by Jasmine Walt
I open my mouth again, unable to do words. I bow my head because I’m not trying to die at the hands of what looks like a twelve-year-old.
It’s just not how I want my story told.
She laughs again. “Pike, you must learn to relax. You’ve probably only seen me in my true form.”
My eyes open wide. Fear clenches its fist around my throat. For a moment, I think she’s going to show it to me. Her true form. Better men than me have died looking upon a goddess. Her form doesn’t change.
Instead, she says, “I am Apollo’s sister.”
I shake my head at first, understanding washing over me slowly. Then I raise my eyebrows.
“Artemis,” I say.
“Very good.”
“Goddess of the hunt.”
She points her long, ivory-flecked finger at me. “I like you, Pike.”
I sigh. “Well, that’s a relief.”
She laughs again. I wait until she’s finished before I ask, “But why are you here? Why hasn’t Apollo come to meet me? He guards these crossroads.”
Her eyes darken. I take a step back. The gold and red of her eyes swirls into black and bruised purple.
“He no longer guards these crossroads.” She looks toward the nothingness in the sky. “But he will. That’s where you come in.”
I frown. “I don’t understand.”
She looks down, a sort of demented smile twisting her lips. “Do you know why you came to be cursed, Pike Richards?”
Anger rolls through me, but I keep my face composed. I don’t want to cross her. I don’t want her to see or guess how much I hate the gods. Especially her brother.
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
“Apollo traded us, specifically my blood line, to get out of a grudge with Demeter and Zeus. He cursed us to cover up the fact that he failed to escort Persephone to Kore tower. He failed and now she has to spend half her time in the Underworld. Demeter demanded that something be done to Apollo. Apollo offered up his most precious Muses, the sirens, to be cursed in his place.”
She nodded. “Very good. Only one fact in your tale is untrue.”
I furrow my brows. I know this story like my own heartbeat. I have no idea what she’s talking about.
“The untruth, something very few people know, is that it was I who failed to escort Persephone. Apollo covered for me. He helped me avoid a term in the Underworld, a sentence he is still serving for me.”
My mouth gapes open. Didn’t see that shit coming.
“So, I am here, Pike, to pay a debt. To get my brother out.”
I nod. “Okay.” It’s all I can think of to say.
“And for that, I will need your help.”
I back away a few more inches. If there is one thing I know, it’s not to get into the middle of the gods shit. Nothing good can come from what she’s about to ask me.
“I know you will be reluctant to help me,” she says.
No shit.
“That’s why I need you to tell me what you came here for.”
My mouth opens wider. I remain silent.
“Come on, siren. Let’s make a deal. And let’s not waste each other’s time. We both know you’re going to make this deal.”
The fuck I am.
She smiles and waves her hand through the air. Another blast of light, and there she is. Sadie. With ribbons braided into her wild hair. Ice skates slung over her shoulder. That look I saw in her eyes at the compound is gone. It is replaced by innocence.
She is my Sadie again.
I reach out, taking a step forward, stumbling. Just like that, she is gone. I crumple to my knees and cry out.
“Oh, Hades.” She waves her hands up. I stand at her command. “Be a man, I don’t suffer weakness. You are here for her, correct?”
I just stare at her. Her face darkens.
I speak quickly. “Yes, yes I’m here for her.”
“For a cure?”
“Yes.”
She glides over to me and places a hand against my chest. “A siren with heart. Do you know how rare that is?”
I stare down at her. “I don’t have much of a heart.”
She smiles. “And yet here you are. For that little girl. And you had to know you wouldn’t leave this place, where you are banned, alive.”
I keep staring.
“Like I said, siren with a heart. You will be very powerful, and useful to me.” She steps a few paces away and peers up at me. “And I will help you save the world, Pike Richards. All you have to do is agree to come with me.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Come with you where?”
She laughs. “But you can’t ask questions. Obviously.”
Fuck my life.
