an eye, and we would be back in Malibu. This was my part of the job. Help get us all there safely.
“Old ways, right?” I ask my father.
“Yes, our home.” I knew he meant our home in Malibu. I move closer to Selene.
She hasn't learned how fast this goes. I'm not sure she even knew we could travel like this. We all are all gathered together, waiting for the boat to dock.
“One, two, three!” Poseidon yells, I make sure my hand is on Selene.
A bright light appears and we were home. I had managed to get us back on Earth without any problem. The coin I used in my pocket may have helped, but at least we were home. We were back on land, in Malibu, in my home where I had spent my high school career living. Everyone takes a step back, looking around them. Doing what we had done meant the three mortals weren't going to remember what just happened or even where they had been, except that we were married.
“Whoa.” Chris is the first to speak.
“That was a great party.” We all just smile at them.
“I think I have something I'm supposed to be doing, but I can't remember. Oh gods! Selene you’re married! EEK!” Chloe screams at us.
This had to look awkward to them to say the least. We were all surrounding them, like they were about to be jumped by a gang. A gang of gods no less. Selene and Chloe hug one another, then I offer to take everyone where they needed to be. Selene agrees with me, and as they tell everyone goodbye, we all leave in my Land Rover. Luckily, I had left my keys inside the ignition. I didn't have a plan for if or when we came back, I
just knew that I needed to be prepared. We take Selene's mother home, who kisses her on the forehead, telling her one last time she loved her and congratulations. Then we headed to the airport for Chris and Chloe to go back to France. They each gave us a look like they weren't sure of what was going on, but they waited at the ticket booth together. We wave goodbye to them, leaving them without luggage or anything. I knew they would be okay; I had already set up everything before we had even left.
Selene was still in her wedding dress, as I was still in my suit. The looks we were getting was weird even for people in California. This wasn't the way I planned for our wedding night to start. On Earth, the time was different. It was already late into the night, and back on the mount we
would have just been enjoying dusk. The time thing really messed with me when we came home like that. I was now tired like a human would be. That wasn't going to be of any help in this situation.
“What happens now? And how did we do that? How did we get here like that?” Selene asks me, looking out the window.
“We can do that anytime, to anywhere. We are gods. We can travel for free.” I try to make a joke out of it, but I think she was still in a little bit of shock.
“I'm sorry. I have no idea what's going to happen next, and I really don't know why we had to leave. None of this is making sense to me either. But, at least we got them back to Earth safely, and we all made it. You were
freaking awesome out there on the ocean.” I keep trying to make her feel a little better. I gaze over at her, but she is still looking out the window.
“Is he trying to kill us?”
“Who?” I knew who she was talking about, but I wanted her to talk to me.
“Zeus.”
“I don't think so. He can't kill us on the Mount. He could seriously hurt us, but he couldn't kill any one of us. If he wants to do that, he would have to kill us here, then on the mount. No one could take all of us on like that.
There is power in numbers sometimes.” That wasn't really the answer she was hoping for, but it was the truth.
“Great. My wedding day and we get chased off the mount. Now we could die on Earth, just to die there? This is what you’re telling me?” This time she looks towards me. I move my hand to her leg, slumping down in the
driver's seat.
“I know this isn't what you wanted to happen today, but we knew it could be dangerous. We will get everything figured out, I swear it to you.” She lays her hand on top of mine, turning her head back to the window.
She was scared. I didn't blame her. Nobody wants to be chased on their wedding day and possibly die. Who wanted that for
their dream wedding?
We pull into my driveway, rushing inside the house. Everyone was sitting at the table with a map, pencils, and candles lit everywhere.
“Now, this is where the two of you will go. Don't stay long. Keep moving to the next place, till one of us comes for you. Carry just what you need, no extras. No traveling in cars or anything like that. When you move, do it old school. Stay alert. He will be after you soon. Do you understand?” My dad is handing an envelope to Alex. We just walked in on all of them helping Alex and Cali.
“Yes, sir. We go to Europe first, then back to the states, then keep moving, right?”
“Yes. He will find you, it's only a matter of time, but this gives you a chance to get married. Remember it has to be a legit ceremony. Then when it's time, we will take the fight on, here.” Did he just say we we’re bringing the fight here? Earth? Why would we do that?
“Dad?” I try to interrupt them.
“Do you understand? Here is everything you will need.” He ignores me, patting the packet he had just handed to Alex.
“Dad!” This time I slam my fist down on the table. No one moves.
“Leave now, Alex. Go!” My dad yells to him, then we watch as Alex and Cali disappear in front of us.
“Why are you helping him? You can't bring the fight to Earth! That would cause mass chaos here.” I wasn't backing down from the fight, but bringing a war to Earth wasn't acceptable in my book.
“Sit, both of you.” Poseidon tells us. Selene refuses.
“No, you tell us what's going on.” She crosses her arms over her chest, leaning back on her high heels.
“We couldn't tell you before you were married, please, sit.” He asks her again, this time she takes my hand in hers, pulling me down to sit beside her.
“Couldn't tell us what?”
“When the two of you were married you changed the alliance. The two of you now hold the fates in your hands.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“You now have all the power that we do. By the two of you marrying, you just made yourselves stronger than him.”
“Who? Zeus?”
“Yes, and soon you will be the God and Goddess that we will look to for answers.” I interrupt him from speaking.
