by Anna LaVerne
Not knowing what to do, I take his hand in mine as a sort of peace offering. But the moment our hands touch, he squeezes mine tight, not releasing me.
“Sorry, boys. I will reunite you in Athens,” Hermes’s last words to my men before my entire being scrunches down to nothing but light and then reforms only seconds later. I don’t even take in my surroundings. As soon as I reform, I attack Hermes, smashing his pretty nose into a bloody mess on his face.
“Take me back now, or your blood is mine!” I scream, but before I attack again, he does the fancy light thing again and is gone.
“Damn him!” I curse, my insides screaming in panic from being seperated from my four men.
It is taking everything I have to resist going on a killing rampage. I look for an exit point or a door, only to realize I am in the sky on a marble platform with giant columns around the edges. I hate the sky. I inch towards the edge to look down only to find clouds and blue sky. Nothing indicating earth being below if I choose to jump.
“Jumping wouldn’t serve you well,” a booming voice answers my thoughts. There is only one sky god that Hermes would bring me to.
“It would solve your problems, Zeus,” I spit my reply, not hiding my contempt for the gods.
“Would it?” he asks as he appears, wearing white robes with shoulder-length white hair and a matching beard. As he walks towards me, the only remarkable thing about him are his eyes. They reflect a storm that even I don’t want to take on.
“From what I understand, I upset the balance. My death would serve you by restoring it,” I reply, shifting back to my human form. Something about Zeus is oddly calming.
“You are my granddaughter, and I have to admit, I am fond of your escapades. I really loved the part where you destroyed a sea of giant squid.”
I roll my eyes, “What do you want for me?”
“I want to know who you are planning to kill to keep your life.”
“I don’t want to kill anyone. You have been watching me, you should be aware of that.”
“I know that you are bloodthirsty,” he quips.
“I don’t want to kill a god.”
“Not even Poseidon?”
“Not even your brother, Poseidon,” I reply.
“But you have to kill one,” he pushes for more information.
“I am letting the fates lead me. All I want at this point, is for my men to be my gatekeepers, so they can live out immortality with me. If a god or goddess happens to die during that process it is not on me. Who is to say I will be the one killing them?”
“You are the most bloodthirsty one,” Zeus observes.
“I’M NOT BLOODTHIRSTY!” I yell.
“You certainly have a short temper, though.”
“Please stop acting like you know me. Will you help us get Poseidon to let my men back into the Ring? I am the Key of Atlantis after all.”
“What do I get for helping you? And you should have never been Key of Atlantis. It is a frivolous title where you have to work for a living protecting Atlantis, something Poseidon could do if he weren’t so lazy.”
“So, is that a yes?” I ask.
“What do I get?” he pressures again.
“I won’t go hunting down one of your children?” I answer in the form of an uncertain question.
“I like you,” he pauses, “I have known for centuries that change was coming. It surprised me when I realized the change was you. I have watched Ares go mad with anger over Aphrodite’s games. I stood by and did nothing as Poseidon allowed his kingdom to fall into disrepair.”
“Some of which was caused by your son,” I interrupt him. The sky darkens, and a loud crack of lightning echoes from overhead.
“It is not a good idea to interrupt me.” I nod in response, giving him my apologetic eyes. If Poseidon is half as powerful as Zeus, then Zeus is right. Atlantis doesn’t even need a Key. I am bound to Atlantis because my Sea god is lazy, and Amphitrite is compliant in it.
“Ares is as guilty for upsetting the balance as you are. Same goes for Aphrodite and Poseidon. So, this is what I will do. I will get you into Atlantis. I will get your men into the Ring, and you will keep following your instinct. I am trusting my gut that you are here to right the balance, not to further distort it.”
“Even if the end results in the death of one of your children?” I ask.
“You said you had no plans to search out and kill one of mine,” his eyes narrow on me.
“I don’t, but who knows what will happen and what threads will be cut by the fates.”