I pictured a great battle on these grounds. Slaying dragons. Getting to the cure and leaving my life behind. I’d rather that than this shit.
“Well? I don’t have much time. The other gods can’t guess what I’m up to. Or that I have you.”
I sigh, thinking. Hell, I don’t even know what there is to think about. If I don’t agree to this, Sadie is dead. The world remains a self-made hell. And Kiwi…
Kiwi.
My thoughts rest on her face. That bang that always falls into her eye. The red lights that sometimes flash in them, I feel the want to say fuck it to this goddess and get far away from here. With her.
But Sadie.
Sadie is my life.
I can’t fail her. I’m her monster. I have to come through.
I sigh again and nod.
“Wise choice, Pike.” She grabs my hand, and an energy stabs into me.
I gasp. My skin flattens against my bones. I start to rise in the air. Pressure is going to crush me. It’s going to cru…
And just like that, I’m released. I fall back to the ground, land on my feet, and suck in a deep breath. Then, I lean over. Rest my hands against my knees, panting.
“What the.” Huff. “Fuck did you.” Huff. “Do to me?”
She circles me as I struggle to get my breath back right.
“You just swore a troth. It can only be broken by death.”
I manage to half stand up, all my weight resting on the right side of my body.
“Peachy,” I say with a cough.
“And now, it’s time for me to uphold my end of the bargain.”
I nod and stand all the way up.
“Shall we bring your companions over?”
Before I can respond, another flash of light. Then, Juliet and Kiwi are standing on the golden crossroads with us, glancing around, eyes wide.
“Kiwi Grunder and Juliet Burke,” Artemis says while they’re still looking around. “Welcome to the crossroads. Let’s get on with saving your world, shall we?”
Kiwi and Juliet glance at me, then look back at Artemis and nod. The goddess strolls over to Juliet and places her hand on her cheek.
My eyebrows furrow in confusion.
“You are tied to him, which is to be tied to death.”
Juliet nods.
“But you knew what would happen when you got here, correct? What the gods require. What we always demand?”
Juliet nods again. Her face is blank. Poker faced ass Juliet.
“Good, let’s get this over with, shall we?”
Before anyone can do or say anything, Artemis produces a golden blade from under her robe. She slashes out toward Juliet.
I blink.
A line of purple fluid forms from a gash in Juliet’s neck. She clutches her throat. A gurgling gasp fills the room. My heart pounds, and my eyes widen. The blood gushes from her wound, and all the time, the look on her face never changes.
Even in death, the bitch gives nothing away.
29
When her body hits the ground, I am too stunned to do shit. I barely register Kiwi screaming beside me. A blur of movement flashes across the side of my vision. I blink, realizing it’s Kiwi.
Then I realize it’s Kiwi lunging at an ancient goddess.
I reach o
ut and grab her. She struggles in my arms, still screaming. Artemis looks at the both of us, an amused smile coating her face.
“What the fuck did you do that for?” Kiwi growls, flailing her legs, trying to get out of my arms.
I tighten my grip around her so that she can’t move. Placing my lips against her ear, I whisper, “Shut the fuck up before you get yourself killed.”
She goes limp in my arms. As Juliet’s blood runs along the crossroads, the lines of golden light alternate between blue and red. I can almost smell magic in the air. I should have known, the gods always demand blood. They always will.
Artemis is still smiling her ancient, smug smile. “Ah, one of Hades little bitches.” She kicks Juliet’s body. “You mourn this thing? This thing that made hell on earth. Who rounded up your kind like slabs of beef?”
I can’t see the look on Kiwi’s face, but I imagine her glaring.
“It’s not mourning,” Kiwi growls. “I needed that bitch to get back.”
Artemis looks stunned for a moment, then she bursts into laughter. High pitched, animal like laughter that is so human it borders on creepy. Confused, I let Kiwi go. I’m still too stunned to do anything, let alone laugh. We just stare at Artemis until she is done.