“I don't want that. I just wanted to be with Selene. We wanted him not to win, but we also wanted to be married because we love each other. I don't want to be some famous god.” The truth was that I didn't want that burden.
“There isn't a choice in this. This is now the game. You changed the fates today. Zeus will come hunting the two of you. He will hunt down Alex first. If he has to kill him first to get to you, then so be it.” My dad shakes
his head back and forth.
“Why?”
“He betrayed his father. Alex won't have near the powers of the god he once was, nor will Cali once they are wed. Alex knew that he would be stripped of most everything by doing what he did. He decided that the two of you were to lead us into a new world, a new hope for the future. He was right. There needs to be new rules. The two of you will do that.” Poseidon tells the both of us.
“Wait! I thought I was supposed to be the God of the Underworld?” That was what I thought was going to happen whether I chose it or not.
“You could have been that, but it won't be your choice anymore after tomorrow. Cato will have the right to the seat. He is the first born of the one I will marry tomorrow.”
“You’re marrying Medusa?” I was starting to grow impatient of this.
“Yes. That way Cato can take your seat and you will become the great Sebastian, Ruler of all.”
“Rule you? I didn't even know if I could be the God of the Underworld and you want me to be the ruler of all the Gods? You have lost your mind for real this time!” I push back my chair from the table.
This was getting out of hand. It was beyond ridiculous to think we could ever be the rulers of all. I didn't know how to be a God of anything, especially not the God of all. Zeus was that, Alex was the next one in line. If not Alex, then Iris, but definitely not me. None of this was making sense to me. Now, he wants to marry Medusa, give Cato my seat, and forget about my mother? This wasn't what I wanted or what I signed up for.
“I'm out. I don't want this. I most definitely don't care what it meant to you. This wasn't what was asked of us. Zeus wanted us to marry, we did. We proved him wrong, his son betrayed him. That's how this went. Whatever happens with them is what will be. Alex is the one who is to take over. Not me, not us.” I point to Selene and me.
“You can't be out. You don't have a choice. The two of you combined have more power together than any other god. You were told that you were the ones that would tilt the fates. You did that. Alex wants out because he
won't be able to take the two of you on by himself. No one will.” My dad keeps going on about how this was great for everyone.
Zeus would no longer be the tyrant he was at times, and we would be free, so to speak. This had been their plan all along. My father and hers decided many years ago to overthrow Zeus. We had been a part of the master plan, by getting married, we just made our own fate. A fate we had no clue in what we’re doing. Cato was taking my seat beside my father and Selene and I were to lead everyone? I didn't know how to do that. I'm not sure I even
want to learn. This wasn't the life we had asked for. We just wanted to hurt Alex for what he did to Ian and marry one another to prove Zeus wrong, to also prove our love for one another. We wanted to call his bluff, but
this was just crazy talk. Neither of us asked to be the gods of all. Ruler of everyone. Who wants that task as a job? Nobody, that's who. Alex was always the one who was going to be the next in line. He was the one who always wanted this, not me. Ruling the Underworld sounded like a piece of cake compared to becoming the God of everyone. Why couldn't he be the one? He was going
to marry the goddess of war, for Pete’s sake.
They could rule and I could have a life. Not one that was predestined for me. For us, for all that mattered. This wasn't like a gift on your wedding day, this was a bomb.
A bomb that was going to explode leaving Selene and I in its wake.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Anger Rages On
Selene stood from the table, her face showing all kinds of emotions, but the only that I could really see was anger. Her lips pressed so hard together, I knew that whatever was coming next wasn't going to be good.
“You're telling us, that because we are married we have no rights? That WE can't be ourselves anymore? You knew this could happen, and you didn't stop it? What if we get divorced? What if that happens? Huh?” I didn't want a divorce.
Hell, I had only been married for like two hours!
Divorced seemed a little extreme, but she had a point.
“You can't divorce. There is no divorce in our laws. It's literally till death do you part.” Iris tells us, but she keeps her head down.
“What? You can't divorce? Who can't divorce? I mean you can get women knocked up and leave them, not raise your own children, but by gods we cannot get a divorce? You people are screwed up!” She had been holding back all this time.
I wasn't sure if she was on the right track with her
questioning, but I wasn't going to stop her. That could be suicide for anyone that tried.
“Selene, it wasn't like that.” Poseidon is the one to answer her.
“Why don't you tell me what it was like then? Because the only thing I can tell you is that the two of you made this plan long before we came along. You didn't consider we are actual people. We have feelings, we aren't just
your pawns!” Selene was really yelling now.
Poseidon gets up from the table.
“Now look here, you may not like how things happened in your life, and I am sorry for that. But, you will learn that this isn't about us, it's always been about you. You and Sebastian.”
He walks towards us.
“This is a good thing, believe
me.”
“I don't believe you. I hardly trust you... I don't even know you.” She moves away from him, and he tries to grab her by the arm, but she was quicker. She grabs me instead, tugging at the collar of my suit jacket. I put my hands on top of hers, holding them, feeling her trembling.
“Tell them. Tell them we aren't doing this. I don't want this; you don't want it. Tell them.” She pleads with me, and I want to tell them, but I know that it won't matter.
They had won the fight, using us the entire time.
“What I would like to know is why they were chosen? The two of you had children before them, what was so damn special about them?” Cato points at us, moving towards us.