“Are you sure you are not a child of Athena instead of Ares?”
“Is that even possible?” I ask in response.
“We are gods, and your mother was born from Amphitrite’s sea foam. The question should be, is anything impossible?”
Oh great, it sounds like we are going to start working in riddles. I decide to end the conversation, knowing my men are most likely destroying a plane right now, unless Charles manages to work his magic and keep them calm.
“Okay, let’s say we have a deal. You get me into Atlantis, and I won’t go on a god hunt to keep my life. Instead, we agree to allow the fates to restore balance.”
“Deal,” Zeus snaps his fingers, and I am suddenly standing in an airport.
“Great, I just love airports. Thanks a lot!” I shout to the ceiling. People avoid the crazy lady yelling at nothing by taking a wide berth around me. I roll my eyes, frustrated that I can’t even read the signs to know where to wait for the guys. Worse is I might be stuck in this airport for twenty hours, while the plane finishes it’s flight.
I begin to walk, looking for a flight list, like the one I saw in the Cayman Islands. When I am unable to find one, I sit in a chair, facing a window which looks out onto one of the runways. Here I am stuck at the Athens airport, and I don’t have a phone, or even know the phone numbers of my men. The only money I have is American dollars. Life is just grand.
“Maybe I can be of help,” Hermes is suddenly sitting next to me, no longer wearing his captain uniform. Instead, he is dressed in white shorts and a pink polo shirt, looking very posh.
“You have been so helpful already. I am not sure there is much more you can do,” my reply drips in sarcasm.
“I can tell you that time on Olympus is different than on Earth, and the plane landed ten minutes ago. Zeus may seem like he has a broom stuck up his ass, but he isn’t a bad guy often.”
“You’re lying.” I am officially skeptical of everyone.
“Nope, it is the honest truth, scout’s honor.” He lifts two fingers into the air, and I haven’t a clue as to what it means.
“Where can I find them?” I ask before he decides to randomly disappear again.
“They will be picking up your bags at that baggage claim any minute now.” Hermes points to a metal machine just down from where I am sitting. He also looks like he is about to go poof again.
“Wait. Who is Charles to you?” I just have to know.
“My son.” Hermes smiles, and in the next instant, he is gone.
I jump from my seat and dash to the ‘baggage claim’ machine thing to find my four men. When I spot them walking side by side as if they are on a mission, my heart explodes through my chest. This is right. Everything is going to be alright.
When they spot me, it turns into a race to see who can reach me first. Even the ever proper Morgan moves at a brisk pace. Although, it is the athletic Breck who reaches me first. He lifts me off the ground, plants a kiss on my face, and twirls me around. The moment is something out of a romance movie I remember glimpses from my human life.
After I make my rounds into the arms of each of my guys, I note Charles looking beaten. Quite literally; he has been beaten. His face is bruised in several shades of purple, blue, and yellow. He has a split lip, and one eye is nearly swollen shut.
I approach him and ask, “Are you okay?”
“Okay? No. I am not okay. I always get the hard jobs, never the easy ones.
The life of being a demi. Nobody cares what Charles says or thinks.”
I cringe at his words; he is nothing like the suave know-it-all he was on the yacht. However, I do feel bad for the damage my men did to him to get answers. It had to be pure torture, unable to follow me to some random platform in Olympus. I watch the guys get our bags, and then we exit the airport together into Athens.
32
Athens is bright. The buildings are white, the sun is shining from a cloudless sky, and I have a renewed sense of purpose. My men seem relieved and relaxed. A white limo approaches the curb, and the chauffeur jumps out and opens the door, “Wendy McNamara?”
“Yes,” I reply and step into the largest car I have ever seen.
Morgan follows me in, looking at his watch, adjusting it, “We will get in the water as soon as it gets dark. There is a private grotto not far from our hotel, we plan to leave from. Do you still want to do this?”