“Well, I can assure you,” she finally says, “you will have no trouble getting back. And you will go back a hero, and tell of Pike’s brave sacrifice.”
From underneath her robe, she produces a bow. It is small, and pulses with silver light. She hands it to Kiwi.
We both stare at the pulsing object in her hands.
Finally, Kiwi asks, “What is this?”
“Your cure.”
“It’s a bow.”
“It’s a bow and arrow,” Artemis says.
I rub my eyelids. “I don’t get it.”
The look on Kiwi’s face tells me she doesn’t get it, either.
“The arrow are plague arrows, and as such, cannot be seen until one draws back on the string.”
“Plague arrows?” Kiwi asks. “How is that a cure?”
Artemis smiles. “Apollo’s plague arrows. They can induce and cure any plague.” She tucks her hands back under her robe. “Use them as you see fit.”
Kiwi glances from Artemis to me, then places the bow in her duffel.
“It is almost time for us to go. I’ll allow you some time to say goodbye.” With that, Artemis turns, her robe flapping behind her, and saunters back to Apollo’s statue.
Kiwi peers up at me and shrugs. “So…”
I nod. “Yeah, so…”
She glances around. “This was easier than I thought.”
I want to laugh. I want to tell her that for me, the hard part is just beginning. But I don’t. No point.
“Where are you going with her?” Kiwi asks.
I glance toward Artemis, then look down at Kiwi and force a smile. “No idea.”
She frowns. “I don’t trust her.”
“You’ll be safe. Sadie will be safe.”
“What about you?”
I raise an eyebrow. “What about me?”
She laughs. “I can’t believe I used to think you were a monster.”
I frown. My mind flashing back to Ana. To Tahlia. To Hope. To all the people I’ve killed.
I grit my teeth and speak between them. “I am a monster.”
“Monsters don’t do things like this.”
I smile at her, reach down, and rub her shoulders. “One good act doesn’t make up for a lifetime of bad ones, sweetheart. Don’t forget who I am.”
She lifts herself up onto her toes and brushes her lips against mine. It fills me with warmth. I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my arms. Parting her lips with my tongue, I kiss her deeply. She sighs. My eyes flutter shut.
I only wish we had time to do more.
She pulls away and points at my chest. “I won’t forget who you are as long as you don’t. Remember who you are and get your ass back to me.”
I nod. I don’t want to make a promise I can’t keep, so I don’t say anything. But I intend to make my way back. To her. To Sadie. I don’t intend on being someone’s little bitch forever.
Kiwi blinks tears from her eyes and places a soft kiss against my cheek. Against my dirty ass beard. I give her my most charming smile, hoping it makes her feel better.
A throat clears behind us. Artemis.
She nods toward me. “It’s time.”
She clicks her tongue. Intuition shifts my gaze toward the statue. Out from behind it slithers a long python. My asshole pinches at the sight of it. It is the biggest freakin’ snake I’ve ever seen in my life.
And it’s slithering right toward us.
Kiwi jumps into my arms. “What the hell is that?”
I grip her tight. My mouth has gone dry so I can’t echo her sentiment. I try to keep my face manly and cool, but even as I do, I grip Kiwi tighter.
“Relax.” The snake comes to rest at Artemis’ feet. “Her name is Bex. The python of Apollo.” She waves her hands in the air, and the snake stands up so that they are face to face. Then, she blows in the snake’s face. It lowers its muscled body and slithers toward us, resting at my feet.
It takes all of me not to shit myself then and there.
“She will serve you, fury. Protect you on your journey. I gave my word to Pike, and you will be safe.”
When we make no attempt to move, Artemis lets out a sigh. “She’s not going to hurt you.”
Kiwi glances at me, then slowly lowers herself to the ground. Bex lets out a low hiss, and Kiwi backs up a few paces. Bex simply follows her and rests her massive head, the size of a bull’s skull, at her feet.
Kiwi reaches for my hand, squeezes, then leans over and strokes the head of the snake. The snakes tongue lashes out and brushes against her hand.
I laugh. Girl’s got bigger balls than me.
And my balls are pretty huge.
“We can no longer afford to dawdle, Pike. It is time.” Artemis waves me on.
More shit bombs going off. I turn to Kiwi and before I can say anything, she presses her lips against my ear. “I’ll be waiting.”
I smile and pull her face toward mine. I kiss her deeply, until we both tremble. Her warm tears run down my cheeks. I pull away from her and hold her tightly by the shoulders.
“Don’t do that.” I wink at her. “You’re my badass bitch and don’t forget it. We don’t cry. We fuck shit up.”
She wipes her tears and laughs. Then she punches me in the gut and hisses in my face.
“Don’t call me a bitch.”
I wink again. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Pike!” She frowns at me.
I sigh and close my eyes. “I need you to leave first. I can’t go… If you’re here.”
I stand there for a few moments, but I can still feel her presence in front of me. I suck in a deep breath. If this isn’t quick, I’m going to break. I can feel it in the tremble of my knees.
“Please,” I say again, barely able to keep my voice from cracking.
Her lips press against mine one more time. I squeeze my eyes shut tighter. My hands ball into fists at my sides. Then, after a little bit, I can no longer feel her.
I open my eyes and my bad ass bitch is gone.
30
I move without moving toward the statue of the god that created me. I move without feeling any bend in my knee. Any beat of my heart. I walk alongside Artemis, unsure how I have the strength of will to be walking beside her.
And yet, I am.
I reach the statue and place a hand out to steady myself.
“Are you ready?” she asks.
I glance at her, unsure of what to say. Ready to leave behind everything I care about for gods know what?
Sure, let’s do this.
I open my mouth, about to respond, when I hear a distant chirp.
I glance up at the starless sky and see a flurry of silver. So out of place. So right on time. When he chirps again, I actually smile, my heart doi
ng ninja kicks in my chest.
With a final chirp, he lands at his rightful place on my shoulder and I start laughing.
“Oscar!” I ruffle his feathers. “What’s going on, buddy?”
He squawks. “We stick together.”
I laugh harder. “Damn right we do.”
Artemis smiles. Then, she pushes a button in on the statue. Before my eyes, it transforms into a small, golden boat with golden oars attached. She nods toward it and I get in, taking a seat on one of the two benches.
Oscar buries his head in my shoulder. As soon as Artemis is seated, the oars start to move on their own and row us out to sea. I sit there, petting my oldest friend in the world and thinking maybe the gods are looking out for me, after all.
Not that they aren’t still motherfuckers.
After ten minutes or so of traveling farther and farther out into the ocean, Artemis hands me a cube.
“What’s this?” I take the small, black box engraved with bone-white sigils on all sides from her and examine it.
“A gift. Because I like you.”
I look up at her briefly, then back down at the box. It’s then that I notice a moving picture on the box’s smooth surface. It’s Kiwi, in a place I don’t recognize, planting something in a vegetable garden alongside Sadie.
Sadie. Looking like that little ice skater that proved I had a heart. Tears roll down my face and splatter against the moving picture.
“It’s a time cube. That is six months from now.” Artemis smiles. “You saved the world, Pike.”
I glance up and clear my throat. “Thank you.”
She frowns. “Don’t thank me yet. The gods never give anything for free.”
I nod. If anyone knows how true that is, it’s me. I stare out into the middle of the ocean and ruffle Oscar’s feathers. The waves around us dance outward, creating a funnel through which we sink. As we travel under the waves, I try not to think about where I’m going or what price I’m going to have to pay.
She’s safe.
They’re safe.
And even if I never see them again, it will have to be enough.
I close my eyes and imagine Sadie skating around on the ice like an air bound ballerina. From a distance, Kiwi watches.
They’re going to be okay.
And there isn’t a price I’m not willing to pay for that.