“Yeah, after speaking with Zeus, I feel like everything will right itself. Are you guys nervous?” I ask as Aden, Breck, and Laki follow me into the car. Charles is the last one in.
“No, Charles filled us in on where you were. He insisted you would be okay, and if you weren’t . . .,” Laki trails off.
“Well, thank you for not killing him, he is a victim of his birth just like I am.”
Charles looks up from his seat at me, and I see an understanding in his eyes. We may be different ends of the spectrum of gods, but we both are victims of our birth.
The limo doesn’t go far before we arrive at our hotel. During that time, our plan is hatched. We will go to our rooms and get rest. Once the sun goes down, there is a grotto down the cliff from our seaside hotel. There, we will get dressed and ready. Charles is not able to shift, so he will be staying behind for when, or if, we resurface.
Our hotel room is a suite with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. Everyone decides to nap except me. Time flashed forward, and I missed out on the exhausting flight. I am certain none of them rested. Breck lies out on one of the couches, Charles takes a chair, Aden takes the loveseat, with his legs hanging over the edge. Morgan and Laki each take a bed.
I take the time to open the briefcases and find my weapons. The moment I see my beautiful scaled armor, my necklace warms. I am not sure if it is a reassurance that I am on the right path, or if it is a warning that I am going into war. I pull out my gear piece by piece. I find my swords in a long suitcase with Breck’s. Everything is placed on the ground before me reverently. My hope for a good outcome is like a prayer.
“Please don’t go,” Aphrodite’s voice says from behind me. I look over my shoulder but remain on my knees on the floor before my things.
“I have to. Atlantis is my home, and those men are my family. They are a part of me, and this,” I gesture to my weapons.
“You don’t need them to survive. You can find other men, Meri,” she argues with me.
I stand up and spin to face her, “Why do you care? You put me on the path to be Key, lied to me, killed the former Key, and hid me from my father. Should I go on?”
“First of all, your father is a dangerous person, and I did right by hiding you. Second, I didn’t know you would be this powerful. I have told you that before. Poseidon and almost every other god now sees you as a threat.”
“Zeus said he will guarantee that my men will make the Ring,” I reply with confidence.
“Zeus? You got Zeus involved? What is wrong with you? Are you daft?”
“No, I’m not daft. I am trusting the path laid before me. The one you put me on,” I point out to her again.
“Someone will have to die for any of this to work,” she calmly stresses her point.
I look her over. When she is in her true form, I now look like a reflection of her. I will never be as perfect, but I am very close. Each time I become closer to my powers, my looks become more womanly. If only I knew how to use them as she does. Instead, I have to rely on the gift from Ares–the ability to fight for what I want. I need to lay it all on the table for her now.
“This isn’t just a selfish endeavor,” I pause, trying to find the right words. “Your actions have had devastating results. Not to you or Atlantis in particular, but to our home as a whole. Ares has managed to bring war to the ocean the only way he could by influencing industry. The ocean is dying from pollution, overfishing, and pirates. You are to blame as much as he is. I can change it. Poseidon turns a blind eye to it as long as his home is safe, even if that means the domain he was meant to oversee dies. Triton is trying to stop the poachers and heal the coral reefs, but he is fighting a losing battle. Then, I get thrown into this mess and get on Poseidon’s wrong side by being brash and impulsive. I need to right my mistakes, I need to go home, where I am called, and I need to make a difference with the power I have been given. You told me that I disrupt the balance of power, but if I die, who is going to step in and work towards a better world? Not you, and not Poseidon. The gods are old and no longer care as they should, maybe I am just the first in a recycling. Maybe I am just a warning. No matter which, I am still going home in an attempt to set things right.”
Aphrodite stares at me long and hard. When I finally bring my gaze to meet hers, I see a tear dripping from her eye, “Well, I guess we are going home then.”
“You want to go with us?” I ask, blindsided.
“Well, someone has to help you sneak in, and I have some wrongs I need to right, myself.”
“This doesn’t sound like the Aphrodite everyone tells me about.”
Her hand twirls a strand of hair as she shrugs, “I’m old, maybe even an old goddess can change.”
“Maybe,” I reply.
“So, how are you going to enter?”
“I don’t know yet, I figured I would just go to the main gate and use my blood to enter.”
She rolls her eyes in a dramatic fashion, “Bad idea. When are you leaving?”
“At dark, through a grotto.”
“That is going to be a long swim. We will take one of my vessels.”
“Won’t Poseidon see that I am on my way?” I ask.
“Only if you are in the water, and if he is paying attention. Right now, my sources tell me they think you are in the Cayman Islands as the yacht is still there. If we take the boat near Atlantis, there is a chance we can enter before he takes notice. Amphitrite will know, but I expect her to stay quiet. She doesn’t like to ruffle feathers, and I am her only spawn that took no man to create.” Aphrodite winks. “I will be back at dark to retrieve you and your little harem.” She wiggles her finger towards my men, and I smile. In some ways, we are not so different.
Aphrodite dissipates in a flash of pink light. I sigh and turn my attention back to my gear. I take a towel from one of the bathrooms and begin to wipe each piece down, making sure they are still in pristine condition. I then place each item back in their cases, knowing I can’t wear them out of the hotel. After that, I go to the shower, looking for some more peace and quiet before my life erupts in action again.
33
I sit on the balcony, watching the sun set, knowing tonight is the night I get to return home. The last time I was there, I threw the beak of Poseidon's monster at his feet and was rightfully punished, even if it was a tad too harsh. Now Poseidon and most of the other old gods assume I am out to kill one of them to protect my position. The fates are pulling the strings. I have never met them, but I know that I couldn’t have ever made it to this point without their meddling.
“Are you ready?” Breck’s Australian accent floats over to me from the door to the balcony.
“Aphrodite visited. She is going to help us break into Atlantis,” I reply as an answer.
“Do you trust her?”
“How can we truly trust anyone except each other?”
“Eh, we can’t. No worries though, we got this.”
I can’t resist turning around and giving him a smile. He is right we do ‘got this’. “Are the others up yet?”
“Yeah, they sent me out to check on you.”
“Well, I guess I need to go tell them the change of plans.”
I stand and head into our suite and tell everyone about Aphrodite and how I think we should go with her. They all take it with a grain of distrust, and I can’t blame them, but I’d much rather take a boat to near Atlantis then swim there from Athens.
Charles approaches me, carrying another bag of blood. His bruised face is painful for me to look at, “Two questions. First, where did you get the blood, and how did it get here?”
He points to himself and says, “Demi-god,” like that explains everything, whatever.
“Second, do you want me to heal that?” I point to the mess of his face.
“I’d rather not be bonded to a sea vampire goddess. Thanks though.”
“I had to offer,” I reply while opening the bag of type O blood he gave me.
“It is already healing. I will be fine in another day or so.” He is right, the swelling is still there, but the color is a bit better than yesterday.
“Okay, are we ready to head out?” Morgan asks.
“We need to wait on Aphrodite first,” I argue.
“I don’t trust her,” Laki answers.
“But–” I start to argue just as Aphrodite makes a grand appearance in a flash of bright-pink light and smelling like roses. All four of my men appear annoyed, and Charles appears enamored. My mother is wearing tight hip-hugging jeans, flip flops, and a baggy t-shirt. Her hair is up in a messy ponytail. It is amazing how she can make carefree look alluring. Her hair is back to the dark color I grew up with her having. The familiarity is comforting.
“Okay, let’s go!” I declare, heading for the door. Part of me feels guilty for disregarding their concerns.
Laki groans, “Okay then.”
The men are carrying our suitcases, not looking at all suspicious. We stand out like a sore thumb, but at least we look human, so there is that. We make our way down to the docks, following my mother as she walks along, her hips swaying seductively. It is almost laughable, but I know she can’t really help it. It is a part of her being a seductress.